Go Back
Creamy Garlic Butter Salmon with Spinach and Mushrooms in a large skillet.

Garlic Butter Salmon with Spinach and Mushrooms in a Creamy Sauce

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 485
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 6-oz Salmon fillets
  • 1 tsp Paprika
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp Butter
  • 8 oz Cremini mushrooms sliced
  • 4 cloves Garlic minced
  • 3 cups Baby spinach
  • 1 cup Heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tbsp Lemon juice

Method
 

  1. Season: Rub salmon fillets with salt, pepper, and paprika.
  2. Sear: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear salmon for 5 mins per side. Remove and set aside.
  3. Sauté: In the same pan, melt butter. Sauté mushrooms until browned (5 mins). Add garlic for 1 min.
  4. Simmer: Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a simmer.
  5. Wilt: Add spinach and stir until wilted.
  6. Combine: Return salmon to the pan, spoon sauce over fillets, and simmer for 2 mins. Add lemon juice and serve.

Notes

  • Dry the Fish: Always pat the salmon fillets bone-dry with a paper towel before seasoning. This ensures a crisp, golden sear rather than steaming the fish.
  • Room Temp: Let the salmon sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before cooking so it cooks evenly through to the center.
  • The "Break" Rule: If using Greek yogurt instead of heavy cream, stir it in at the very end over low heat. Boiling yogurt will cause the sauce to "break" or curdle.
  • Deglazing: After searing the salmon, use the moisture from the mushrooms to scrape up the brown bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan—that is where the concentrated flavor lives.
  • Parmesan Quality: Use freshly grated Parmesan. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in potato starch, which can make your creamy sauce feel gritty or gummy.
  • Citrus Timing: Add the lemon juice just before serving. Cooking the lemon juice for too long in the cream can turn the sauce bitter.