Spinach Artichoke Salmon Skillet
Combine the signature creaminess of spinach and artichoke dip with succulent spiced salmon and orzo and you have the ultimate one pan dinner recipe. This Spinach Artichoke Salmon is weeknight-friendly and destined to become a family favorite!
Servings: 4
Equipment
- Large sauté pan or skillet with fitted lid
Ingredients
- 4 (6-oz.) salmon fillets
- 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper, divided
- 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 1/4 cups dry orzo pasta
- 2 1/2 cups lower-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (sub half-and-half or canned full-fat coconut milk)
- 2 generous handfuls fresh baby spinach (or ~4 cups)
- 1 (12-oz.) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese (or 2 to 3 Tbsp. nutritional yeast if making dairy free)
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
Instructions
- Drizzle salmon fillets with 2 Tbsp. olive oil, and coat evenly in spices (paprika, dried thyme, garlic powder, 3/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. black pepper).
- Heat a large sauté pan or skillet with a fitted lid over medium heat. Arrange salmon fillets in pan, skin side down, and cook for 3 minutes. Gently flip, and cook for another 3 minutes, or until medium-rare. Transfer salmon to a clean plate.
- To the same pan, add remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil, along with shallots and garlic. Cook 2 minutes, until aromatic. Stir in crushed red pepper flakes.
- Add orzo, broth, Dijon mustard, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. black pepper. Increase heat to bring mixture to a gentle boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and gently simmer for 12 minutes, until orzo is just shy of al dente.
- Remove lid, increase heat back to medium, and add heavy cream and spinach. Cook, stirring frequently, until spinach wilts, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in drained artichokes and Parmesan.
- Nestle salmon fillets back into pan and gently simmer, uncovered, until orzo is tender and salmon is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Garnish with lemon zest and 1 to 2 Tablespoons of fresh lemon juice.
Notes
- Store. Refrigerate leftover salmon and orzo in an airtight container for 2 days.
- Reheat. I find that salmon reheats best on the stovetop (as opposed to the microwave, which can dry it out and make it taste overly fishy).
- Heat a medium skillet over medium-low heat with a light drizzle of oil. Add the salmon and orzo, along with a splash of broth to help rehydrate the grains, then cover the skillet to gently steam. Adjust cooking time based on the thickness of the salmon.
Nutrition
Serving: 1salmon fillet + 1 cup orzo mixture | Calories: 680kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Sodium: 980mg | Fiber: 3.5g | Sugar: 3g