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This Creamy Tuscan Salmon delivers restaurant-quality elegance in under 30 minutes. Tender salmon fillets are seared and simmered in a rich, velvety sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and garlic. It’s a foolproof, impressive meal perfect for any occasion.

Why You’ll Love This Creamy Tuscan Salmon

Elegant & Easy: Restaurant-worthy results with simple, 30-minute home cooking.
Incredible Sauce: Creamy, garlicky, and packed with depth from sun-dried tomatoes and parmesan.
Vibrant & Textured: Beautiful colors and a delightful mix of tender fish, creamy sauce, and tangy tomato.
Customizable Base: Easily swap ingredients like spinach for kale or add red pepper flakes.

Ingredients & Tools

4 salmon fillets (about 150-180 g each), skin-on or skinless
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
100 g sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and roughly chopped
120 ml dry white wine (like Sauvignon Blanc)
180 ml heavy cream (double cream)
60 g grated parmesan cheese
100 g fresh spinach
1 tsp Italian seasoning
To taste salt and freshly ground black pepper
For garnish fresh basil or parsley, chopped

Tools: A large skillet (preferably stainless steel or cast iron), tongs, a microplane or fine grater for the parmesan.

Notes: Using high-quality, fresh ingredients here really makes a difference—especially the salmon and the parmesan. The white wine adds a lovely acidity that cuts through the richness, but if you prefer to skip it, you can use a splash of chicken broth instead.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories:	580 kcal
Protein:	38 g
Fat:	42 g
Carbs:	12 g
Fiber:	3 g

Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes

Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes

Pat your salmon dry. This is the golden rule for a perfect sear. Use a paper towel to thoroughly dry the fillets on all sides. Any surface moisture will steam the fish instead of creating that beautiful, crispy crust we’re after.
Don’t skimp on the cream. For the silkiest, most luxurious sauce, use heavy cream (double cream in the UK). Lower-fat alternatives can curdle or separate when heated. This is one of those times where full-fat is definitely the way to go.
Grate your own parmesan. Pre-shredded cheese often contains anti-caking agents that can make your sauce grainy. Taking a minute to grate a block of parmesan yourself will give you a much smoother, meltier result.
Let the salmon come to room temperature. Taking the fillets out of the fridge about 15 minutes before cooking helps them cook more evenly. You’ll avoid that unpleasant contrast of an overcooked outside and a cold, undercooked center.

How to Make Creamy Tuscan Salmon

Step 1: Season and Sear the Salmon. Pat the salmon fillets completely dry with paper towels, then season both sides generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in your large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, carefully place the salmon in the pan, presentation-side down. Sear for 4-5 minutes without moving it, until a gorgeous golden-brown crust forms. Flip the fillets and cook for another 2 minutes. They don’t need to be cooked through yet—you’ll finish them in the sauce later. Remove the salmon to a plate and set aside.

Step 2: Sauté the Aromatics. Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter to the same skillet. Once melted, add the chopped onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, until it becomes soft and translucent. Now add the minced garlic and cook for just 30 seconds until fragrant—be careful not to let it burn, or it will turn bitter. The smell at this stage is absolutely incredible.

Step 3: Deglaze and Build the Sauce. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and Italian seasoning to the pan, stirring for about a minute to let their flavors bloom. Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, using your spoon to scrape up all those delicious browned bits from the salmon from the bottom of the skillet. Let the wine simmer and reduce by about half, which should take 2-3 minutes.

Step 4: Create the Creamy Base. Lower the heat to medium-low and pour in the heavy cream, stirring to combine everything. Let it come to a gentle simmer—you’ll notice it starting to thicken slightly. Now, sprinkle in the grated parmesan cheese, stirring continuously until it’s fully melted and the sauce is smooth and cohesive. Season the sauce with a pinch of salt and pepper, but remember the parmesan is salty, so taste as you go.

