Weeknight dinners do not get much better than this: flaky salmon fillets nestled into a silky cream sauce with wilted spinach and tender broccoli, all spooned over a bed of spaghetti. It tastes like something from a cozy bistro, but the whole thing comes together in one pan in about half an hour.
The trick is building flavor in layers — seared garlic butter first, then the fish, then the greens and cream. If salmon is a regular at your table, you will also love our Creamy Baked Salmon Pasta and the Baked Red Fish with Vegetables, or try the elegant Zucchini Roll with Salmon and Cream Cheese when guests come over.
Ingredients
- 500-600 g (1.1-1.3 lb) salmon or trout fillet
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced
- 70 g (5 tbsp) butter
- 1 tsp salt
- Fish seasoning, paprika, black pepper to taste
- 1 medium bunch spinach
- 150 ml (2/3 cup) cream (20%)
- 200-300 g (7-10 oz) broccoli florets
- 300 g (10.5 oz) cooked spaghetti
Instructions
- Melt butter and sear sliced garlic.
- Add fish, season with salt and spices, fry 10-12 minutes.
- Add spinach, stew 3-4 minutes.
- Pour in cream and immediately add broccoli.
- Simmer 5-7 minutes. Serve over cooked spaghetti.
Tips
- Do not overcook the fish — pull the salmon when it is just opaque in the center; it will finish gently in the warm sauce.
- Add the broccoli right after the cream so it simmers gently and keeps its bright color and bite.
- Serve immediately over freshly cooked spaghetti so the pasta soaks up the sauce. For more fish-cooking know-how, explore the seafood guides at Serious Eats.
Nutrition (per 100 g): 162 kcal, protein 9 g, fat 11 g, carbs 6 g.