This easy to make Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Salmon is perfect for weeknights and fancy enough for a special occasion. It’s all made it one pan and on the table in 30 minutes! The creamy sun dried tomato sauce is sweet, tart, rich and creamy. The parmesan cheese adds a little nutty and salty flavor, and the fresh basil rounds out the whole dish!
Adding dairy to a sauce such as this sun dried tomato sauce is a great way to give it a creamy consistency and richer flavor. Depending on your preference, you can use cream, half-and-half or a mixture of cream and low fat milk.
The consistency and flavor will vary depending on what you choose. Cream will yield the richest and creamiest sauce because of the higher fat content. A mixture of cream and low fat milk will cut the fat and calories, but your sauce will likely not be as thick. Half-and-half will land somewhere in the middle.
When cooking with dairy keep in mind that your sauce can curdle if the heat is too high. This is unlikely to happen if you use cream, but can quickly happen with half and half or a lower fat milk. Lower the heat before adding in the milk and don’t add it to a boiling sauce. Never bring milk to a hard boil or it will likely curdle.
Try my other easy dinner ideas, too, like Mexican Quinoa Stuffed Peppers, Slow Cooker Italian Turkey Chili and Slow Cooker Creamy Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Soup.
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Salmon
- 10 minutes
- 20 minutes
- 30 minutes
- 4 servings
Ingredients
1 lb wild caught sockeye salmon filets, skin on or off
5 tsp olive oil, divided
1/2 cup diced shallots
2 cloves grated garlic
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained of excess oil
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup dry white wine (optional), use vegetable broth as replacement
3/4 cup low sodium vegetable broth
1/3 cup cream or half and half
3 tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Let the salmon sit out on the counter for 15 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Swirl the oil to coat the bottom of the skillet and add the salmon in skin side down. Cook the salmon without moving it until it turns opaque halfway up the sides, about 3-5 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets.
- Flip the salmon and cook another 2-4 minutes being careful not to overcook it. Remove the salmon from the pan and onto a plate covering it with foil.
- Turn the heat down to medium and add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil to the pan along with the shallots, sun dried tomatoes, spices, salt and pepper. Sauté for 1-2 minutes then add in the garlic and sauté another few minutes.
- Pour in the wine and scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour in the vegetable broth and bring it to a gently simmer. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, cream or half and half and cook just until the sauce starts to thicken. Taste for seasoning. Be careful not to boil the sauce once the cream or half and half is added in so it doesn't curdle.
- Add the salmon back into the pan, garnish with fresh chopped basil and serve.
