“Marry Me” Salmon. This recipe is super easy to make, and in about 30 minutes, you’ll have a delightful dish ready to enjoy. Imagine flaky salmon in a creamy Parmesan sun-dried tomato sauce – perfect for an impressive dinner. It ticks all the boxes for a cozy date night at home or a family gathering.
If you love creamy salmon dishes, you should try my Creamy dill salmon, Creamy red pesto salmon or this Cajun salmon recipe.
Why you’ll love this Marry Me Salmon recipe
Craving an effortless seafood dish that will wow your guests? This flavorful salmon recipe is the answer! Made with everyday ingredients, it’s perfect for a romantic dinner, a fun family meal, or feeding a crowd.
Serve it over your favorite base like pasta, rice, mashed potatoes, or polenta for a complete and satisfying dish.
Let me guide you through the recipe with this easy to follow easy step-by-step VIDEO or follow along on YouTube.
What is the difference between ‘Marry Me Salmon’ and ‘Tuscan Salmon’
The difference lies in the sauce! “Marry Me” and “Tuscan” sauces are both popular but vary in flavor profiles, ingredients and origins.
“Marry Me” Salmon is a flavorful dish often praised for its deliciousness that might even inspire a marriage proposal. It’s made with sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan garlic and fresh basil. The sauce focuses on a rich, creamy and mildly spicy flavor, representing a modern American dish celebrated for its catchy name.
Tuscan Salmon incorporates fresh ingredients like spinach or kale. It’s creamy and rich, made with Parmesan, dried tomatoes, garlic and thyme. The sauce provides a fresher, more vibrant taste with greens and a touch of acidity from white wine, influenced by traditional Italian cuisine.
For more ‘Marry Me’ ideas, try my One-pan Marry Me chicken meatballs with orzo, Marry Me pasta with shrimp or the classic Marry Me Chicken.
Marry Me Salmon ingredients
- Salmon: Use fillets of the same size and thickness for even cooking; skin-on is also suitable.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: These are the star of the dish; use sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil for the most delicious results.
- Oil and Butter: Use the drained oil from the sun-dried tomatoes for extra flavor when searing the salmon.
- Garlic: Essential for enhancing the overall taste.
- Flour: Used to thicken the sauce; you can substitute cornstarch if desired.
- Seasoning: A blend of salt, black pepper, sweet paprika, garlic powder, dried thyme, and optional chili flakes for a spicy kick—adjust to taste. Dried oregano or Italian seasoning can be used as well.
- Vegetable Broth: Used to deglaze the skillet, you can also use chicken broth.
- Heavy Cream: Provides a super creamy and flavorful sauce. Avoid using half-and-half, light cream or milk as they won’t thicken the sauce properly.
- Parmesan: Adds a creamy texture and a rich, savory taste to the sauce.
- Tomato Paste: Enhances the depth of flavor.
- Basil Leaves: Adds aromatic freshness; fresh basil is recommended over dried.
- Lemon Juice: Adds a bright contrast to balance the richness of the dish and enhance its flavors.
Serving tips
- pasta
- rice
- orzo
- mashed potatoes
- gnocchi
- creamy polenta
- crusty bread or garlic bread
- roasted or steamed vegetables like asparagus, green beans or broccoli
- a leafy side salad
Recipe tips
- Adding Greens: To incorporate extra greens, simply toss a few handfuls of baby spinach into the sauce.
- Using Dry-Packed Sun-Dried Tomatoes: If you cannot find sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, you can hydrate dry-packed tomatoes by soaking them in hot water for about 20 minutes. Be sure to drain them well before use.
Storage
- Refrigeration: Store any leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 day.
- Reheating: To maintain the tenderness of the salmon, gently reheat in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
- Freezing: Creamy sauces like this one can develop a grainy texture when thawed, so it’s best to avoid freezing.
Marry Me Salmon
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets skinless
- ½ tsp salt divided
- ½ tsp black pepper divided
- ½ tsp sweet paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp oil from sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp chili flakes more for topping
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ½ cup vegetable broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ cup basil leaves chopped, more for topping
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Get your prep done before you start cooking: Season the salmon fillets with paprika, garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
- Mince the garlic cloves, chop the basil leaves and roughly chop the sun-dried tomatoes.
- Heat oil from sun-dried tomatoes and butter over medium high. Add salmon and sear 3 minutes per side. Remove from skillet and place on a clean plate.
- Reduce heat to medium low. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes, dried thyme, chili flakes and the remaining salt and pepper. Stir in tomato paste. Add flour and stir until incorporated.
- Deglaze with vegetable broth and simmer for 2 minutes, while scraping the brown bits from the bottom of your skillet with a wooden spoon.
- Pour in cream and stir in Parmesan. Bring the sauce to a simmer, add lemon juice and basil. Taste and adjust salt. Return salmon to the skillet and simmer for 3 minutes.
- Top off with basil, chili flakes and freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
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This was so deliAh! A winner! Thanks for the recipe!
You’re welcome Monika! Thanks for making!