Marry Me Salmon

Get ready to level up your “marry me” game! This marry me salmon recipe combines pan-seared salmon with a creamy parmesan sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh basil. So flavorful and savory, this dish will garner proposals and relief on busy evenings when a quick dinner is needed!

See recipe card below for full list of measurements, ingredients, and instructions.

Why This Recipe is So Good

• Everything cooks in the same skillet, so you get restaurant-quality results with minimal cleanup. It’s super ideal for those hectic weeknight dinners when you want something special but don’t have time for complicated cooking.
• From start to finish, this salmon goes from raw to swoon-worthy in under an hour (like 25 minutes). The salmon gets perfectly cooked while the sauce comes together in the same pan—talk about efficiency!
• When it comes to marry me salmon recipes, everyone will love our version of this dish, and I mean EVERYONE. The rich Parmesan cream sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and basil is sophisticated enough for adults but approachable enough that your kiddos will ask for seconds. It’s comfort food that’s practical but feels fancy!

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What You Need to Know Before You Start

• Cook the salmon skin-side down first to get that gorgeous golden, crispy skin, then build the creamy sauce in the same pan using all those delicious browned bits for maximum flavor.
• To make a successful recipe for marry me salmon, watch the salmon carefully as it cooks, as it’s best when it’s still slightly pink in the center. It’ll continue cooking a bit from residual heat, so err on the side of underdone rather than overdone.
• Little-known secret: every batch of sun-dried tomatoes and parmesan varies in saltiness, so always taste your sauce before serving and adjust seasoning as needed. You want to ensure your sauce zings with flavor without overpowering anyone at the dinner table.
• Don’t skip out on allowing your cream to sit at room temperature: This prevents the sauce from breaking when you add it to the warm pan. Cold cream mixed with hot liquid can cause the sauce to curdle, ruining your dinner!

More Delicious Salmon Recipes

• Lemon Pepper Salmon
• Smoked Salmon Carpaccio (2 Ways)
• Salmon and Veggies Sheet Pan Meal with Hot Honey and Yogurt Sauce
• Salmon Wellington
• Hot Honey Salmon
• Air Fryer Salmon
• Jerk Salmon with Mango Salsa
• Sous Vide Salmon
• Salmon Rice Bowl (TikTok Recipe)
• Teriyaki Sesame Salmon Hibachi with Fried Rice and Vegetables
• Salmon Meuniere

Recipe By: Cheryl Malik

Marry Me Salmon

Prep 10 minutes minutes

Cook 25 minutes minutes

Total 35 minutes minutes

This is the best marry me salmon recipe! It brings together pan-seared salmon with a creamy parmesan sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh basil. So flavorful and savory, this is excellent for busy evenings when a quick dinner is needed!

Cheryl Malik

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Equipment

• Large skillet (preferably stainless steel or cast iron)
• chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Cheese grater

Ingredients

• ▢ 4 fillets salmon
• ▢ 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• ▢ salt and pepper
• ▢ 1 tablespoon butter
• ▢ 2-3 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ ¾ cup chicken broth see notes
• ▢ ½ cup heavy cream at, or close to room temperature
• ▢ ⅓ cup grated fresh parmesan cheese at room temperature
• ▢ ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes see notes
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢ ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes see notes
• ▢ fresh basil chiffonaded, for garnish

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Instructions

 

• Season the salmon fillets liberally with seasoning salt or salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add salmon skin-side down and cook about 4 minutes until skin is golden and crispy. Flip and cook 2 to 4 minutes more until desired doneness. Transfer to plate and wipe out excess oil.
• Return skillet to medium-low heat and add 1 tablespoon butter. When melted, add 2 to 3 cloves minced garlic and sauté 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
• Add ¾ cup chicken broth, scraping up browned bits. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
• Whisk in ½ cup heavy cream, then sprinkle in ⅓ cup grated fresh parmesan cheese and stir until melted.
• Return to medium-low heat and add ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, and ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. Simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes.
• Return salmon to pan and spoon sauce over top. Garnish with fresh basil chiffonade and serve immediately.

Make it Dairy-Free: Use coconut cream and nutritional yeast as substitutes for heavy cream and parmesan.

Protein Swaps: This same sauce technique works beautifully with other proteins; just adjust cooking times accordingly. Add chicken thighs, pork chops, or even shrimp as suggestions. Chicken thighs need about 6-7 minutes per side until they reach 165°F internally, while pork chops (1-inch thick) cook for 4-5 minutes per side until they hit 145°F. Shrimp cooks the fastest at just 2-3 minutes per side until pink and opaque – don’t overcook or they’ll get rubbery!

Add Vegetables: Toss in some baby spinach or asparagus during the last few minutes of cooking for extra nutrients and color.

Storage: Best served immediately, but leftovers keep in refrigerator for up to 2 days.

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Approximate Information for One Serving

Calories: 474calProtein: 40gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 141mgSodium: 422mgPotassium: 1367mgTotal Carbs: 10gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gNet Carbs: 8gVitamin A: 862IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 168mgIron: 3mg

Nutrition Disclaimers

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

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