Irresistible Baked Salmon with Spinach & Mozzarella
This dish perfectly marries flaky salmon with vibrant spinach and gooey mozzarella cheese, creating a gourmet meal that’s easy to prepare. It’s healthy, satisfying, and sure to become a weeknight favorite.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 18 mins
- Total Time: 33 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 ounces salmon fillets, skin-on or skin-off
- Fresh baby spinach
- Mozzarella cheese, pre-shredded low-moisture or block
- Freshly minced garlic
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh lemon juice
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Dried oregano or Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) with a rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
- Pat your salmon fillets completely dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle with olive oil.
- In a large skillet, heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add fresh spinach and cook until wilted down. If using frozen spinach, add it now and cook for a minute or two. Season with salt, pepper, and dried oregano.
- Transfer the spinach to a bowl. Add half of the shredded mozzarella cheese and stir until well combined.
- Place the seasoned salmon fillets onto the prepared baking sheet. Spoon the spinach and mozzarella mixture over each fillet, pressing it down gently.
- Sprinkle the remaining shredded mozzarella cheese over the spinach mixture on each salmon fillet.
- Bake for 12-18 minutes, until the salmon is cooked through and the cheese is melted and lightly golden brown. Broil for the last 1-2 minutes if needed.
- Let the salmon rest for a minute or two. Garnish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and serve immediately.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 fillet with topping
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
Keywords: For best results, squeeze out excess liquid from spinach to prevent a watery topping. Adjust baking time for different thicknesses of salmon. Fresh ingredients yield the best flavor.