Coconut Cream Salmon with Tomatoes

Comforting, creamy, fast and nutritious - this one pan Coconut Cream Salmon with Tomatoes is so easy it practically makes itself. Packed full of veggies, it's gluten free, dairy free and can be on the table in an impressive 20 minutes!

As a busy mum I gravitate towards anything which can be made in one pot. And I will jump on any trend which means less dishes.

Add to that the fact that we are all trying to eat more fish, this creamy coconut salmon dinner is definitely one dish you’ll want up your sleeve.

Love salmon? Have you tried my Easy Teriyaki Salmon with Noodles? This Sheet Pan Salmon with Veggies and Potatoes is the perfect fast weeknight dinner. And this Smoked Salmon Pasta is always a favorite, it's ready in 20 minutes.

Why you Should Try Coconut Cream Salmon with Tomatoes

• It’s loaded with veggies yet requires no chopping except the basil garnish. My kind of dinner.

• This delicious dish is a one pot wonder - which means less time doing dishes.

• Pan frying the salmon is a very easy way of cooking fish which makes sure your fish stays juicy and tender

I made this version with coconut cream to switch things up. And also because I love the taste. But it’s fine to go with regular cream if you prefer. 

Pan searing salmon may sound scary at first but honestly it’s a very simple method of cooking fish. It helps to avoid the dry and chalky overcooked fish that kids (and adults!) hate. It also gives that delicious crispy outside and moist inside that restaurants do so well. 

What you Will Need to Make Coconut Cream Salmon with Tomatoes

Salmon

I always try to buy the very best salmon I can afford. Ideally wild but definitely from a sustainable farmed source.

What is a Fillet of Salmon?

A fillet of salmon is by far the most popular cut and refers to a side section of boned salmon.

How Big Is A Fillet of Salmon?

This completely depends. A small fillet can be used to serve just one or two people. Or it can be a whole side of boned fish which can be used to serve a crowd of people.

Butter

I loved fish cooked in butter. It pairs perfectly with the lemon and adds a richness to the finished dish.

White Wine

I add this as I think the flavor really complements the salmon. But it’s fine to switch it out for vegetable broth if you don’t have wine. Or don’t drink alcohol. 

Lemons

A natural friend for salmon but the tartness also contrasts really nicely with the richness of the coconut cream.

Cherry Tomatoes

These add a vibrant pop of color to the dish and ups the veggie content. They are also a nice acidic foil to the creamy sauce.

Use whatever tomatoes you have if you don’t have cherry. Simply cut them to roughly cherry tomato size.

Coconut Cream

Not to be confused with coconut milk, coconut cream is much thicker and richer. It’s basically the fat and protein that floats to the top of the coconut milk. You can use regular heavy cream if you prefer a more traditional dairy ingredient.

Parmesan

Parmesan or a similar hard Italian cheese adds a great savory contrast to the rich sauce. But feel free to leave this out if you’re trying to reduce dairy. 

Spinach

I like to add spinach wherever I can for the nutritional punch but also the pop of color. I like to use fresh spinach here as it has a better flavor and texture for this dish than frozen.

Basil

I love a chiffonade of basil for it’s fresh look as much as it’s taste.

To cut basil into a chiffonade, pick a handful of similar sized leaves off the stalk, lay them flat on top of one another and roll them as tight as you can. Then, with a large chefs knife, carefully cut them in ribbons as thinly as possible. 

How to make Coconut Cream Salmon with Tomatoes

Full recipe with measurements is below.

1. First sear and cook the salmon (see my how to sear salmon guide below). Remove from the pan to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
2. Next add the tomatoes and garlic into the same pan, then the lemon juice and wine and let them cook down for a few minutes.
3. Then add the coconut cream and parmesan and stir until melted.
4. Stir in the spinach and basil.
5. Add the fish back to the pan and re-heat for a moment or two until warm.

An Easy Guide to Pan Searing Salmon

1. Make sure that the salmon is seasoned well with salt and pepper.
2. Heat your skillet until hot and then add some vegetable oil or butter.
3. Place the fish skin side down in the pan and leave it to sear on a medium high heat without moving it. 
4. Try to cook the salmon through mostly on the skin side. The skin is a barrier to the direct heat and this makes sure your fish stays juicy. Depending on the thickness it should take between 4-6 minutes.
5. Watch the fish closely and flip it over when you can see that the flesh has turned mostly opaque from translucent all the way up the sides.
6. Now turn the heat to low and finish the cooking the other side for a minute or two. To avoid over cooking, the salmon should still be a little translucent inside when you take it off the heat.
7. If you like to use an instant read thermometer the thickest part of the fish should reach 125ºF/62ºC.

Tips and Tricks

• When buying salmon fillets try to get ‘center cut’ piece. This is from the middle of the fish, and the fillets are more likely to be thick and uniform in size. And therefore easier to cook.

• A general cooking-with-white-wine tip: If you don’t often have white wine open for cooking, try getting a bottle of dry vermouth. It’s a great substitute for recipes which require a small amount of wine (up to half a cup) and keeps for much longer in the fridge with the cap screwed back on.

• Make sure you don’t add the spinach until the very end. It will loose its brightness and freshness if its sits in the liquid too long. It cooks very quickly and only needs to be wilted by being stirred through a hot sauce.

Variations

Like all my recipes - this one is flexible so feel free to use what you have in the fridge. Don’t have baby spinach? Baby kale or regular kale which has been stemmed and shredded would also work well.

Chopped bell pepper is also a great addition, or jalapeno pepper if you like some heat.

In terms of cheese Pecorino would also be great here. Finely grated cheddar would work too.

How to Serve

This salmon dish goes perfectly with some simple mashed potato - try my easy and ever popular Kitchen Aid Mash. It's also great with Smashed Potatoes or Crispy Sweet Potatoes. This Cilantro Lime Rice is a perfect match too. If you’d like to keep things on the lighter side, an easy dressed green salad would also work well.

Reheating

This dish is best served immediately since the spinach goes a little soggy if its kept.

If however you have extra salmon leftover, it can be eaten cold the next day, with a simple green salad.

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