Pan-Seared Salmon with Spinach is an easy and healthy Mediterranean style dinner. Your family will love all the veggies! Ready in 30 minutes. This recipe is gluten-free and high in protein.
One of my favorite dinners ever is a creamy Tuscan salmon with spinach. This recipe is very similar to Tuscan salmon, except it doesn't have any cream. Of course, salmon and spinach is not the only flavor combination there is. I also recommend salmon with asparagus, as well as cilantro lime salmon.
Mediterranean dinner
This simple recipe takes only 30 minutes. First, salmon fillets are pan-fried in olive oil in the skillet. Then, spinach is lightly sauteed together with garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, and capers. Pan-seared salmon fillets are served over the bed of sauteed vegetables. Delicious and healthy!
Salmon and spinach
- Healthy dinner. Salmon is high in protein and omega-3 fatty acids. Spinach is packed with nutrients and antioxidants. It's high in fiber and a good source of many vitamins and minerals. Combining salmon and spinach together in one delicious dinner is a great way to add healthy foods to your diet!
- 30-minute recipe. Quickly sear the salmon in olive oil, then lightly saute spinach with other ingredients. That's it! Your family will love this dinner, and you don't have to spend much time to make it!
- One-pan recipe. Salmon is seared in the same skillet where you saute the vegetables. One pan to clean! What's not to love?
- Low-carb meal. Salmon is a high protein food packed with omega-3 fatty acids. Both spinach and salmon are great choices for a low-carb meal!
Salmon skin: on or off?
- Salmon skin is delicious especially when the salmon is pan-fried. When you pan-sear the salmon with skin on in olive oil on medium heat, the skin gets crunchy and crispy. So good!
- Salmon skin contains a good amount of nutrients.
- Salmon skin protects the fish from overcooking. The skin will help salmon fillet retain its shape while you sear it. It will also protect it from overcooking. Also, it’s much easier to remove the skin once the salmon is cooked! Slide the spatula between the salmon fillet and the skin to remove the skin.
How to make pan-seared salmon with spinach
How to pan sear salmon
1) Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Season salmon fillets with salt.
2) When the oil is hot, add salmon fillets flesh side down (skin side up). Sear for about 4 minutes on medium-high heat.
4) Then, 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.
Prepare the vegetables
1) To the same, now empty, skillet, add chopped sun-dried tomatoes and minced garlic.
2) Add chopped artichokes, capers. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
3) Add fresh spinach.
4) Cook, stirring until the spinach wilts, for a couple of minutes. Season with salt if needed.
Assembly
1) Add pan-seared salmon on top of the vegetable mixture.
2) Spoon some of the vegetable mixture over the salmon.
Side dishes for pan-seared salmon
- Roasted vegetables. Green vegetables go really well with pan-seared salmon. Try roasted asparagus, oven-roasted broccoli, garlic green beans with bacon, or cooked spinach.
- Pasta. If you crave some carbs with your salmon dinner, 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 spaghetti squash is a great gluten-free side dish for salmon.
Salmon and Trout recipes
If you enjoyed pan-fried salmon with spinach, check out these easy recipes:
Pan-Seared Salmon with Spinach
Ingredients
Salmon
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb salmon fillets (3 or 4 salmon fillets)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
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.
Prepare the vegetables
- 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. Season with salt if needed.
Assembly
- Add pan-seared salmon on top of the vegetable mixture.
Nutrition
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.
I love this recipe. I seasoned the salmon with tony chachere's. It was delicious!
I love hearing that! Thank you for your review, Beth. 🙂
I made the seated salmon with spinach last night (I used cod for me) and it was excellent!
Thanks, Diane, for your review! 🙂 So glad you enjoyed this recipe with cod (sounds so good!).
I did not like this recipe and would not make again. The salmon was overcooked and it just wasn't good.
Overcooked salmon doesn't taste good, I agree! Always adjust cooking times depending on the size of the salmon fillets.
You might like this recipe below better - it's more forgiving because it has a luscious sauce that will make even overcooked salmon taste good:
https://juliasalbum.com/creamy-tuscan-salmon/
I have taken to cooking since I retired. This turned out great. My wife said I can make this for company! Lol. Thanks.
Alan, so glad this recipe was a success - thank you for sharing your review! ❤️
My entire family loved this - including the kiddos! They finished before I was even able to sit down. Great recipe!
Heather, I am so happy everybody enjoyed this recipe! 🙂 Thank you for the wonderful feedback!
Can I freeze this, I like to cook in batches and freeze
Dianne, yes, you can freeze this!
Love that this is a healthy lower fat recipe. Very easy to make and lots of flavor. I think I’ll try the wine addition to punch it up a tad.
Judi, glad you tried this recipe and so glad you loved it! 🙂 Thank you for taking the time to share such a positive comment! 🙂
Delicious!!! Looking for fertility boosting recipes and this was right up my alley. Thank you.
I can't have tomatoes, so I substituted red pepper. Delicious!
Red bell peppers would be so good here!
Awesome recipe. My wife and I loved it. Added 1/2 cup of Pinot Grigio after adding Sun Dried Tomatoes. Gave it a little extra flavor.
Jerry, I am glad the recipe was enjoyed! Love the addition of wine!
I made this for dinner and it was absolutely delicious. I cooked it with cauliflower rice and raw carrots. My husband and I loved it. Thank You!
Adriene, you are very welcome! Adding cauliflower rice and raw carrots sounds delicious!
Great tasting dish. Quick easy healthy
Lynda, I am very happy this recipe was enjoyed! 🙂 Thank you for the feedback!
So delicious and very easy!!
I will be keeping this as a regular dish!
Mary, I am glad you gave this recipe a try and enjoyed it! 🙂
Sorry... This recipe is definitely a 5 star recipe.
Thank you! 🙂
This was an awesome recipe. I just happen to have all of the ingredients in my pantry, and I'm so glad I did. This will become one of my go to salmon recipes.
Amy, I am so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for the comment!
I substituted giant shrimp for the salmon (cooked it in the pain after the spinach) and it was delicious! I also added shallots at the very beginning
Shrimp works well in this recipe - I bet it was so delicious! Thank you for 5-star review! 🙂
This looks so good! Which kind of sun-dried tomatoes? Which kind of artichokes? From jars with oil?
Simply amazing!!! Thank you Julia.
Made this last evening and my husband loved it.
Your comment really made my day!