Ingredients
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- 4 oz. frozen spinach, thawed
- 1/2 cup cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Zest of 1 lemon, plus 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, plus lemon slices for (optional) garnish
- 1/2 tsp. salt, divided, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp. pepper, divided, plus more to taste
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. onion powder
- 4 (5-6 oz.) salmon fillets, about 3/4-inch thick, without skin
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
- About 3 cups fresh baby spinach leaves (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Meanwhile, squeeze as much liquid as you can out of the thawed frozen spinach (you should end up with about ¼ cup packed). In a medium bowl, mix the squeezed spinach, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, lemon zest and juice, garlic powder, onion powder, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and ¼ teaspoon of the pepper. Add more salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
- Brush about ½ of the oil on a rimmed baking sheet and set aside.
- Use a small, sharp knife to cut a slit into the side of each salmon fillet, making a pocket about 2 inches long and about ¾ inch short of the other side. Stuff about ¼ of the cream cheese mixture into each pocket, spreading it evenly (you might not need all the stuffing).
- Arrange the salmon on the prepared baking sheet and brush with the remaining oil.
- Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper.
- Bake until the salmon is opaque throughout and the center of the stuffing reaches 120 to 130°F on an instant-read thermometer (like this), approximately 15 to 18 minutes.
- Arrange the fresh spinach and lemon slices, if using, on plates or a platter. Arrange the salmon on top and serve.
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