Stuffed Salmon With Spinach & Feta
This stuffed salmon recipe looks fancy, but it’s shockingly easy to make! You’ll love it for a dinner party, or an elevated, healthy weeknight dinner. Salmon is stuffed with a Mediterranean-inspired mixture of spinach, feta, and roasted red peppers. Oven-baked and ready in just 30 minutes!
Friends, you are going to want to add this stuffed salmon to your go-to dinner party recipes. The way the salmon is cooked and presented looks fancy and unique, but it’s actually SO easy to do. Your guests (or family) will be so impressed, with not *too* much work on your end 😉
The flavour combination of the “filling” was inspired by a pre-made stuffed salmon I had at Whole Foods, simplified and re-created so that you can make it at home! I love the way the feta melts in the oven, and how you get a taste of that stuffing mixture with each bite.
As always, I’ve included a step-by-step visual guide as well as a recipe video in this post, which I hope you find helpful. You will also find some serving ideas for this stuffed salmon recipe below. Enjoy!!
Want more dietitian-designed salmon recipes? Check out my roundup of healthy salmon recipes for more ideas. This baked chili salmon with honey and this almond-crusted salmon are a couple of my favourites!
About the ingredients + possible substitutions
- Salmon: I like to use fresh rather than previously frozen salmon whenever possible. I find the texture is SO much more soft and tender! You can ask the people behind the fish counter to cut you 4 nice, evenly shaped pieces of salmon for this recipe – I would aim for about 6 ounces (170 grams) per piece. Personally, I found that longer pieces of salmon work best for stuffing.
- Spinach: Baby spinach gets wilted on the stovetop, prior to mixing with the cheese, peppers, and spices. This makes it easier to stuff into the salmon.
- Feta cheese: I used a high-quality block of sheep’s feta, stored in brine, for the best taste!
- Parmesan: A bit of freshly grated parmigiano-reggianno adds a lovely, robust flavour to this recipe. I first tested this recipe without out – it certainly will work, but I did prefer it WITH the parmesan!!
- Roasted red peppers: I added some jarred roasted red peppers to the stuffing – they pair so well, though you may leave them out if desired. You could also try swapping them with sun-dried tomatoes instead.
- Italian seasoning: This season gets added to the spinach-feta mix. If you don’t have Italian seasoning, you can add in equal parts oregano, basil, and thyme instead (or some sort of variation on this!!)
- Paprika: Added to the spinach-feta mixture as well. I used regular paprika, but smoked paprika will work as well.
- Cayenne: Just a pinch of cayenne pepper is added for a hint of spice. It’s very subtle though – not “spicy.” You can omit if you don’t have it on hand.
- Olive oil: A small amount of olive oil is used to cook the spinach and brush the salmon, prior to baking in the oven.
Full ingredient measurements and detailed instructions are located in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post!
Visual guide: how to cook stuffed salmon
STEP 1: Start by preparing your salmon while the oven preheats. Using a sharp knife, slice down the middle of each piece of salmon, lengthwise. Make sure that your knife doesn’t go all the way through, leaving the salmon flesh still attached at the bottom and on either end.
STEP 2: Place cut salmon on a lined baking sheet. Brush each piece with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
STEP 3: Next, heat a little olive oil on a pan and add spinach, Italian seasoning, paprika, and cayenne. Stir until wilted, which should only take a couple minutes.
STEP 4: Turn off the heat, then add in chopped roasted red peppers, feta cheese, and parmesan. Stir to combine well, pressing down on the feta to soften it.
STEP 5: Above is what the spinach feta “stuffing” should look like once it’s ready!
STEP 6: Spoon the spinach-feta mixture into the cut part of the salmon. Repeat until all mixture is used up and pieces of salmon are evenly filled!
STEP 7: Place salmon in the oven and bake for about 12-17 minutes, depending on desired doneness and how thick your fish is.
STEP 8: Make sure the salmon is cooked by cutting through the thickest part of the fish. It should no longer have a translucent-pink colour, and should instead be opaque with a whitish-pink colour!
Serving ideas: stuffed salmon sides
This spinach and feta stuffed salmon is a source of quality protein, healthy fats, and some veggies. I recommend pairing it with a complex carbohydrate or starch to make a nutritionally-balanced meal.
Some ideas:
- cooked whole grains like farro, quinoa, or brown rice – this is how I personally served this recipe!
- pasta, couscous, or orzo – keep it simple by tossing with some olive oil, garlic, chopped herbs, and freshly-grated parmesan
- mashed, steamed, or roasted potatoes OR sweet potatoes
For even more ideas, I’ve got a roundup of salmon side dishes if you want to explore that, too 🙂
Salmon nutrition benefits
Salmon is an excellent source of quality, complete protein, which helps to protect bone health and prevent muscle loss, among many other functions.
