Weeknight • Seafood
Garlic Butter Salmon & Spinach Bowls
A healthy and delicious weeknight meal featuring flaky salmon and tender spinach bathed in a savory garlic butter sauce.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Servings
- 2
- Level
- Weeknight
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Eating healthy doesn't mean sacrificing flavor, and this Garlic Butter Salmon & Spinach Bowl is proof! This dish is incredibly simple, comes together in minutes, and tastes like something you'd get at a fancy restaurant. With flaky salmon, vibrant spinach, and a rich garlic butter sauce, it’s a perfect go-to for a quick, nutritious, and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Yield: 2 servings
Main
- 2 (6 oz) salmon fillets, skin on or off
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 oz fresh spinach
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
- Cooked rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice, for serving
Preparation
Step 1
Pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and pepper on both sides.
Step 2
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add salmon fillets, skin-side down if applicable. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the skin is crispy and golden (if skin-on) and the salmon is cooked halfway up the sides.
Step 3
Flip the salmon fillets. Add butter and minced garlic to the skillet. Cook for another 3-5 minutes, basting the salmon with the melting garlic butter, until salmon is cooked through and easily flakes with a fork (internal temperature should be 145°F/63°C).
Step 4
Remove salmon from the skillet and set aside. Add fresh spinach to the skillet with the remaining garlic butter. Cook, tossing frequently, until spinach is wilted, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and red pepper flakes (if using). Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Step 5
Divide cooked rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice between two bowls. Top with wilted garlic spinach, then place a salmon fillet on top of each. Spoon any remaining garlic butter sauce over the salmon and serve immediately.
Tips
- For crispy skin, ensure your salmon is very dry before searing, and don't move it once it's in the pan until it's time to flip.
- Don't overcook the salmon; it's best when still slightly pink in the center.
- Feel free to add a splash of white wine to the garlic butter for extra depth of flavor before adding the spinach.
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