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This Marry Me Salmon features tender, flaky salmon that is simmered in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce. It is packed with flavor, rich and savory. It comes together in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights or a special date night dinner. Serve it over pasta, rice or alongside an arugula salad for an easy, elegant meal everyone will love.
If you are looking for a salmon recipe that is simple enough for a weeknight but special enough for guests or a special occasion, this Marry Me Salmon is the perfect choice. The tender, flaky salmon simmers in a rich, savory creamy sauce that is made with sun-dried tomatoes, cream, spices and Parmesan cheese along with a touch of lemon juice and lemon zest.
This is a one pot meal that doesn’t require a lot of clean-up and is on the table in under 30 minutes. It is one of our favorite Mediterranean inspired salmon dishes to make. It is so versatile and can be paired with pasta to make a marry me salmon pasta recipe, rice, or served alongside a simple salad. When you are planning a romantic salmon dinner, a holiday meal or prepping for the week ahead, this is the recipe for you. If you prefer chicken you should try my Marry Me Chicken.
If you like easy salmon recipes you also might like this The Best Baked Mediterranean Salmon Recipe, Mediterranean Salmon Bowl, Quick and Delicious Mediterranean Salmon Cakes or this Honey Mustard Salmon.
A Quick Look at this Marry Me Salmon:
- 🕐 Ready In: 30 minutes
- 👨👩👧👦 Serves: 4 people
- 🍽️ Cuisine: Mediterranean, pescatarian-friendly
- 🗒️ Method: Stove-top, One-pot
- 🥣 Flavor & Texture: creamy, savory and rich salmon dish
- 📖 Dietary Info: comfort food, can be made dairy-free with coconut milk and omitting the cheese
Why You Will Love this One-Pan Marry Me Salmon Dinner
If you need an easy but elegant salmon recipe this is the perfect recipe! Here are reasons we love it:
• Restaurant Flavor at Home: The creamy sun-dried tomato sauce tastes rich and indulgent and comes together with simple ingredients. You will feel like you are eating a restaurant style salmon dish! If you like sun-dried tomatoes try this Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta.
• Quick and Easy: It might seem like a complicated dish to make, but it isn’t! It can be on the table in under 30 minutes, making it a great weeknight meal.
• Tender Salmon: The sauce keeps the salmon moist and flaky, even is someone tends to overcook fish. For another tender salmon recipe try this Orange Glazed Salmon.
Recipe Ingredients
These simple pantry staples are all you need. See the recipe card below for exact amounts and printable instructions.
- salmon: this recipe uses 4 salmon filets. I like to try and make sure the salmon filets are similar size so they cook evenly.
- cream: the marry me sauce uses cream to make it savory and rich. If you are avoiding dairy you can use coconut milk in its place.
- sun-dried tomatoes: make sure to drain and chop the sun-dried tomatoes. If you want extra savory flavor you can use sun-dried tomatoes in oil.
- Parmesan cheese: the freshly grated Parmesan cheese helps create a rich sauce. Try to use freshly grated Parmesan cheese for this recipe if you can.
- spices & herbs: the spices and herbs in the sauce are dried thyme, crushed red pepper and Italian seasoning.
- lemon: lemon juice and lemon zest are added to the sauce to brighten it and balance the flavors.
Recipe Modifications and Variations
- spices: add additional spices like oregano, Greek seasoning, za’atar or cayenne red pepper.
- herbs: fresh herbs always add a brightness to a dish like this. Add fresh parsley, fresh dill, thyme and oregano.
- broth: you can sub chicken broth for the vegetable broth. It helps to flavor the sauce. You also can use this homemade chicken broth.
- vegetables: this would be a nice recipe for extra veggies like mushrooms, green beans, broccoli or red bell peppers.
- heat: if you want more a spicy flavor you can add in extra crushed red pepper, cayenne red pepper, hot sauce or diced jalapeños.
- make it dairy-free: sub out the cream for coconut milk and leave out the Parmesan cheese.
- make it Mediterranean: add mediterranean inspired ingredients like kalamata olives, green olives, artichokes, capers or roasted red peppers.
How to Make Marry Me Salmon
Step 1: Prepare Salmon: Pat salmon dry using paper towels and season with salt, pepper, and paprika.
