Marry Me Salmon
Marry me salmon has flaky salmon fillets in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce with fresh herbs. The whole family will love this delicious salmon recipe. Dairy free and gluten free.
Looking for more salmon recipes? Try my baked firecracker salmon, sheet pan salmon buddha bowls, or dairy free salmon pesto pasta.
What You’ll Love About This Recipe
Ingredients
Here’s what I used to make this marry me salmon:
Salmon
- Olive oil
- Salmon fillets
- Seasonings – garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, black pepper.
Sauce
- Dairy free butter
- Onion
- Garlic
- Tomato paste
- Italian seasoning
- Chicken broth
- Sundried tomatoes
- Full fat coconut milk
- Nutritional yeast
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Fresh basil
How to Make Marry Me Salmon: Step By Step
Here are some quick visual instructions. The full instructions and ingredient list will be in the printable recipe card below!
- Season salmon. Pat the salmon dry with paper towels then transfer them to a plate. Rub each fillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.
- Cook salmon. Heat a large skillet over medium heat with the remaining olive oil. Cook the salmon fillets for 2-4 minutes on each side depending on their thickness. They should be mostly cooked through and golden brown on the outside. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- Cook aromatics. Add the dairy free butter until melted followed by the diced onions and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the tomato paste and Italian seasoning. Deglaze the pan with the broth, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan.
- Make sauce. Pour in the sun-dried tomatoes, coconut milk, and nutritional yeast. Stir until combined then reduce to medium low heat. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Add salmon back in. Nestle the salmon fillets into the creamy sauce, spooning some of the sauce over the top. Cook for a couple of minutes to finish cooking them.
- Garnish. Top with fresh basil. Enjoy!
Helpful Tips
- Cooking wild salmon vs farm raised. Wild sockeye salmon is usually thinner than farm-raised or Atlantic salmon, so plan to cook farm-raised salmon longer and wild salmon shorter to avoid overcooking it.
- Season the salmon before you cook it in the sauce to give it even more flavor.
- The cooking time may vary depending on how the thickness of the salmon fillets.
Quick Tip: Use skinless salmon. Either buy it this way, have the butcher remove it, or remove it yourself.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations
Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.
How can you make this marry me salmon recipe using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- No salmon? – use boneless skinless chicken breasts and make my marry me chicken pasta.
- No fresh garlic? – you’ll need 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Add it in at the same time as the Italian seasoning and tomato paste.
- Not dairy free? – use unsalted butter and heavy cream or half and half, and grated parmesan cheese instead of nutritional yeast.
- Make it plant based – use firm or extra firm tofu or a couple cans of white beans, but cook whatever you use in the sauce so it soaks up the flavors.
- Add-ins – chopped kale, spinach, red pepper flakes, splash of white wine, etc.
Frequently Asked Questions
The best way to know when the salmon is ready is my using a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature is at least 145ºF. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can also use a fork to see if it flakes easily.
I’d recommend serving it with any of the following sides: cauliflower mash, green beans, broccoli, or quick sauteed broccoletti, toast, crispy roasted potatoes, rice, your favorite pasta, etc.
The story behind the name is that the dish is so good it could result in a marriage proposal to the chef.
More Salmon Recipes
- Baked Firecracker Salmon
- Sheet Pan Salmon Buddha Bowls
- Dairy Free Salmon Pesto Pasta
- Salmon Caesar Salad
I hope you love this Marry Me Salmon! If you make this recipe, please leave a comment & a star rating below. Thank you!
Marry Me Salmon
Ingredients
Salmon
- (4) 4 oz salmon fillets skin removed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 teaspoon diamond crystal kosher salt use ½ teaspoon if using any other kind
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon dairy free butter or unsalted butter
- ½ medium yellow onion diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup oil packed sun dried tomatoes slice if whole
- ½ cup canned full fat coconut milk
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Garnish
- fresh basil leaves torn or chopped
Instructions
- Season salmon. Pat the salmon dry with paper towels then transfer them to a plate. Rub each fillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.
- Cook salmon. Heat a large skillet over medium heat with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Cook the salmon fillets for 2-4 minutes on each side depending on their thickness. They should be mostly cooked through and golden brown on the outside. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- Cook aromatics. Add the dairy free butter until melted followed by the diced onions and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the tomato paste and Italian seasoning. Deglaze the pan with the broth, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan.
- Make sauce. Pour in the sun-dried tomatoes, coconut milk, and nutritional yeast. Stir until combined then reduce to medium low heat. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Add salmon back in. Nestle the salmon fillets into the creamy sauce, spooning some of the sauce over the top. Cook for a couple of minutes to finish cooking them.
- Garnish. Top with fresh basil. Enjoy!