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    Creamy Tuscan Salmon with Spinach, Artichokes, and Garlic

    By Julia | Updated: Jan 26, 2025 | Published: Mar 04, 2019 | 133 Comments

    98.0K shares
    • Facebook3.7K
    Jump to Recipe Print SaveSaved!
    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our affiliate policy.

    Pan-Seared Creamy Tuscan Salmon with Garlic, Spinach, Artichokes, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and Capers.  This recipe features the best white cream sauce for salmon! Ready in 30 minutes!

    3 creamy tuscan salmon fillets with spinach, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, capers in a stainless steel skillet

     

    If you're looking for a family-friendly dinner recipe to make tender and flaky salmon, look no further.  This one-pan meal will surely become one of your favorite weeknight dinners!  Pan-seared Tuscan salmon is generously coated in a creamy garlic sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and other veggies.

    Crispy and crunchy on the outside, the salmon is moist and tender on the inside. This recipe features the same vegetables I used for fusilli pasta not long ago.

    Serve creamy Tuscan salmon with roasted or steamed vegetables, pasta, or with Italian ravioli. Buy ravioli in the store and dress them up according to my recipe!

    Why make Tuscan salmon

    • One-pan meal.  Use a large skillet or frying pan.  Stainless steel, cast iron, or non-stick.  The salmon is pan seared to perfection until crispy and flaky.  Then, the creamy garlic sauce is made in the same pan.
    • Ready in 30 minutes.  Perfect recipe for a family weeknight dinner!
    • Tuscan flavors.  Sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, garlic, artichokes, and capers taste delicious in a white cream sauce.

    Creamy Tuscan Salmon with Spinach, Artichokes, Garlic, and Capers in a stainless steel skillet

    Helpful tips for searing salmon

    • Do not remove the skin.  The skin will help salmon fillet retain its shape while you sear it.  It will also protect it from overcooking.  Also, when the salmon is completely cooked, you can slide the fork between the salmon fillet and the skin to remove the skin.  It's much easier to remove the skin once the salmon is cooked!
    • Pat dry salmon with paper towels before searing.
    • Season the salmon with salt right before searing.
    • Sear the salmon flesh side down first (skin side up).  This will create a nice crust over the top of the salmon.  Make sure the skillet is hot and the olive oil rolls easily around the skillet (without burning).
    • How long to sear salmon? Sear salmon about 4 minutes on each side, until it's cooked through and flaky.

    White Cream Sauce for Salmon

    Creamy garlic sauce is made with heavy cream and minced garlic.  Sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, and capers add flavor and texture.   The cream sauce is super flavorful, and it also keeps the salmon fillets tender and moist on the inside.

    single Creamy Tuscan Salmon fillet with Spinach, Artichokes, Garlic, and Capers on a white plate

    How to make Tuscan salmon

    1) First, sear salmon fillets in olive oil in a large skillet.

    seared salmon fillets in a skillet

    2) Remove the salmon from the skillet.
    3) Next, cook the vegetables. Add minced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the skillet.
    minced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes in a skillet

    4) Add chopped artichoke hearts and drained capers. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

    minced garlic, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, chopped artichoke hearts, drained capers in a skillet

    5) Then, add fresh spinach.

    6) Cook for a couple of minutes, until the spinach wilts.

    wilted spinach with other vegetables in a skillet

    7) Add 1 cup of heavy cream and paprika. Bring to simmer. Simmer for about 1 minute, stirring. Season with salt and more paprika, if you like.

    creamy sauce with spinach in a skillet

    8) Add cooked salmon to the skillet with the cream sauce. Spoon the sauce over the salmon, and simmer for a minute or more, until the salmon is warmed up and cooked through.
    Creamy Tuscan Salmon with Spinach, Artichokes, Garlic, and Capers

    What to serve with creamy Tuscan salmon

    • Pasta. Because Tuscan salmon features creamy sauce, it's best to serve it with some carbs.   Serve angel hair pasta, spaghetti, penne, or ziti pasta.
    • Spaghetti squash.  Roast spaghetti squash in the oven and scrape out the spaghetti squash strands with the fork.
    • Roasted vegetables.  Green vegetables will be amazing with the creamy and flaky Tuscan salmon.  Make roasted asparagus, oven-roasted broccoli, garlic green beans with bacon, or cooked spinach.

