Easy Baked Salmon Recipe with Cream Sauce

This easy baked salmon recipe with cream sauce is a delicious weeknight dinner. Tender and flaky salmon, creamy sauce infused with garlic and sweet cherry tomatoes, who could ask for more?

Easy baked salmon with creamy sauce

I just can't stop thinking about our dinner last night... Mmmm... We had this delicious, juicy, flakey baked salmon with a creamy sauce. The whole family enjoyed it and I was calm and relaxed because it was so easy to prepare with minimal washing up. Nourishing, scrumptious, and easy to make? Definitely my kind of midweek dinner. And I am sure it will be yours too! Don't forget to pin it!

Ingredients for baked salmon with cream sauce:

• Salmon. Fresh or frozen.
• Garlic. Fresh is the best.
• Fresh cream, organic if possible
• Cherry tomatoes.
• Spinach. Baby spinach, not English spinach.
• Salt and pepper to season

See full list of ingredients in the recipe card below.

What salmon to use?

There is a lot of talk about wild-caught salmon such as sockeye salmon is the best choice. There is no doubt it is. However, many people forget that wild salmon comes with a big price tag. Here in Australia, it is double the price of fresh farmed salmon from the fish shop and three times more than the supermarket variety.

The question is, should you avoid eating salmon if you can't afford the wild-caught variety? Absolutely not. Go for any fresh salmon you can afford, the benefits are still way greater than not consuming any salmon at all. If you are on a tight budget, look for salmon in the frozen section, this fish is frozen straight after it was caught and tastes delicious too.

If you are in Australia, Australian Atlantic salmon or the New Zealand King salmon are great options.

Health benefits of eating salmon

Salmon is a beautiful and delicious source of many nutrients that our bodies require. As you have probably heard before, salmon is extremely rich in Omega 3s. There are oceans of research showing that omega-3 fats are beneficial for brain function, heart health, and reducing inflammation. Salmon can:

• Make you smarter
• Lower the incidents of Alzheimer's disease
• Lessen age-related cognitive decline
• Stabilize your mood, including lowering anxiety and depression
• Prevent strokes
• Lower high blood pressure
• Prevent heart attacks
• Reduce IBS
• Reduce the risk of colon cancer
• Improve immunity and many many more benefits.

How to make the baked salmon with creamy sauce

• Start by preheating the oven to 190'C (370'F)
• Heat the olive oil in an oven-proof frying pan over medium heat and sear the salmon fillets, skin-side down for 1 to 2 minutes. Only sear one side and do not turn the salmon.
• Add crushed garlic cloves with skin on and let them fry for an additional minute.
• Finally, pour fresh cream into the pan.

• Add cherry tomatoes and transfer the fish into the preheated oven.

• Bake for approximately 10 minutes.
• Remove the frying pan from heat and add a generous amount of spinach, which will wilt quickly. Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 2 minutes.
• Your baked salmon with the most delicious creamy sauce is ready to be enjoyed.

How long to cook salmon in the oven

Salmon is a delicious and easy-to-prepare dish that can become dry if not cooked properly. Timing is key, and the duration of cooking will depend on your oven and the thickness of the fish.

As a general rule, I suggest baking salmon at 190°C (370°F) for 10 to 15 minutes, keeping the thickness of the fish in mind. To check if the fish is ready, use a fork to gently push down on the top of the fish. If it flakes easily, it is ready.

If the salmon is of high quality and fresh, you may reduce the cooking time by 2 minutes.

How to defrost salmon before baking it

If you have frozen salmon at home, take it out of the freezer the night before and allow it to defrost naturally in the fridge overnight. However, if you forget to do so, you can also place the salmon in a sealed plastic bag in warm (not hot) water. It will take about half an hour for the fish to thaw.

What to serve with baked salmon and creamy sauce?

This baked salmon dish is so versatile. You can serve it with basmati rice and some steamed broccoli. Pasta will go perfectly with the creamy sauce. You could also add some zucchini and red pepper into the pan to bake it with salmon to make your meal low-carb.

How to store the baked salmon with creamy sauce

Any leftovers after dinner? Simply place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to three days. When you're ready to reheat, add a splash of water to a frying pan and heat the salmon until it's thoroughly warmed through.

The baked salmon can be frozen in an air-tight container for up to 3 months, but honestly, I usually don't freeze cooked fish. I find it to be a bit mushy after defrosting. However, if you have a tip on how to freeze fish, please let me know in the comments below.

More easy salmon recipes

Easy Baked Salmon Recipe with Creamy Sauce

Elena Elliott

Looking for an easy and delicious weeknight dinner that you can cook in no time and that the whole family enjoys? You are in luck! Let me show you how to make the creamy, juicy, flakey salmon with cherry tomatoes and spinach.

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Print Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course dinner

Cuisine Mediteranian

Servings 2 serves for adults

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 salmon fillets skin on
• 2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves crushed
• 100 ml of fresh cream
• 150 g cherry tomatoes
• Handfull of baby spinach washed
• Salt and pepper to season

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 190'C (370'F)
• Once the oil is hot, fry the salmon skin down for 1 to 2 minutes. Fry one site only.
• Add crushed garlic cloves, skin on, and let it fry for another minuter.
• Add fresh cream into the frying pan, pour some over the salmon fillets,
• Add cherry tomatoes, and transfer the fish into the preheated oven.
• Bake for approximately 10 minutes. Take the frying pan out and add spinach. Bake for another 2 minutes until spinach is wilted.
• Serve with some pasta, rice, or roast vegetables. Enjoy!

Notes

Please make sure your frying pan is oven-proof.

Keyword baked salmon, baked salmon recipe, creamy salmon, family dinner

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