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Rich and creamy Tuscan Salmon is one of my go-to easy dinner recipes. Pan-seared salmon is cooked in a delicious cream sauce to pair perfectly with veggies, rice, or mashed potatoes. It’s creamy, cheesy, and mouthwatering! It’s a classic dinner recipe that you’ll make again and AGAIN!

Creamy Tuscan Salmon in a cast iron skillet for serving.

If you like easy dinner ideas, try my Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Pot Pie, Italian Dressing Chicken or Bang Bang Shrimp Lettuce Wraps

Easy Creamy Tuscan Salmon 😋

Elevate pan seared salmon by cooking it in a simple yet flavorful cream sauce. The delicious sauce is made with sun-dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, fresh baby spinach, onions, garlic, heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Made in under 30 minutes, you can have an easy yet impressive meal for any day of the week.

Let’s get to all of the reasons why you’ll love this recipe!

  • 30-MINUTE RECIPE: Need I say more? Make dinner easy with this quick and easy meal.
  • COMMON INGREDIENTS: All of the ingredients for this recipe are simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen or can easily locate at your local grocery store.
  • MOUTH-WATERING FLAVOR: We never skimp on flavor! The delicious cream sauce comes together with real ingredients like heavy cream, parmesan cheese and simple seasonings.

Ingredients You’ll Need

NOTE: The full list of ingredients with measurements is provided in the recipe card below.

  • Salmon: You can use fresh salmon or frozen salmon but I find that fresh sears easier as it has less moisture. Either way, make sure the salmon is thawed and rests at room temperature before searing. You can use anywhere between 3/4 pound to 1 pound of salmon, cut into 3 filets.
  • Olive Oil: You will need extra-virgin olive oil to pan sear the salmon fillets.
  • Sun-dried Tomatoes in Oil: Make sure to choose sun-dried tomatoes in oil as they have the best texture and flavor for dishes like this creamy tuscan salmon recipe. You can substitute with roasted red peppers in oil, if desired.
  • Cherry Tomatoes: They add even more texture and color.
  • Fresh baby Spinach: Adds a pop of green color. Plus, adding greens to deliciously savory dishes like this is a great way to pack in your greens. You can substitute the spinach for kale.
  • Onion: I use a white onion, but you can substitute for a yellow onion.
  • Seasonings: We keep it simple by using paprika, Italian seasoning, salt and freshly ground black pepper!
  • Garlic: I like to use fresh garlic and mince it myself, but you can use store-bought minced garlic too!
  • Heavy Cream: This serves as the base of the creamy tuscan sauce. Heavy cream is the key to very flavorful cream sauce.
  • Parmesan Cheese: Gives the sauce a umami, cheesy, kick.

How to Make Tuscan Salmon (Step-by-Step with Photos)

  1. Prep and Sear the Salmon: Pat both sides of the salmon dry with paper towels. Season both side of the salmon with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, sear on each side for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown. (It will not be cooked through at this point as the salmon cooks more in the creamy sun-dried tomato sauce.) Remove and set aside.
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Salmon being pictured being seared and flipped in oil in a black cast iron skillet

2. Make the Sauce: Add the onions, sundried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and garlic to the same pan and saute on medium heat for 5 minutes, until softened and fragrant. Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, salt, paprika and Italian seasoning. Reduce the heat to low, then stir in the baby spinach and simmer until the spinach is wilted.

3. Let everything simmer together: Add the salmon back to the pan with the sauce and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until the salmon is cooked through. Serve and enjoy!

Two pieces of salmon in a cast iron skillet sitting in a creamy tuscan sauce.

Chef’s Kiss

You don’t want to overcook the salmon or it will be tough. Make sure to sear for just a few minutes on each side until a nice crust develops and only cook in the sauce until the salmon is cooked through. Salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork.

Tips and Tricks for Success

If you follow these tips, you will have perfectly seared salmon!

