Description
Delectable salmon with spinach and feta offers a Mediterranean-inspired culinary experience that combines delicate fish with creamy cheese and earthy greens. Elegant ingredients blend seamlessly, creating a restaurant-quality meal you can easily prepare at home.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 pieces salmon (6 oz / 170 g each)
- 3 cups baby spinach, packed
- 5.3 oz (150 g) feta cheese
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- ¼ cup roasted red peppers, chopped into small pieces
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp paprika
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Oven Preparation: Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Salmon Pocket Creation: Carefully slice each salmon fillet lengthwise, creating a deep pocket without completely separating the flesh, maintaining a connected base.
- Seasoning Foundation: Coat salmon with olive oil, then season generously with salt and pepper to amplify natural flavors.
- Spinach Transformation: Sauté spinach in a skillet over medium heat with Italian seasoning, paprika, and cayenne, allowing leaves to wilt and release moisture within 2-3 minutes.
- Filling Composition: Remove skillet from heat, incorporating roasted red peppers, crumbled feta, and grated Parmesan into the wilted spinach, creating a harmonious and vibrant stuffing.
- Salmon Stuffing: Delicately fill each salmon pocket with the prepared cheese and spinach mixture, ensuring even distribution throughout the fillet.
- Baking Process: Arrange stuffed salmon on the prepared baking sheet, then bake for 12-17 minutes until fish becomes translucent and flakes easily, indicating perfect doneness.
- Serving Presentation: Plate the aromatic salmon parcels immediately, presenting a visually stunning and flavor-packed main course.
Notes
- Slice Strategically: Create a precise pocket along the salmon fillet without cutting completely through, keeping the base intact for a secure stuffing.
- Seasoning Secrets: Generously massage olive oil and use a balanced blend of salt, pepper, and spices to elevate the salmon’s natural flavors.
- Spinach Transformation: Quickly wilt spinach with Italian seasoning and spices, ensuring it doesn’t overcook and maintains its vibrant color and nutrients.
- Precise Baking Window: Watch the salmon closely during the 12-17 minute baking time, looking for translucent, flaky texture to prevent overcooking and maintain moisture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 31 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg