Stuffed Salmon with Creamed Spinach and Warm Orzo Salad

This elegant stuffed salmon recipe features tender fillets filled with a rich creamed spinach mixture, pan-seared to golden perfection, then roasted alongside sweet potato cubes. The warm orzo salad tossed with feta and lemon zest adds a bright Mediterranean touch.

A silky lemon-Dijon pan sauce brings everything together, making this dish perfect for a special dinner that’s surprisingly simple to prepare.

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Ingredients

0.5 cup Feta CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce Orzo PastaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Cream CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2.5 ounce SpinachView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Sweet PotatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Italian SeasoningView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon Dijon MustardView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce SalmonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon (tsp) SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Dice sweet potato into ½-inch pieces. Zest and quarter the lemon.
2. Toss sweet potato on one side of a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt and pepper. Roast on middle rack for 15 minutes.
3. While sweet potato roasts, heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over high heat. Add spinach and cook until wilted, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in cream cheese, half the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper until combined.
4. Pat salmon dry. With a sharp knife, cut a horizontal slit into the side of each fillet, leaving 1 inch intact to create a pocket. Divide the spinach mixture among the fillets, pressing gently to close. Season outside with remaining Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
5. Heat a drizzle of oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Sear stuffed salmon until golden, 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Wipe out pan.
6. After sweet potato has roasted 15 minutes, remove baking sheet. Place salmon on the opposite side of the sheet. Return to oven and roast until salmon is cooked through and sweet potato is tender, 10-12 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, add orzo to boiling water. Cook until al dente, 7-10 minutes. Drain.
8. In a large bowl, combine roasted sweet potato, drained orzo, lemon zest, feta, 1 tbsp olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toss well.
9. In the same pan used for salmon, combine stock concentrate, mustard, 2 tbsp water, 1 tsp sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice. Bring to a simmer, whisking, until slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and whisk in butter until melted.
10. Divide orzo salad and stuffed salmon among plates. Drizzle pan sauce over salmon. Serve with remaining lemon wedges.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use chicken instead of salmon?

Yes, you can substitute boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Adjust cooking time as needed to ensure chicken is cooked through.

Can I prepare this dish ahead of time?

You can prepare the creamed spinach filling and roast the sweet potato in advance. Assemble and cook the salmon just before serving for best results.

What can I use instead of orzo?

Any small pasta like couscous, quinoa or rice would work well in the warm salad.