Hello. You just found one of the best ways to enjoy salmon! This creamy spinach stuffed salmon is packed with flavour and proteins. The combination of tender salmon and the stuffing made of cottage cheese, spinach and Parmesan cheese is simply amazing. More, with its fancy look, it can be done in less than 30 minutes. It tastes better than it looks. That’s almost impossible, right?
I love salmon. I’ve done quite some salmon recipes (which you can find a little further on) always trying different ingredient combinations. But, stuffing it with a creamy filling is just above everything. Like I said, this dish tastes just like a fancy restaurant dish yet is really easy to make at home. It’s perfect as a quick lunch or midweek dinner and a great way how to impress your guests.
This tender, pink and flaky salmon fillet and the wonderful filling are going to be a sensation. Therefore, I would suggest, use fresh salmon or fish in general, if you have the chance. Fresh fish is always the best. However, also a frozen one would work. Either way, salmon is a wonderful source of healthy omega-3 fats and proteins. Try to bring more salmon and fish to your diet.
How to cut a salmon pocket?
When cutting the salmon, it’s important not to cut completely through it. To get the top and bottom part of the same thickness, you have to cut exactly in the middle of the salmon fillet. And, when I say middle, I mean looking from the side.
Furthermore, the filling is just amazing. The combination of spinach, creamy cottage cheese or cream cheese if you prefer and slightly salty Parmesan cheese goes perfectly with salmon. Therefore, I tried to use all of it to stuff the salmon. Wink. As a result, the salmon fillet will go from flat to a “small bump”.
For instance, if you are asking yourself if the salmon falls apart while pan-frying or while flipping; I am glad to say it doesn’t. Well, maybe you’ll see some minor cracks here and there, probably because of too much stuffing. What? No, there’s never too much of a filling. Wink. To prevent the fillet from falling apart, I help myself with a wooden spatula and my hand (yeah, ouch, hot). Having said that, you can also make it in the oven.
An easy way how to peel off the salmon skin
Also, the best and easiest way to remove the skin, but still keep it for an extra crunch, is to peel it off after 5-6 minutes of frying skin down. In fact, the skin just slides off. It’s just perfect. So, after peeling it off, I left it in the pan to become crispy. As a result, I used it as a crisp topping. Yummy!
For some more delicious and healthy salmon recipes or fish recipes, check these out: a delicious oven-baked gilt-head bream, a stunning bacon-wrapped trout, a kinda sweet caramelised garlic salmon, super cute salmon spinach egg muffin cups, a yummy bacon-stuffed trout, a healthy grilled salmon with avocado mayo, a tender sesame seared tuna, a hearty salmon in tomato-fennel sauce, a wintry pesto salmon with roasted pumpkin, easy tuna fritters or a simple canned tuna ceviche.
Ingredients for a creamy spinach stuffed salmon:
- 300 g salmon fillet
- salt and pepper
- 200-250 g cooked spinach (1/3 for the filling)
- 1 Tbsp of cottage cheese (or cream cheese)
- 1 Tbsp of Parmesan cheese
- olive oil
- 1 boiled egg (garnish)
- 2 cherry tomatoes (garnish)
Start with preparing the spinach filling. Wash the spinach and put it in a pot with some splashes of water. Cook until wilted. Then, take one-third of spinach and put it in a smaller bowl to cool down. Keep the rest of it warm in the pot.
In the meantime, boil an egg (3-4 minutes) and prepare the salmon. First, clean it (if there are some scales left), second, wash it under cold water and third, tap dry it with a paper towel.
Then, using a sharp knife, cut in the middle of the fillet and create a pocket. Also, try not to cut through it completely. After the spinach gets cold, mix it with cottage cheese and Parmesan cheese. Season and stir well to combine.
Be generous with the spinach filling
Furthermore, using a spoon, stuff the salmon pocket with the lovely spinach filling. Try to use as much of the filling as possible. Yeah, be generous. Wink. Maybe it will look too much, but it’s just right. As of last, rub some olive oil all over the salmon and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Next, drizzle some olive oil in a non-sticking frying pan. Once hot, place in the creamy spinach stuffed salmon (skin down) and fry for about 6 minutes. Then, flip the fillet, quick and carefully. At this point, you can peel off the skin and leave it next to the fillet until crispy.
Once the salmon gets slightly opaque in the centre, it means it’s cooked through. Flip it over one last time and fry for one more minute. Meanwhile, peel the egg, chop and sprinkle the crisp salmon skin with salt, heat up the spinach if needed and you are ready to serve.
Serve this dreamy dish for lunch or dinner. Besides being healthy, creamy spinach stuffed salmon is also one of the tastiest salmon dishes that I’ve ever done. Make sure you sprinkle the spinach with the crisp topping and some salt to bring out that amazing flavour.
Enjoy!
PS
If you like the recipe, if you make the recipe or if you have any new ideas how to improve or change it, let me know in the comments section below or alternatively share your photos and reactions with me on Instagram (@Passionspoon), Facebook or Twitter (@PassionSpoon1). Simply use the hashtag #passionspoonrecipes in your posts. I would love to see them! (wink)
