Stuffed Salmon with Spinach, Capers, and Greek Yogurt
In this weeknight-friendly spinach stuffed salmon recipe, fresh salmon filets are filled with a bright and savory combination of roasted red peppers, capers, lemon, and Greek yogurt. It's creamy but not overly rich, gluten-free, and filled with delicious Mediterranean flavor! I love the umami-rich addition of preserved lemons, which you can find in the international or pickle aisle of many grocery stores, but feel free to use grated lemon zest in its place.
1/2teaspoonAleppo pepper,plus more for seasoning the salmon
1/4teaspoonkosher salt,plus more for seasoning the salmon
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2poundssalmon filet(at least 1-inch thick), sliced into 4 equal portions
1lemon,half sliced into wedges, half reserved for juice
Instructions
Get ready. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a rimmed baking sheet with a thin layer of olive oil (about 2 teaspoons).
Prepare the spinach. Heat the 2 teaspoons olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until softened and translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and spinach and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 3 minutes.
Dry the spinach mixture. Scrape the wilted spinach into a fine-mesh strainer. Set the strainer over a small bowl or hold it over the sink while you use the spoon to press the spinach against the strainer a few times to drain the excess water.
Make the filling. Transfer the spinach mixture to a cutting board, roughly chop, then add it to a medium bowl. Add the roasted red peppers, capers, preserved lemon, Greek yogurt, Aleppo pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Stir to combine.
Make a pocket for the filling. Pat the salmon dry, then use a sharp knife to cut a slit down the side of each salmon filet without cutting through to the other side. Season the salmon all over with salt and pepper including inside the pockets.
Stuff and bake. Arrange the salmon skin-side down in the pan. Sprinkle the filets with extra Aleppo pepper if you’d like a little more heat and squeeze on the lemon juice. Spoon a quarter of the filling into each pocket. Bake until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily, 12 to 14 minutes.
Finish and serve. Serve immediately with extra lemon wedges on the side for squeezing.
Video
Notes
Make sure to press as much water as possible out of the salmon mixture to prevent excess water from releasing as the salmon bakes.