    Creamy Tuscan Salmon with Spinach, Artichokes, Garlic, and Capers

    Other salmon recipes

    Salmon is a great source of protein.  It's always handy to have a good salmon recipe to make for a family dinner.  Here are some of my favorites:

    • Garlic Parmesan Crusted Salmon and Asparagus
    • Cilantro Lime Salmon
    • Salmon with Mango Salsa

    Other Italian recipes

    Italian-inspired recipes usually revolve around pasta, as well as meat served with lots of vegetables.  If you enjoy Italian cuisine, you might like these weeknight dinner recipes:

    • Creamy Farfalle (Bow-Tie Pasta) with Spinach, Mushrooms, Caramelized Onions
    • Linguine with Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce
    • Mushroom Ravioli with Spinach
    • Baked Italian Chicken with Vegetables
    • Mediterranean Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Artichokes, and Capers
    creamy tuscan salmon
    4.74 from 190 votes

    Creamy Tuscan Salmon with Spinach, Artichokes, and Garlic

    Pan-Seared Creamy Tuscan Salmon with Garlic, Spinach, Artichokes, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Capers. Crispy and crunchy on the outside, the salmon is moist and tender on the inside.  Served with the silky white cream sauce. This family favorite dinner is ready in 30 minutes!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 4 people
    Calories per serving 482 kcal
    Author: Julia

    Ingredients

    Salmon

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 lb salmon fillets (3 or 4 salmon fillets)
    • ¼ teaspoon salt

    White cream sauce

    • 3 cloves garlic , minced
    • ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes , chopped
    • 1 cup artichoke hearts , chopped
    • 2 tablespoons capers , drained
    • 5 oz spinach fresh
    • 1 cup heavy cream
    • ¼ teaspoon paprika
    • salt
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions 

    How to sear salmon

    • Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat.
    • Season salmon fillets with salt.
    • When the oil is hot, add salmon fillets flesh side down (skin side up). Sear for about 4 minutes on medium-high heat.
    • Reduce heat to medium.
    • Flip the salmon fillets to the other side (skin side down). Sear for another 4 or 5 minutes on medium heat until salmon is flaky.
    • Remove salmon from the skillet.

    How to make white cream sauce

    • To the same, now empty, skillet, add chopped sun-dried tomatoes, minced garlic, chopped artichokes, capers. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
    • Add fresh spinach, and continue cooking and stirring until the spinach wilts, for a couple of minutes.
    • To the skillet with sautéed vegetables, add 1 cup of heavy cream and paprika. Bring to simmer. Simmer for about 1 minute, stirring. Season with salt. Add more paprika, if you like.

    Assembly

    • Add cooked salmon to the skillet with the cream sauce.
    • Spoon the sauce over the salmon, and simmer for a minute or more, until the salmon is warmed up and cooked through. The salmon should be flaky.
    • Season with salt, if needed.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Information
    Creamy Tuscan Salmon with Spinach, Artichokes, and Garlic
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    482
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    37
    g
    57
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    15
    g
    94
    %
    Cholesterol
     
    143
    mg
    48
    %
    Sodium
     
    564
    mg
    25
    %
    Potassium
     
    1042
    mg
    30
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    10
    g
    3
    %
    Fiber
     
    2
    g
    8
    %
    Sugar
     
    3
    g
    3
    %
    Protein
     
    26
    g
    52
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    4865
    IU
    97
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    24.2
    mg
    29
    %
    Calcium
     
    109
    mg
    11
    %
    Iron
     
    2.9
    mg
    16
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Nutrition Disclaimer:

    The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Keyword tuscan salmon
    « Farfalle with Spinach, Mushrooms, Caramelized Onions
    Salmon Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce and Spinach »
    98.0K shares
    • Facebook3.7K

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Carrie

      May 27, 2025 at 11:53 am

      In my opinion, the salmon would be over done if cooked for the amount of time you advise

      It will also continue to cook once it’s placed back in the pan with the sauce.

      Reply
      • Julia

        May 27, 2025 at 2:44 pm

        Thanks for your review, Carrie! 🙂 You're totally right and I think that depends on the size and the thickness of the salmon fillets. For larger thicker ones, it will take longer to cook than for thinner ones. I used thicker fillets, and you probably used thinner ones.

        Reply
    2. ellie

      May 12, 2025 at 1:53 pm

      Holy Moly keep them coming,

      very tasty so quick and easy, I had not artichokes so chopped up white asparagus, absolutely delicious, you have so many dishes I want to make, I get over excited at which one to pick..

