Description
A quick and elegant dinner featuring salmon fillets stuffed with a rich, creamy spinach and cream cheese filling, baked to perfection in just 25 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds salmon fillets (center-cut)
- 8 ounces block cream cheese (softened)
- 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach (thawed and thoroughly drained)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
- 1 lemon (zest only)
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (freshly cracked)
- Salt (to taste)
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream (optional, for smoother filling)
- 2 tablespoons butter (melted, for glaze)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed, for glaze)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a 9×13 inch baking dish with foil or parchment paper.
- Thaw frozen spinach and squeeze it thoroughly to remove all excess water. Chop the dry spinach roughly.
- In a small bowl, combine softened cream cheese, drained spinach, minced garlic, grated Parmesan, lemon zest, dried dill, and black pepper. Mix until smooth. Add heavy cream if the mixture is too stiff. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Remove any pin bones with tweezers.
- Place a spoonful of the filling in the center of each fillet. Spread it out, leaving a border around the edges to prevent spilling. For thick fillets, you can butterfly them slightly to create a pocket.
- Bake the stuffed salmon for 12-15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F (63°C) and the fish flakes easily with a fork.
- While baking, mix melted butter and lemon juice for the glaze.
- Remove salmon from oven, brush with the butter-lemon glaze, and let rest for 2 minutes before serving.
Notes
Ensure the spinach is squeezed completely dry to prevent a watery filling. Use block cream cheese, not whipped, for better texture. Do not overcook the salmon; it continues to cook slightly after removal from the oven. For a lighter version, use light cream cheese and skip the butter glaze.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 fillet per serving
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 24
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 4
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 34
Keywords: salmon, stuffed salmon, spinach, cream cheese, easy dinner, weeknight meal, healthy seafood, gluten-free, high protein