creamed spinach stuffed salmon

Salmon

Creamed Spinach Stuffed Salmon

For this easy baked salmon recipe, we've stuffed salmon fillets with a luscious creamed spinach mixture for a main and side in one dish. It all adds up to a healthy dinner that's elegant, simple and delicious--and ready in 30 minutes. Wider fillets work best for this salmon recipe because they're easier to stuff than the skinny ones. You could also serve the creamed spinach on the side if you don't feel like stuffing the salmon.

Ingredients

1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
½ cup thinly sliced shallots
5 cloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
10 ounces fresh baby spinach (about 5 cups)
½ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
⅓ cup reduced-fat cream cheese
6 (6 ounce) skin-on salmon fillets
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in crushed red pepper; cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add spinach in batches; cook, stirring until wilted before adding more, about 3 minutes total. Remove from heat. Add mozzarella and cream cheese; stir until the cheeses melt. Let cool for 10 minutes.
Place salmon fillets skin-side down on a clean work surface. With a sharp knife, make a cut lengthwise down the middle of each fillet, cutting to but not through the skin. Transfer the salmon to the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Fill each pocket with about 1/3 cup of the spinach mixture. Bake until the salmon is opaque in the center, 8 to 10 minutes.