Tuscan Salmon with Parmesan Cream Sauce

4.73 from 11 votes

This pan seared salmon in Parmesan cream sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach is a dinner inspired by Tuscan flavours.

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: salmon recipes, tuscan salmon

Servings:

Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel all over to remove excess moisture. Season salmon with salt and pepper, heat the olive oil together with butter in a frying pan, then sear the salmon over medium high heat until golden and the skin side is crispy, starting with the skin side up. This should take approximately 6-7 minutes. The salmon doesn’t have to be cooked all the way through at this point. Remove the salmon to a plate until later.
To the same pan add the garlic and sliced sun-dried tomatoes, sauté for about 30 seconds over very low heat, then deglaze the pan with the white wine and let it simmer for about 5 minutes until the liquid is reduced by a half.
Add the heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese, stir until the cheese is incorporated into the sauce, then add the spinach and bring the salmon back into the pan, let the sauce simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Season the sauce with salt to taste.

You’ll need to remove extra moisture from the salmon so the fish can sear instead of steam. Pat each piece with a paper town until it is dry, then season with salt and pepper.
Searing the salmon on high heat intensifies the flavour and improves the texture of the salmon. You’re looking for a golden finish.
When making the sauce, you can use the same oil your sun-dried tomatoes were packed in. This will infuse it with more flavour.
Use a dry white wine to deglaze the pan. I often use Vermouth as it’s always in my cupboard and I don’t have to open a new bottle just for the sauce. Other wines will work, but make sure you don’t grab a sweeter wine as it’ll change the flavour of the sauce.
If you don’t want to cook with alcohol, you can deglaze with chicken or vegetable stock instead, plus a squeeze of lemon juice for acidity.
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese is always a better option. Pe-grated Parmesan tends to lose its flavour quickly, meaning you need to use more, and also doesn’t melt properly into a smooth sauce.
Kale or arugula/rocket can be used in place of spinach.
Remember to return the salmon to the pan so it can cook for 5 minutes until cooked all the way through. But keep an eye out. If it begins to break apart, it’s overcooked!