Tuscan Salmon

Yumna Jawad

Published Feb 11, 2026

5 from 3 votes

Creamy Tuscan salmon with sun-dried tomatoes, baby spinach, and Parmesan cheese! It's made in one skillet and ready in just 30 minutes.

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Comments
6

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Easy creamy Tuscan salmon recipe in a skillet.
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Try my creamy Tuscan salmon recipe!

This Tuscan salmon recipe usually happens on weeknights for me when I don’t feel like juggling a bunch of steps. Everything stays in one pan, the sauce comes together quickly, and I don’t have to babysit it. Once the salmon goes back in, it’s basically done, and that’s the part I like most. The Tuscan sauce is made with Parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach, and it all comes together in the same pan the salmon is cooked in. I like that the salmon stays simple while the sauce does the heavy lifting. It’s rich without being over-the-top and feels complete without needing much else on the plate.

Happy Cooking!
– Yumna

Tuscan Salmon Ingredients

Ingredients for Tuscan salmon recipe: oil, red pepper flakes, parmesan cheese, cream, salt and pepper, sun dried tomatoes, garlic cloves, spinach, onion, and salmon fillets.
  • Salmon: Salmon fillets, salt, black pepper, olive oil. Skin-on fillets sear better and hold together more easily, but skinless works too. Try to use fillets that are similar in thickness so they cook evenly.
  • Tuscan cream sauce: Olive oil, onion, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, baby spinach. Use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes for the best flavor and texture, and drain them well. Freshly grated Parmesan melts more smoothly than pre-shredded. Baby kale can be swapped for spinach, but it will need an extra minute to soften. Half-and-half will work in a pinch, but the sauce will be thinner.
  • For serving: Fresh basil, crushed red pepper flakes. Basil adds freshness at the end, and the red pepper flakes are optional but nice for cutting through the richness.

How to Make Tuscan Salmon

Cooked salmon after flipping in a skillet to show golden flesh.
Step 1: Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Heat some of the oil in a skillet and sear on both sides until golden and mostly cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Cooked onions and garlic in pan with sun dried tomatoes added before combining.
Step 2: To the same skillet, add the remaining oil and cook the onion until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic until fragrant, then add the sun-dried tomatoes.
Grated parmesan added to cream sundried tomato sauce.
Step 3: Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Then, stir in the Parmesan until it melts and the sauce thickens.
Spinach added to creamy tuscan sauce before combining.
Step 4: Add the baby spinach. Cook until wilted.
Cooked salmon filets added back to Tuscan sauce made with sun dried tomatoes and spinach.
Step 5: Return the salmon to the skillet and spoon the sauce over top. Simmer until fully cooked.
After coating salmon in creamy parmesan sauce.
Step 6: Garnish with basil and crushed red pepper, then serve.
Tuscan salmon recipe.

Tuscan Salmon Recipe

Author: Yumna Jawad
5 from 3 votes
An easy Tuscan salmon recipe made in one skillet with salmon, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, cream, and spinach on the table in 30!
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Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Servings4 servings
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Ingredients
 
 

  • 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • ½ medium onion finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup baby spinach
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil for serving
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes for serving

Instructions

  • Season the salmon on both sides with salt and black pepper.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the salmon, skin-side down, and sear for 3–4 minutes per side depending on thickness, until golden and mostly cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
  • In the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and cook 1 more minute.
  • Pour in the heavy cream, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer, then stir in the Parmesan until melted and the sauce thickens slightly.
  • Add the baby spinach and cook 1–2 minutes, or until wilted.
  • Return the salmon to the skillet and spoon the sauce over it. Simmer gently for 2–3 minutes, until the salmon is fully cooked.
  • Garnish with fresh basil and crushed red pepper before serving.

Equipment

Notes

  • My Top Tip: Before you add the salmon, get the skillet and the oil up to medium-high heat. This takes about 3–5 minutes and will sear the salmon perfectly.
  • Storage: The salmon tastes best when it’s fresh, but you can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet over low heat until warmed through.
  • Freezing: Wrap the cooked salmon tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe bag or container. It’ll last in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat in a skillet over low heat.

Nutrition

Serving: 1salmon fillet, Calories: 599kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 40g, Fat: 45g, Saturated Fat: 19g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 16g, Cholesterol: 172mg, Sodium: 937mg, Potassium: 1207mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 1996IU, Vitamin C: 18mg, Calcium: 194mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Did You Make This Recipe?
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Recipe Variations

  • Cut the salmon into cubes. It’s more kid-friendly and great if you’re making salmon grain bowls.
  • Or, add umami: Sautéed mushrooms would be great in this!

Recipe Tips

  1. Pat the salmon dry. Salmon has a lot of moisture, so pat it dry with a paper towel before you cook it for a better sear.
  2. Don’t crowd the skillet. If you do, salmon might not get the best sear. Cook in batches if you have to so the fillets aren’t touching.

Serving Ideas

FAQs

Why did my Tuscan salmon turn out dry?

You likely overcooked it. Use an instant-read thermometer and take it off the heat at 125ºF.

Serving of Tuscan salmon served on a plate with extra cream sauce, a side of rice, and broccoli.

More Salmon Recipes

5 from 3 votes

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Comments

  1. Jill says:

    This recipe was so good! The sauce is so tasty and fairly easy to make. My husband love it! I served it with rice but I will serve it over pasta next time as it would be excellent!

    Reply
    1. Yumna J. says:

      I’m so glad you both loved it, Jill! Serving it over pasta is a great idea!

      Reply
  2. Michele says:

    I made this and it was tasty but mistakes were made on my part. When I added the cream I had the stove set on 5 (out of 10) but that was way too hot and the liquid part boiled away, so I added a lot more cream, and then the whole thing was too heavy. So if you make this be careful with the heat! Also I wonder what I could thin it with instead of more cream? The taste was very good though, especially the next day. I would add more spinach or mushrooms.

    Reply
    1. Yumna J. says:

      Hi Michele, the cream can definitely be tricky. When it reduces too fast, it gets thick and heavy really quickly. When you add the cream, you really want it at a gentle simmer, not bubbling hard. You may need to be closer to a 3–4 instead of a 5. If it reduces too much again, you could try thinning it with broth or pasta water (if you’re serving the salmon with pasta and have some). Add a few tablespoons at a time and stir. It loosens the sauce without making it richer, and it keeps the savory flavor balanced. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  3. Jessica says:

    Soooooo good!! I doubled the sun-dried tomatoes, cream, and spinach because I didn’t want to save these ingredients. Delicious and even better after the salmon sits in the sauce!! A must try!!

    Reply
    1. Yumna J. says:

      You can never have too many sun-dried tomatoes! So glad you liked the recipe!

      Reply