  1. Bring the salmon to room temperature before cooking: If you want to ensure the salmon filets crisp up while searing, bring the salmon to room temperature for 15 or 20 minutes.
  2. Prevent the salmon from sticking to the pan: Along with bringing the salmon to room temperature before cooking, make sure to pat the salmon dry with a paper towel. Heat the oil until hot and then let it sear undisturbed before flipping.
  3. Use a fish spatula, if available: I highly recommend using a fish spatula if you have one to flip the fish. Since salmon is delicate, a spatula helps to flip the fish without tearing the flesh. The fish is ready to flip when it develops a nice crust.
  4. Cook the creamy sauce low and slow: Anytime you are making a cream sauce, you want to make sure the sauce is on low heat so that it doesn’t curdle.

How to Serve the Tuscan Salmon

You can serve Tuscan Salmon on it’s own, but I love to serve with with decadent sides. Because this is a comforting dish, I love to pair it with Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, my irresistible Cilantro Lime Rice or a side of hearty pasta. Or serve it with a crisp side salad or cooked veggies.

Store leftover tuscan salmon in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat in a skillet before serving.

Tuscan salmon dinner recipe in a skillet on a white countertop ready for serving.

More Easy Skillet Dinners You Can’t Miss

Creamy Tuscan Salmon

5 from 5 votes
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 3 servings
This 30-minute Tuscan Salmon recipe has a rich and creamy sauce made with sun-dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, onions, and spinach. Perfect for weeknights or special occasions!
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Ingredients 

For the salmon:

  • 3 salmon filets (about 1 pound total)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

For the sauce:

  • ½ white onion diced
  • ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil
  • ½ cup cherry tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 cup fresh baby spinach
  • Salt to taste

Instructions 

  1. Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the salmon and sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until golden brown. (The salmon doesn’t need to be fully cooked at this stage, as it will finish cooking in the sauce later.) Remove the salmon and set aside.
  3. In the same pan over medium heat, add onions, sun-dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, until fragrant and softened.
  4. Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, paprika and Italian seasoning. Reduce heat to low, then stir in the fresh baby spinach and allow the sauce to simmer, until the spinach is wilted. Stir in salt, to taste, if desired. Place the salmon back into the pan and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes until the salmon is cooked through.

Notes

  • The olive oil should lightly coat the bottom of the pan. It should cover the entire surface of the pan, but will be a thin layer, just enough to sear. You may need to add a little more oil, depending on the size of your pan. 
  • Add heat: You can add heat to the sauce by stirring in a pinch or two of red pepper flakes. 
  • Garnish: While this salmon dish looks impressive as is, you can garnish with fresh basil before serving, if desired. 
Storage: Store leftovers in a sealed container for up to 2 days. Reheat in a skillet until the salmon is warmed through. 
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Recipe Rating




5 Comments

  1. Chanel says:

    5 stars
    This is my new fave dinner recipe! I love the salmon, and the sauce is so creamy, and really just the best part about the whole thing. I love eating it with some bread sometimes because its good all just by itself

  2. adriana rodriguez says:

    5 stars
    As with all of Toniโ€™s recipes, this dish was a hit . I combined It with jasmine rice and everyone loved it ! It was creamy and savory . IIโ€™ll try it with mash potatoes next time !

  3. Danielle A. says:

    5 stars
    I have a two-fold reason for giving this recipe 5 stars! Not only is it rich, fresh, and absolutely delicious, but as a working mom and wife with very little time to spend at the stove, this recipe made me a Rockstar tonight with my family who loves gourmet tasting meals with quick turnaround time. I just could NOT believe that 25 minutes later dinner was being served, with leftovers! I am SOLD OUT on the moody foody! My New virtual cookbook.

  4. Sara says:

    5 stars
    My hubby and I love this recipe. Heโ€™s always asking me to make this on the weekends and I donโ€™t care because itโ€™s thatโ€™s good lol

  5. Alissa says:

    5 stars
    I love me a good salmon recipe, and this one is perfect! The sauce is creamy and flavorful and it made a good sauce for my mashed potatoes. I think this is a new favorite for me.