- a 3-ounce serving provides 17 grams
- a 6-ounce piece will give you 34 grams
In addition to protein, salmon is rich in heart-healthy unsaturated fatty acids, including omega-3s. Omega-3s are known to support heart health, brain health, and to reduce inflammation overall.
On the micronutrient side, salmon is a great source of B vitamins like:
- vitamin B12
- vitamin B6
- thiamin
- riboflavin
- niacin
Salmon is also a good source of minerals like potassium and selenium.
More healthy salmon recipes
- Salmon Quinoa Bowl With Lemon Herb Tahini
- Salmon Parcels With Veggies
- Baked Harissa Salmon Over Lemon Quinoa
- Mediterranean Salmon Couscous Salad Bowl
- Baked Miso Maple Ginger Salmon
Did you give this Spinach & Feta Stuffed Salmon Recipe a try? Let me know by leaving a comment and recipe rating below!
If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Pinterest – seeing your creations always makes my day. You can also subscribe to my email list to never miss a new recipe or nutrition education post!
Healthy Seafood Dinners Ebook
Enjoy this recipe? You will love my 118-page eCookbook of 50 easy, delicious, and nutritious seafood dinner recipes. Get instant access from your phone, tablet, or computer – ad-free!
Get the Recipe: Stuffed Salmon With Spinach & Feta (30 minutes!)
Ingredients
- 4x 6-ounce pieces of salmon (approx. 170 grams each; I find longer pieces of salmon work best)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil (divided)
- 3 cups baby spinach, packed
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp paprika (regular or smoked)
- A pinch of cayenne pepper
- Approx. 5.3 ounce block of feta cheese (Approx. 150 grams)
- 1/4 cup parmesan, freshly grated (I recommend parmigiano-reggiano)
- 1/4 cup jarred roasted red peppers (chopped into small, 1/4-inch pieces)
- Salt + pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place salmon pieces onto lined baking sheet, skin-side down.
- Using a sharp knife, slice down the middle of each piece of salmon, lengthwise. Make sure that your knife doesn't go all the way through, leaving the salmon flesh still attached at the very bottom and on either end.
- Brush salmon with 1 Tbsp of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Heat remaining 1 Tbsp of olive oil on a large pan, over medium. Once hot, add spinach, Italian seasoning, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Sauté for a couple minutes, until wilted.
- Turn off the heat, then add in chopped roasted red peppers, feta cheese, and parmesan. Stir to combine well, pressing down on the feta to soften ("mush") it, until all ingredients stick together.
- Spoon the spinach-feta mixture into the cut part of the salmon. Repeat until all mixture is used up and pieces of salmon are evenly filled.
- Place salmon in the oven and bake for about 12-17 minutes, depending on desired doneness and how thick your fish is. Remove from oven and serve hot!
Notes
- For the best texture, I like to use fresh rather than previously frozen salmon if possible. You can ask the people behind the fish counter to cut you 4 nice, evenly shaped pieces of salmon for this recipe – I would aim for about 6 ounces (170 grams) per piece. Personally, I found that longer pieces of salmon work best for stuffing.
- You can check that your fish is cooked by carefully cutting through the thickest part of the fish. It should no longer have a translucent-pink colour, and should instead be opaque with a whitish-pink colour!
- I used a high-quality block of sheep’s feta, stored in brine, for the best taste!
- The roasted red peppers can be swapped with sun-dried tomatoes if preferred.
- If you don’t have Italian seasoning, you can add in equal parts oregano, basil, and thyme instead (or some sort of variation on this!!)
- For visual instructions on how to make this recipe, please see the blog post for step-by-step images and the recipe video.
- cooked whole grains like farro, quinoa, or brown rice
- pasta, couscous, or orzo – keep it simple by tossing with some olive oil, garlic, chopped herbs, and freshly-grated parmesan
- mashed, steamed, or roasted potatoes OR sweet potatoes
Nutrition
As a dietitian, I create recipes with whole food ingredients that provide the nutrients needed for optimal health. My nutrition philosophy does not focus on numbers; however, I understand that this information can be helpful.
Do note that the nutrition info provided is an estimate and I cannot guarantee correctness of the displayed values. These numbers will differ depending on brands used, recipe modifications, and amount eaten. If you require specific nutrition information due to medical reasons, please consult with your dietitian or physician.
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know by leaving a recipe rating below, or by tagging @walderwellness on Instagram. I love seeing your beautiful creations!
Pin it for later:
2 Comments on “Stuffed Salmon With Spinach & Feta”
Easy and tasty! I can’t wait to give this one another go with fresh salmon, I used frozen since that’s what I had on hand. I’m sure fresh will be amazing!
Hi K! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this kind review. I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe!! Frozen salmon is totally fine to use, but it’s hard to beat the texture of fresh sometimes. I hope you enjoy this one again 🙂