Creamy Tuscan Salmon (dairy-free & paleo!)

Creamy Tuscan Salmon: Say hello to this creamy, comforting dish, made dairy-free and gluten-free. I love a classic cream sauce but I wanted to make something a lot lighter and this one hits the nail on the head. This Tuscan salmon recipe is made with fresh salmon fillets, a dairy-free cream sauce, and packed with fresh vegetables.

creamy tuscan salmon ingredient list:

Fresh Salmon Fillets: I find that fresh salmon fillets cook up a lot better than frozen, especially for this recipe. Fresh salmon gets a really nice sear on the stove and has a great texture. Although, I understand frozen salmon is much more accessible, so if you choose to use frozen, just thaw beforehand and blot access water with paper towels.

Coconut Milk: This recipe calls for canned coconut milk as a dairy-free alternative to heavy cream. If you can’t have coconut, cashew cream may work as well. And as always, I promise you can’t taste the coconut at all!

Vegetable Broth: The broth pulls together all the flavors here. You can also use chicken broth, bone broth, or whatever broth you prefer.

Tomatoes: A key part in making Tuscan sauce, let these little tomatoes burst and they add a delicious flavor element!

Garlic and Onions: For flavors and aromatics.

Fresh Spinach and Basil: For flavor and added nutrients!

Tapioca Starch: A thickening agent that replaces cornstarch (a W30 & paleo option).

optional substitutions:

• If you aren’t a fan of salmon, or you’re looking for something more accessible, you can always use grilled chicken instead! You can sear it on the stove, grill it, or even add pre-cooked chicken to the sauce. Trust me, this sauce is so delicious you won’t want to miss it!
• I get a lot of questions about coconut milk in savory recipes. I use coconut milk to replace heavy cream in a lot of creamy sauce recipes. It’s affordable and canned coconut milk is always something I keep in the pantry. I promise with all the flavor combinations, you don’t taste the coconut taste at all. But, if you want to try something else, cashew cream will work as well (blending cashews in water).

Creamy Tuscan Salmon Recipe

Lexi Finke

This Creamy Tuscan Salmon is made with fresh salmon fillets, a dairy-free cream sauce, and packed with vegetables. It's the perfect gluten-free and dairy-free dinner option!

4.64 from 30 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 3 servings

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 3 or 4 fresh salmon fillets
• 1/2 white onion diced
• 5 garlic cloves minced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
• 3/4 cup vegetable broth
• 1 cup full fat coconut milk canned
• 1 tsp arrowroot starch or tapioca starch
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 cup fresh spinach chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 or 2 tbsp olive oil for cooking

Instructions

 

Sear the Salmon:

• Season your salmon fillets with salt, pepper, and garlic powder until each piece is coated.
• Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a cast-iron skillet (or another equivalent pan). Once hot, add your salmon fillets skin side up for 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook the other side for 3 more minutes.

For the Sauce:

• In a separate skillet pan, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and soften the white onion. After about one minute, add in minced garlic and saute until aromatic.
• Once the garlic begins to smell fragrant, add in the vegetable broth. Scrape all the brown bits off the pan for extra flavor. Add in the cherry tomatoes and let sit for a few minutes.
• Next, add in coconut milk and Italian seasoning. Make sure the coconut milk well mixed and smooth before pouring in. Mix all ingredients together in the pan and let simmer on low.
• While simmering, add one teaspoon of tapioca flour to the sauce and immediately mix it into the liquid. This will thicken the sauce slightly.
• The sauce should begin to thicken and the flavors should begin to incorporate. Add in the chopped spinach and basil, followed by the seared salmon fillets.
• Serve on its own, or with rice or pasta. Enjoy!

Notes

Store in an air-tight container for 3-4 days in the fridge.

Substitute grilled chicken for salmon.

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