      Reply
      • Julia

        May 13, 2025 at 12:54 pm

        Hi Ellie! I love your energy! 🙂 White asparagus is such a smart swap—sounds delicious! Can’t wait to hear which recipe you try next—keep me posted! 🙂

        Reply
    3. Mitzie

      November 06, 2024 at 3:56 pm

      We have salmon about once a week and this is my new favorite! The flavors blend so well yet individually pop out with each bite. My husband loved it too!

      Reply
      • Julia

        November 09, 2024 at 10:55 pm

        Oh, I am so happy to hear that, Mitzie! It's one of my favorite recipes, too! 🙂

        Reply
    4. Anette

      June 15, 2024 at 7:06 am

      I tried this recipe but cannot use heavy cream due to dietary restrictions. I tried substituting Greek yogurt but it did not turn out as well as expected. Is there a lower calorie substitution?

      Reply
      • Julia

        June 15, 2024 at 7:08 pm

        Anette, I would try evaporated milk. It should work as a 1:1 substitution and provide similar texture but much lighter in fat and calories.

        Reply
    5. Jackie

      June 02, 2024 at 12:08 pm

      Would adding flour, making a roux and add milk instead of cream. Would it work.

      Reply
      • Julia

        June 02, 2024 at 12:13 pm

        Hi Jackie, yes, that will work!

        Reply
    6. Claire Benckenstein

      February 12, 2024 at 6:56 pm

      Absolutely delicious! Rich and flavorful. Will be making it again.

      Reply
      • Julia

        February 13, 2024 at 8:29 pm

        That's great to hear, Claire! ❤️

        Reply
    7. Lynn

      January 28, 2024 at 10:42 am

      It doesn’t say to add the onion

      Reply
      • Julia

        January 28, 2024 at 10:29 pm

        Lynn, I didn't use onions here, but they would be delicious here!

        Reply
      • Don Jones

        January 30, 2024 at 9:15 pm

        Absolutely amazing meal! Something you would expect in a five star restaurant. Added a little freshly grated Parmesan to it. Definitely will make this again and I’d like to make it using jumbo shrimp in lieu of salmon.

        Reply
        • Julia

          January 31, 2024 at 10:10 pm

          Don, thank you for your rave review - I really appreciate it! ❤️ This would work great with shrimp, too!

          Reply
    8. Sara Phillips

      January 13, 2024 at 1:24 pm

      This looks delish! Can I use coconut milk/cream instead, or will it change the flavor too much?

      Reply
      • Julia

        January 13, 2024 at 1:38 pm

        Sara, you can use the coconut milk - it would work great!

        Reply
    9. Barbara

      December 23, 2023 at 5:21 pm

      What about lightening this up with milk and a little cornstarch slurry for thickening? Heavy cream is so rich!

      Reply
      • Julia

        December 28, 2023 at 2:03 pm

        Barbara, yes, you can use milk + cornstarch slurry to reduce fat. Enjoy!

        Reply
    10. Donna Slayback

      December 23, 2023 at 4:09 pm

      Can’t wait to try this!

      Reply
      • Julia

        December 28, 2023 at 2:03 pm

        Awesome! I hope you love it, Donna!

        Reply
    11. Meghan Summers

      December 22, 2023 at 10:15 pm

      do you recommend using the dried sun-dried tomatoes that come in a bag or the kind that come in a jar in oil?

      Reply
      • Julia

        December 28, 2023 at 2:13 pm

        Meghan, you can use either, even though the jarred sun-dried tomatoes in oil are softer in texture and you can use the flavorful oil from the jar for cooking.

        Reply
    12. Judy

      December 20, 2023 at 4:19 pm

      I made this and it is soooooo good! My husband and guests loved it!!

      Reply
      • Julia

        December 21, 2023 at 1:59 am

        Judy, thank you for taking the time to share your feedback! ❤️❤️

        Reply
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    Julia is the author of JuliasAlbum.com (a food blog focused on easy dinner recipes, pasta dishes, salads made with seasonal ingredients). In this photo, Julia is pictured wearing a yellow sweater against an Autumn background.

    Hi, I'm Julia!

    I am a full-time food blogger living in beautiful Colorado. I focus primarily on savory recipes (protein-based & fiber-rich main dishes, pasta, salads) using fresh & seasonal ingredients. A food blogger since 2012, I help home cooks create well-balanced and visually appealing dinners (many of which are 30-minute ONE-PAN meals). Find out more about me and my cooking philosophy. 

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