Healthy Creamy Leftover Salmon (Printable)
Creamy skillet salmon with spinach, tomatoes, and Greek yogurt. A nutritious 25-minute meal that turns leftovers into something special.
# What You Need:
→ Protein & Dairy
01 - 2 cups cooked salmon, flaked, skin and bones removed
02 - 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or reduced-fat crème fraîche
03 - 1/4 cup light cream cheese, softened
→ Vegetables
04 - 1 cup baby spinach, chopped
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
07 - 1 clove garlic, minced
→ Broth & Seasoning
08 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried dill)
10 - 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
11 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
12 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
13 - 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
→ To Serve
14 - 2 tablespoons chives, chopped
15 - Cooked quinoa, rice, or whole-grain pasta (optional)
# How-To:
01 - Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add a splash of oil or a small amount of broth, then sauté the sliced red onion and minced garlic for 2 to 3 minutes until soft and fragrant.
02 - Add the chopped spinach and halved cherry tomatoes to the skillet. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until the spinach is just wilted and the tomatoes have softened.
03 - Stir in the broth, softened cream cheese, and Greek yogurt. Continue stirring constantly until a smooth, creamy sauce forms, about 2 minutes.
04 - Gently fold in the flaked salmon, chopped dill, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, stirring gently until the salmon is heated through.
05 - Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve hot, sprinkled with chopped chives. Optionally serve over cooked quinoa, rice, or whole-grain pasta.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The creamy sauce comes together with Greek yogurt and light cream cheese, so it feels indulgent without weighing you down.
- It transforms cold, sad leftover salmon into something you would actually look forward to eating for lunch or dinner.
02 -
- Do not let the sauce come to a hard boil after adding the yogurt or it will break and look grainy instead of smooth.
- Removing every last bone from the leftover salmon before flaking saves an unpleasant surprise at the dinner table.
03 -
- Salmon that was grilled or roasted the day before has more concentrated flavor than poached salmon, so use the more flavorful leftover if you have a choice.
- A Microplane for the lemon zest gives you the finest particles that melt right into the sauce instead of sitting on top like little shavings.