Step 5: Wilt the Spinach and Return the Salmon. Add the fresh spinach to the sauce, a handful at a time, stirring until it wilts and incorporates into the creamy mixture. This should only take a couple of minutes. Now, nestle the seared salmon fillets back into the skillet, spooning some of the sauce over the top. Let everything simmer together gently for 3-4 more minutes, or until the salmon is cooked to your preferred level of doneness and flakes easily with a fork.

Step 6: Final Touches and Serving. Turn off the heat. Give the sauce one final taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Garnish generously with freshly chopped basil or parsley for a pop of color and freshness. Serve immediately directly from the skillet for a rustic, family-style presentation, making sure each plate gets a beautiful fillet and plenty of that dreamy sauce.

Storage & Freshness Guide

Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Freezer: Not recommended; cream sauces may separate and salmon texture suffers.
Reviving: Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat, adding a splash of cream or water to loosen sauce.

Serving Suggestions

Complementary Dishes

Garlic Mashed Potatoes — The ultimate comfort food pairing. The creamy, fluffy potatoes are a perfect canvas for soaking up every last drop of that luxurious sauce.
Lemon Herb Orzo — The bright, zesty notes of the orzo cut through the richness of the salmon beautifully, and its small shape holds the sauce wonderfully.
Simple Arugula Salad — A light salad with a lemony vinaigrette provides a peppery, fresh contrast that cleanses the palate between bites of the rich fish.

Drinks

Crisp Sauvignon Blanc — The wine you used in the sauce is the natural choice to drink with it. Its acidity and citrus notes balance the cream and fat of the dish perfectly.
Sparkling Water with Lemon — A non-alcoholic option that offers refreshing bubbles and a hint of citrus to reset your taste buds, making each bite of salmon taste new again.

Something Sweet

Lemon Sorbet — A scoop of bright, tart sorbet is the perfect palate-cleansing finish. It’s light, refreshing, and doesn’t compete with the meal’s rich flavors.
Panna Cotta with Berry Compote — This creamy Italian dessert continues the theme. Its delicate, silky texture and fruity topping provide a lovely, elegant end to the meal.

Top Mistakes to Avoid

Overcooking the salmon. Salmon continues to cook even after it’s removed from the heat (carryover cooking). If you cook it until it’s completely opaque in the pan, it will be dry by the time you eat it. Remove it from the heat when it’s still slightly translucent in the very center.
Adding cold cream to a very hot pan. A drastic temperature change can sometimes cause the cream to break or curdle. To prevent this, lower the heat before adding the cream and let it come to a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil.
Using pre-shredded “parmesan” in a tub. These products are often coated with starches to prevent clumping, which can result in a gritty, non-melting sauce that lacks the true, nutty flavor of real Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Not deglazing the pan properly. Those browned bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet after searing the salmon are pure flavor gold. If you don’t scrape them up with the wine, you’re missing out on a huge depth of savory taste.

Expert Tips

Tip: Use the salmon skin to your advantage. If your fillets have skin on, sear them skin-side down first. The crispy skin is delicious, and the layer of fat underneath will render into the pan, adding incredible flavor to your sauce. You can always remove it after cooking if you prefer.
Tip: Infuse the cream for extra flavor. For an even more aromatic sauce, steep a sprig of fresh thyme or rosemary in the warm cream for 5-10 minutes before adding it to the pan. Just remember to remove the herb sprig before serving.
Tip: Finish with a squeeze of lemon. Right before serving, a quick squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the top of the dish can work wonders. It brightens all the flavors and cuts through the richness of the cream in the most delightful way.
Tip: Let the sauce rest. If you have a minute, turn off the heat and let the finished dish sit for 2-3 minutes before serving. This allows the sauce to thicken up slightly and the flavors to meld together even more harmoniously.

FAQs

Can I make this Creamy Tuscan Salmon with chicken instead?
Absolutely! This sauce is incredibly versatile. Just swap the salmon for two large chicken breasts (butterflied or pounded to an even thickness) or four chicken thighs. Sear the chicken until golden, then proceed with the recipe as written. You may need to adjust the cooking time slightly to ensure the chicken is cooked through before serving.

