Hasselback Salmon with Spinach

Top down view of hasselback salmon fillets with dressing in bowl.

This hasselback salmon contains a 3-ingredient creamy spinach filling and comes with a zesty lemon dressing for a refreshing finish. It’s an easy and delicious way of serving salmon, perfect for any occasion.

Course Main

Cuisine healthy

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings servings

Calories 297kcal

Author Monika Dabrowski

Ingredients

4 salmon fillets
1.76 ounces spinach
3 tablespoons cream cheese
2 tablespoons feta cheese drained thoroughly
1 tablespoon butter melted
fine sea salt and pepper to taste

For the dressing

1½ tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice plus zest of 1 lemon, see Instructions
1½ teaspoons honey
½ teaspoon mustard

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 F/225 C/gas mark 7. Line a medium-sized baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Hasselback salmon: Place the salmon fillets skin side down on top of a cutting board. Make 3 cuts at a slight angle (at 1-inch intervals) being careful not to cut through the skin. Do this for each fillet. Season with salt and pepper (both the top and inside the slits). Place the fillets on top of your baking sheet and set aside.
Make spinach mixture: Chop the spinach very finely and place in a shallow bowl. Add the feta (crumbled) and cream cheese and stir using a fork (easy to mash the feta) until thoroughly incorporated. Taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning as required.
TIP: At this point melt the butter so it has time to cool before pouring over the fish.
Fill slits: Gently open up the slits in the salmon one by one and fill with the spinach mixture. Scatter some lemon zest (approx. ½ lemon) over the fillets and drizzle over the butter.
Bake: Bake in the centre of the oven for 14-15 minutes.
Make dressing: Place the dressing ingredients (including the remaining lemon zest, from approx. ½ lemon) in a bowl and stir until thoroughly combined. Refrigerate.
Serve: Remove the salmon from the oven, sprinkle over chopped chives or dill (as an option) and serve with the dressing.

Notes

Pat the fish dry and ensure there are no bones left before cutting and adding the spinach mixture.

Remove excess moisture (if present) from the spinach by patting it dry with a paper towel.

It is important to season the spinach mixture with salt and pepper to taste before assembling the recipe.

Make the dressing while the salmon is in the oven (or in advance) so that you are ready to serve the dish as soon as it’s cooked.

Leftover hasselbacked salmon can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave.

Freeze uncooked (as soon as you’ve assembled it), in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Not suitable for freezing if the salmon had been frozen previously. Defrost overnight in the fridge.

Nutrition