This easy, healthy, Salmon in Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Sauce goes from skillet to table in 30 short minutes. It’s a dish your entire family will want to devour and makes a great weeknight dinner.
This might be a weird way to start this blog, but hear me out: You aren’t going to believe this but I didn’t realize how monochromatic this dish was until I went to photograph it. Not that that matters. It doesn’t deviate the deliciousness of this dish one bit. It’s just one of those random home-chef moments that tickles me. Like, how could I make this entire dish and never once realize I was apparently (subliminally?) going with a color palette that was all the same? And yet…it’s quite nice, right? As someone who tends to eat with her eyes first (but don’t we all?) I’m surprised that I didn’t notice this as I was putting it together. Or…maybe I DID notice it somewhere deep down in this brain of mine but it just didn’t surface.
Regardless. This train of thought you probably think has to do with nothing. However, I think serendipitously does! Because if I had noticed, I might not have paired these three ingredients together. I might have, for instance, used a green pesto sauce instead of tomato sauce. Or maybe some fresh herbs like dill or rosemary. Or I could have even gone white sauce. All of which, I might add, would have been delicious in their own right.
But then, I would have been denying you (and myself) of this easy, creamy, tangy, melt-in-your-mouth salmon dish that has now pretty much taken first place in my heart as the best creamy-tomato-salmon-dish I’ve ever created.
I am fairly certain you will agree. But if not, that’s okay too. I have plenty of other salmon dishes from which you can choose, such as Air Fryer Salmon. You’re sure to find a favorite!
What are Sun Dried Tomatoes?
Sun-dried tomatoes are exactly what they sound like — tomatoes that have been dried out in the sun. Like any other kind of dried fruit, like an apricot or raisin or craisin. It just maybe seems kind of weird because we don’t usually think of tomatoes as a fruit (but they are) or as something you’d eat dried (but we do).
When they are dried out, they retain their sweetness but also gain a little tartness. Like dried spices, dried tomatoes become more potent. Therefore, you only need a little bit in your dishes to give them a whole lot of tomato flavor. Kind of like tomato paste in that they are both a concentrated tomato flavor. Similar to other dried fruits, they are chewy if they are not rehydrated (as I do in this recipe with the liquids added in the skillet with them).
There are two main ways you’ll find sun-dried tomatoes: dried or packed in oil. Dried sun-dried tomatoes are chewy, and they resemble other dried fruits. You’ll find them in bulk or packaged with other dry goods. Dried tomatoes that are packed in oil are dried the same but are then put in oil after being dried. You’ll find these in jars whole or cut up. They’ll also be in the dry goods and don’t need to be refrigerated unless you’ve opened the jar.
I use the kind packed in oil in this recipe because they cook up faster when they’re already semi-rehydrated and they’ll be less chewy but just as delicious!
Serving Suggestions for Salmon
I like to serve salmon with a rice, pasta, or another grain. Especially when there is a yummy sauce — I just have to have something to soak up that sauce. I cannot let it go to waste. Plus, it’s so easy to put the salmon right on top of a bed of white or brown rice or some wide-egg noodles or angel hair pasta and spoon the sauce right over the top.
If you are eating low-carb, you can try this salmon over zucchini (or other veggie) noodles, or over cauliflower rice. You could also try another grain such as quinoa, millet, or barley for some added nutrition.
What Does Salmon Taste Like?
Yes, salmon is a fish but it isn’t at all fishy. It’s thicker and meatier than a lot of fish and it has a very mild flavor that easily takes on whatever flavors you’ve marinated, dry rubbed, or sprinkled on. It’s a very versatile fish and that’s part of the reason I love making it so much, and also, I just love, love, love its taste and texture.
More Delicious Salmon Recipes
- Salmon with Creamy Avocado Sauce
- Honey Lime Salmon with Mango Salsa
- Salmon Florentine
- Best Easy Healthy Baked Salmon
- Baked Salmon with Dill Cream Sauce
Did you make this tasty Salmon in Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Sauce recipe? YAY! Please rate the recipe below!
Salmon in Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets - skin removed
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 3 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning blend - or combination or dried thyme, basil, oregano and parsley
- ½ cup juliened sun dried tomatoes - (they come in a jar packed with oil, be sure to drain excess oil)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ½ cup half and half - OR heavy cream (use heavy cream for a thicker, creamier sauce!)
- ⅔ cup parmesan cheese
- grated parmesan cheese, fresh herbs, cracked black pepper for topping - optional
Instructions
- Season salmon with salt and pepper to taste on both sides. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once melted stir in honey. Add salmon to pan and cook 4-6 minutes on each side until caramelized around the edges and cooked through the center. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
- Add garlic, Italian seasoning, sun dried tomatoes, chicken broth, half and half or heavy cream, and 2/3 cup parmesan cheese to pan and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, and continue to stir periodically until thickened and creamy (5-7 minutes).
- Return salmon to the pan and spoon the sauce over the salmon. Top with cracked black pepper, grated parmesan cheese, fresh herbs if desired, and serve.
Made this last night for dinner, followed the recipe exactly as written, using heavy cream. For some reason,the sauce didnt get as thick as I thought it should…HOWEVER, the flavors are amazing!! Was really enjoyed by my 86 year old Mom, who claims not to like salmon, and my grown daughter! In fact, I think this sauce would be incredible using chicken, so will try that next time…and double the sauce….Yum!!
Thank you for a great recipe 🙂
The ingredients were good (I was pleased to have everything on hand), but the technique was questionable. I would sauté the garlic before adding it to anything. I would not add the Parmesan until the sauce is already hot, so that it would melt or soften upon hitting the liquid. The recipe also calls for way too much Italian seasoning.
Excellent! After reading the reviews and notes, I made a few minor adjustments to the order of cooking:
I sautéed the garlic, butter, tomatoes and seasonings first and set aside. Then added a bit more butter and the honey to the pan and cooked the salmon. Removed the fish from the pan and made the sauce whisking constantly with every addition. Everything except salmon back to the pan to let reduce a bit. Poured over fish and jasmine rice and Viola!
The salmon was delicious my guests loved it
My husband said this was restaurant quality! I only use half the honey, preference, then I didn’t have any half n half so I used a 1″x2″ piece of cream cheese and only 1/4c parmesan, again preference on the cheese. It was wonderful!! This will definitely go in our rotation- Thanks!
Way to improvise! Yes! Haha so glad it turned out well 🙂