What can I use if I don’t have white wine?
No problem at all. The best substitute is an equal amount of chicken or vegetable broth. To mimic the acidity that wine provides, add a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice to the broth. It will give you a similar flavor profile and still do a great job of deglazing the pan.

How should I store and reheat leftovers?
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To reheat, gently warm it in a skillet over low heat, adding a tiny splash of cream or water to loosen the sauce. Avoid the microwave if you can, as it can easily overcook the salmon and make the sauce separate.

Can I freeze this dish?
I don’t recommend freezing the completed dish. Cream-based sauces tend to separate and become grainy when thawed, and the texture of the salmon will become very dry and rubbery. It’s truly best enjoyed fresh.

My sauce seems too thin. How can I thicken it?
If your sauce is thinner than you’d like, let it simmer for a few more minutes to reduce further. If it’s still not thickening, you can create a quick slurry by mixing a teaspoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water, then stirring it into the simmering sauce. It should thicken up within a minute.

Creamy Tuscan Salmon

Cost Level $$

Category Salmon Recipes

Difficulty Medium

Cuisine Italian, mediterranean

Servings 4

Total Time 30 minutes

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Make this easy 30-minute Creamy Tuscan Salmon for a restaurant-quality meal at home. Get the recipe for the rich, garlicky sauce and perfectly seared salmon now!

Ingredients

For the Ingredients

4 salmon fillets (about 150-180 g each, skin-on or skinless)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 small yellow onion (finely chopped)
4 garlic cloves (minced)
100 g sun-dried tomatoes in oil (drained and roughly chopped)
120 ml dry white wine (like Sauvignon Blanc)
180 ml heavy cream (double cream)
60 g grated parmesan cheese
100 g fresh spinach
1 tsp Italian seasoning
salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
fresh basil or parsley (chopped, for garnish)

Instructions

01
Pat the salmon fillets completely dry with paper towels, then season both sides generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in your large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, carefully place the salmon in the pan, presentation-side down. Sear for 4-5 minutes without moving it, until a gorgeous golden-brown crust forms. Flip the fillets and cook for another 2 minutes. They don’t need to be cooked through yet—you’ll finish them in the sauce later. Remove the salmon to a plate and set aside.
02
Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter to the same skillet. Once melted, add the chopped onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, until it becomes soft and translucent. Now add the minced garlic and cook for just 30 seconds until fragrant—be careful not to let it burn, or it will turn bitter. The smell at this stage is absolutely incredible.
03
Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and Italian seasoning to the pan, stirring for about a minute to let their flavors bloom. Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, using your spoon to scrape up all those delicious browned bits from the salmon from the bottom of the skillet. Let the wine simmer and reduce by about half, which should take 2-3 minutes.
04
Lower the heat to medium-low and pour in the heavy cream, stirring to combine everything. Let it come to a gentle simmer—you’ll notice it starting to thicken slightly. Now, sprinkle in the grated parmesan cheese, stirring continuously until it’s fully melted and the sauce is smooth and cohesive. Season the sauce with a pinch of salt and pepper, but remember the parmesan is salty, so taste as you go.
05
Add the fresh spinach to the sauce, a handful at a time, stirring until it wilts and incorporates into the creamy mixture. This should only take a couple of minutes. Now, nestle the seared salmon fillets back into the skillet, spooning some of the sauce over the top. Let everything simmer together gently for 3-4 more minutes, or until the salmon is cooked to your preferred level of doneness and flakes easily with a fork.
06
Turn off the heat. Give the sauce one final taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Garnish generously with freshly chopped basil or parsley for a pop of color and freshness. Serve immediately directly from the skillet for a rustic, family-style presentation, making sure each plate gets a beautiful fillet and plenty of that dreamy sauce.