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Baked Stuffed Salmon with Spinach & Feta

Baked Stuffed Salmon with Spinach & Feta

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Dinner Recipe
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

For the salmon:
  • 4 salmon fillets about 6 oz each, skin-on or skinless
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 lemon half juiced, half sliced for serving
For the spinach and feta filling:
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 5 oz fresh spinach or one 10 oz box frozen, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 4 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
  • Zest of half a lemon

Equipment

  • Large oven-safe skillet or a skillet plus a baking dish
  • Sharp knife for butterflying the fillets
  • Mixing bowl
  • Meat thermometer (optional but helpful)

Method
 

  1. Preheat and prep the salmon. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Pat the salmon fillets completely dry with a paper towel, then use a sharp knife to slice a deep pocket into the side of each fillet cutting almost all the way through but leaving the back edge intact so it holds its shape. Season the outside and the inside of each pocket with salt and pepper.
  2. Dry the spinach this is the step that matters most. If using fresh spinach, wilt it in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes, then transfer it to a clean kitchen towel and wring it out hard over the sink. If using thawed frozen spinach, do the same wringing step. This feels excessive, but skipping it is the single biggest reason stuffed salmon ends up swimming in watery liquid on the pan spinach holds an enormous amount of water, and if it goes into the filling wet, that water has nowhere to go but out, thinning the cheese and pooling under the fish as it bakes.
  3. Build the filling. In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and add the garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant garlic turns bitter fast, so don’t walk away here. Add the dried spinach back in, stir to coat, then remove from heat. Stir in the cream cheese, feta, red pepper flakes, and lemon zest until you have a thick, cohesive filling that holds together when you press a spoon into it. Pro tip: if the filling looks even slightly loose at this stage, it will only get looser in the oven pop it in the fridge for 5 minutes to firm up before stuffing.
  4. Stuff and sear. Spoon the filling generously into each salmon pocket, pressing gently so it stays put. Heat the olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat and sear the salmon, filled-side up, for 2 minutes just to get some color on the bottom.
  5. Bake. Transfer the skillet directly to the oven (or move the fillets to a baking dish) and bake for 12–15 minutes, until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and reaches an internal temperature of 130–135°F for medium, or 145°F if you prefer it fully opaque throughout. Squeeze the reserved lemon juice over the top as soon as it comes out.
  6. Rest briefly, then serve. Let the salmon sit for 2–3 minutes before serving it keeps cooking slightly off the heat and the filling sets up so it stays in the pocket instead of sliding out onto the plate.