Baked Stuffed Salmon Spinach Feta (Print Version)

Salmon fillets filled with spinach, feta, and roasted peppers, baked for a quick, tasty dinner.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Salmon

01 - 4 salmon fillets, 6 ounces each, skin on or off
02 - 1.5 tablespoons olive oil
03 - Salt to taste
04 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ For the Spinach-Feta Filling

05 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
06 - 4 cups fresh spinach, or frozen spinach thawed and squeezed dry
07 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
08 - 0.5 teaspoon paprika
09 - 1 pinch cayenne pepper
10 - 6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
11 - 0.33 cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 - 0.25 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
13 - 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
14 - Salt to taste
15 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly oil it.
02 - Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Place them skin-side down on the prepared baking sheet.
03 - Using a sharp knife, cut a pocket lengthwise into each fillet, slicing about three-quarters of the way through without cutting to the skin.
04 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add spinach, Italian seasoning, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until the spinach is wilted and dry.
05 - Remove from heat. Stir in crumbled feta, grated Parmesan, roasted red peppers, and garlic powder. Mix well and let cool slightly.
06 - Brush the salmon fillets inside and out with the remaining 1.5 tablespoons olive oil. Season generously with salt and black pepper.
07 - Divide the spinach-feta mixture among the fillets, gently spooning it into each pocket. Do not overfill; leave a little space at the edges.
08 - Bake for 12 to 17 minutes, depending on fillet thickness, until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
09 - Remove from oven and let rest for 2 minutes before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Dinner tastes restaurant-quality but takes barely half an hour from start to table.
  • The spinach-feta filling stays moist and flavorful without any heavy sauces or side dishes required.
  • One pan means less cleanup, which honestly matters more than people admit on a Tuesday night.
02 -
  • Don't skip drying the spinach—I learned this the hard way when watery filling turned the salmon into a steamed mess instead of a baked masterpiece.
  • Overstuffing the pockets is tempting but backfires; a little restraint means the filling stays inside where it belongs instead of leaking onto the baking sheet.
03 -
  • Choose fillets of similar size so they finish cooking at the same time; thickness matters more than length here.
  • Make the filling while the oven preheats—this way you're only handling cold ingredients and everything comes together smoothly without rushing.
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