Salmon Florentine Recipe

There are so many ways to cook salmon; it's almost overwhelming. You can keep it simple and grill it on the stovetop, or you could pop it in the oven and bake it. You could even eat salmon raw. This can make it pretty hard to settle on the perfect recipe. If you're looking for a simple yet elegant approach, however, you may be inspired by this salmon Florentine recipe. Recipe developer Christina Musgrave has crafted this bright and refined preparation, and she especially loves how easy it is to make yet how impressive it is when serving. "I love the flavors," she explains. "It tastes like a fancy restaurant dish, but in reality it's so easy to make."

This recipe incorporates a spinach cream sauce, providing extra color, flavor, and even nutrition. You'll bake the salmon in the oven and build the sauce on the stovetop, then bring both elements together at the end; the whole process only takes 20 minutes. This dish is easy to make, full of flavor, and visually appealing — need we say more?

Gather the ingredients for salmon Florentine

There are no fussy ingredients in this recipe; in fact, this ingredients list is quite short. To make this salmon Florentine recipe, you'll need two salmon fillets, olive oil, salt, pepper, butter, minced garlic, fresh spinach, red pepper flakes, and heavy whipping cream. While this recipe only calls for ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes, you can absolutely increase that amount; just go ahead and "add more if you like it spicy," Musgrave advises. 

Season and bake the salmon fillets

Many great recipes start out the exact same way: preheating your oven. Set yours to 425 F, then line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of olive oil onto the foil, then place both fillets on there, skin-side down. Season the salmon with a teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Once the oven is preheated, pop in the baking sheet and allow the fillets to cook for 12 minutes. 

Make the spinach cream sauce

As the salmon bakes, you can turn your attention to the sauce. Place a large skillet on the stovetop over medium heat, then add 2 tablespoons of butter. Next, add the minced garlic,and allow it to cook and become fragrant; this should take about 3 minutes. Be sure to stir the garlic frequently so it doesn't burn. Add the spinach to the pan along with the red pepper flakes, and continue to cook until the spinach wilts, about 5 minutes. Finally, pour the heavy whipping cream into the pan and mix thoroughly. 

Serve the salmon with the creamy spinach sauce

By the time the cream sauce comes together, the salmon fillets should be finishing up. Remove them from the oven, then transfer them directly into the pan with the sauce. Use a spoon to drizzle the creamy mixture over each fillet, then you're ready to serve up this salmon Florentine. "A crisp white wine is delicious with this," Musgrave suggests. As for side dishes, it's pretty hard to go wrong here; mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, or a side salad are all great options. 

This dish is best served right away, though there is hope for leftovers: Just reheat the salmon in a pan with some more olive oil, Musgrave suggests. In a world of endless salmon recipes, nothing beats keeping it simple but elegant, and this salmon Florentine definitely checks those boxes.

Salmon Florentine Recipe
5 from 40 ratings
This simple salmon recipe, which pairs the fish with a creamy spinach sauce, comes together in less than 30 minutes, but is still elegant enough to impress.
Prep Time
5
minutes
Cook Time
15
minutes
Servings
2
Servings
salmon florentine in pan
Total time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 2 salmon fillets
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 cups spinach
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 425 F.
  2. Drizzle olive oil on a baking sheet lined with foil and add the salmon, skin-side down. Sprinkle the fillets with salt and black pepper.
  3. Bake the salmon for 12 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add butter and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
  5. Add spinach and red pepper flakes to the pan. Cook until the spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes.
  6. Add heavy whipping cream and mix well.
  7. Add the cooked salmon to the pan, top each fillet with spinach cream sauce, and serve.
Nutrition
Calories per Serving 1,067
Total Fat 78.2 g
Saturated Fat 26.6 g
Trans Fat 0.5 g
Cholesterol 289.1 mg
Total Carbohydrates 4.5 g
Dietary Fiber 1.5 g
Total Sugars 1.1 g
Sodium 1,143.8 mg
Protein 83.2 g
The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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