Best of all, this dish is made with simple ingredients and it’s ready in 20 minutes, so while it’s nice enough for guests, it’s easy enough for a simple, healthy dinner. Many creamy garlic sauce recipes use flour or cornstarch as thickeners, but I’ll show you how to make a luscious sauce without them.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for creamy garlic Tuscan salmon, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
Salmon Fillets – Get salmon with the skin on if you can, which makes the dish more flavorful (even if you prefer not to eat the skin). I always get wild-caught salmon, but any kind will work. Learn more about the different types of salmon and how to choose in my baked salmon recipe post.) Sea Salt & Black Pepper Olive Oil – For sauteing. Avocado oil is also fine to use. I don’t recommend using butter, as it’s not ideal for high-heat cooking. Garlic – Use fresh garlic cloves for best flavor, or jarred garlic for convenience. Sun-Dried Tomatoes – You can make your own homemade sun-dried tomatoes or buy them. If you buy store-bought, I recommend sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil for the best flavor. If you get dried tomatoes without oil, you’ll need to rehydrate them in oil before using. Baby Spinach – Fresh spinach works best here, but if all you have is frozen, you can drain it well and use that instead. Heavy Cream – This is the base of the creamy sauce. Full-fat coconut milk works as a substitute, but the dish will still have dairy due to the parmesan cheese. Chicken Broth – This adds depth to sauce. I use low sodium store-bought, but you could also use regular, homemade chicken broth, or vegetable broth if you prefer, or bone broth for added nutrition. Parmesan Cheese – This gives the sauce a savory, rich flavor and also helps to thicken without any flour or cornstarch. (Cheese can be a cornstarch substitute for thickening cream sauces). Use grated cheese, so that it melts easily into the sauce. You can omit the cheese if you really want to, but the sauce will be more runny.
How To Make Tuscan Salmon
This section shows how to make creamy Tuscan garlic salmon, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Storage Instructions
Store: Keep Tuscan creamy salmon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat: Reheat leftover salmon gently in a hot skillet. Microwaving is not recommended, as the fish will overcook and the skin will become soft, but you can in a pinch. Freeze: Freezing is not recommended for this dish, as the dairy in the sauce will change texture during the freezing/thawing process.
What To Serve With Creamy Tuscan Salmon
Garlic Tuscan salmon is typically served over rice or pasta — try cauliflower rice for an extra dose of vegetables. You can also try one of these healthy side dishes: Cook to 125 degrees F (52 degrees C) for medium rare, 130 degrees F (54 degrees C) for medium, or 140 degrees F (60 degrees C) for well done. The best way to check doneness is with a meat thermometer, but you can also flake the fish with a fork to check.
More Easy Salmon Recipes
If you like this creamy garlic Tuscan salmon recipe, you might also like some of these other easy salmon ideas: Please enter your first name for your account. Your saved recipe will also be sent to your email. 📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Healthy Ebook Bundle!