Step 2: Sear Salmon: Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the salmon skin side up and sear 4-5 minutes per side, until lightly golden and mostly cooked through. Transfer the salmon to a plate (it will finish cooking later). In the same pan, reduce the heat to medium and melt butter. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
Step 3: Create Sauce: Pour in broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in heavy cream, sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan, thyme, red pepper flakes (if using), and Italian seasoning to create the cream sauce.
Step 5: Simmer Sauce: Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook 3-4 minutes, stirring, until slightly thickened. Add lemon juice and taste to adjust the seasoning.
Step 6: Cover Salmon with Sauce: Return the salmon fillets to the skillet and spoon some sauce over them. Simmer for 3-4 minutes more, or until the salmon is fully cooked to your liking. Sprinkle with fresh basil and serve. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes work best here, but dry-packed ones can also be used. Just make sure to soak them in hot water for about 10 minutes to soften, then drain and chop.
- If the sauce becomes too thick when it simmers, add a little broth to thin it. If it’s too thin, simmer it a little longer or stir in extra Parmesan.
- The salmon in cream sauce is done when it flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to overcook it so it stays tender.
What to Serve with this Marry Me Salmon Recipe
- This skillet salmon pairs nicely with pasta. Try this Lemon Pasta, linguine or orzo.
- A grain pairs nicely with this salmon. Try serving this salmon with Lemon Orzo Recipe, Lemon Pearl Couscous Recipes or this One Pot Creamy Tomato Herb Orzo.
- I love serving a salad alongside salmon. Try this Lemon Arugula Salad Recipe with Parmesan Cheese, Kale Salad with Lemon Dressing, Arugula Salad with Capers, Maroulosalata (Greek Lettuce Salad) or this Malfouf Salad (Lebanese Cabbage Salad).
Storage Tips
- Store the leftover tuscan salmon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat over low heat on the stovetop so the sauce doesn’t separate. Add a little cream or broth if the sauce thickens after chilling.
Recipe FAQ
It is a creamy, flavorful salmon dish inspired by the popular Marry Me Chicken recipe. The name comes from the idea that the dish is so delicious that anyone who eats it will be tempted to propose marriage to the cook on the spot. You will have to try the dish and decide for yourself!
A typical marry me sauce is a creamy blend of garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese and broth along with spices and herbs like Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper. It is such a delicious sauce that pairs so nicely with many proteins like shrimp, salmon or chicken.
To avoid overcooking salmon, pat the fillets dry and then sear first to create a golden crust to help hold in juices. When you cook salmon you want to cook it until it easily flakes with a fork. Let the salmon rest for a few minutes before serving. I like my salmon medium-rare which is an internal temperature of 125-130 degrees F.
More Salmon Recipes
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Marry Me Salmon
Ingredients
For the salmon:
- 4 – 6 ounce salmon fillets
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the Marry Me Sauce:
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese , finely grated
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- Fresh basil, garnish
Instructions
- Pat salmon dry using paper towels and season with salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the salmon skin side up and sear 4-5 minutes per side, until lightly golden and mostly cooked through. Transfer to a plate (it will finish cooking later).
- In the same pan, reduce the heat to medium and melt butter. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Pour in broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in heavy cream, sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan, thyme ,red pepper flakes (if using), and Italian seasoning.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook 3-4 minutes, stirring, until slightly thickened. Add lemon juice and taste to adjust the seasoning.
- Return the salmon fillets to the pan and spoon some sauce over them. Simmer for 3-4 minutes more, or until the salmon is fully cooked.
- Sprinkle with fresh basil and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- This salmon pairs well with pasta, rice, mashed potatoes, quinoa, or a simple green salad.
- Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes work best here, but dry-packed ones can also be used. Just make sure to soak them in hot water for about 10 minutes to soften, then drain and chop.
- If the sauce becomes too thick when it simmers, add a little broth to thin it. If it’s too thin, simmer it a little longer or stir in extra Parmesan.
- The salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to overcook it so it stays tender.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat over low heat on the stovetop so the sauce doesn’t separate. Add a little cream or broth if the sauce thickens after chilling.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is an easy, but elegant salmon recipe! You will love the sauce!