Stuffed Salmon with Spinach

Creamy and packed full of flavor, this stuffed salmon recipe is one for the books. I love any salmon recipe, but this buttery, lemony, cheesy recipe is probably my all-time favorite. It's insanely good and ridiculously easy to make. Get ready to impress your dinner guests.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 267kcal

Author Imma

Equipment

baking sheet
Non-stick skillet
Paring knife

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 ounces baby spinach
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
4 6-ounce salmon fillets
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
Fresh parsley, for garnish
Lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425℉/220℃. Line a baking sheet with foil, spray it with cooking spray, and set it aside.
Melt butter in a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add a third of the fresh spinach to the skillet and cook it for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until it wilts.
Stir in the garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and cook for 30 seconds. Continue adding the remaining spinach in handfuls until it completely wilts. Remove the pan from the heat.
Then stir in the cream cheese until it melts and combines with the spinach. Sprinkle in the mozzarella cheese and stir until melted and combined.
Using a paring knife, carefully cut a slit in each salmon fillet to create a pocket. Stuff the pockets with your spinach mixture.
Transfer the fish to the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over the fillets, sprinkle them with remaining salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, and bake for 8-10 minutes or until the salmon's center is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
Serve garnished with parsley, with lemon wedges on the side.

Notes

Large salmon fillets are best to get deep enough pockets for the filling.
You can also use toothpicks to secure the pockets and seal the filling inside.
Add a drizzle of breadcrumbs or cheese on top of the salmon before baking to add more texture.
Pat dry the salmon fillet before you prepare it for the stuffing.
Be careful not to overbake the fish to avoid loss of its moisture and perfect flaky texture.
Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition