This Salmon in creamy tomato sauce is rich and comforting. It effortlessly combines the savoury taste of salmon with a luscious, tangy sauce. Salmon steaks are pan-fried to perfection and served in a rich and tangy tomato sauce that's brimming with flavour. And oh my—that char on the fish is just out of this world!
On lazy weeknights, I often turn to simple meals that need minimal ingredients and kitchen effort. My black pepper chicken and Jamaican curry goat are both family favorites, but this time, I wanted to try something using fish- ideally salmon.
And finally, when I last made my one pan salmon with crispy potatoes and veggies, inspiration struck me, and I thought of putting together a unique mix of creamy and tangy flavors with salmon as the base.
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What I Love About the Recipe
It's the perfect quick and easy weeknight dinner that everyone in the family will enjoy.
It's versatile and customizable! You can play around with the mix-ins and seasonings, and serve it in so many different ways!
It's great for meal prep too! And the sauce tastes even better the next day!
Ingredients For the Salmon in Creamy Tomato Sauce Recipe
Salmon: I used salmon steaks here, because that's what I had at hand. You could use salmon fillets too, if you prefer.
Coconut milk: To lend some beautiful creaminess to the sauce. Use full fat coconut milk for the best rich flavor.
Veggies: I used cherry tomatoes (for the tangy sauce), onions, garlic, spinach and red bell peppers. You can use canned or chopped tomatoes.
Seasonings: To season, I used some garlic powder, paprika, salt, black pepper and chili paste.
Olive Oil: To pan fry the salmon. Use butter if you want to lend some extra richness into the sauce.
Refer to the recipe card below for detailed instructions and measurements.
Variations and Substitutions
- Enhance the tanginess of the sauce by finishing it with some freshly squeezed lemon juice, just before serving.
- If you don't have cherry tomatoes, you can use regular tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes as an alternative. Chop them into 1-inch chunks and use them in the recipe.
- To add an extra bit of tangy and salty flavor to the sauce, chop up the capers and add them in towards the end.
- Don't have coconut milk for the cream sauce? Add some heavy cream, but again- remember to add it in towards the end.
- For a kick of heat, add jalapenos or chopped green chilies.
- To lend the dish a bit of smoky flavor, swap the regular paprika for smoked paprika instead.
How to Make Salmon in Creamy Tomato Sauce
- Step 1: Sprinkle the salt, black pepper, garlic powder and paprika generously on both sides of the fish.
- Step 2: Add oil to a hot pan or skillet on medium heat and sear each side of the fish for about 1 minute. It's not supposed to be fully cooked at this point.
- Step 3: Heat the butter or oil. Add the garlic and onion. Sauté for 30 seconds. Add the bell peppers, tomatoes, and chili paste, stir, and cook for about 2 minutes.
- Step 4: Add the coconut milk, spinach, parsley, salt and black pepper. Stir well.
- Step 5: Place the salmon inside the sauce. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the meat is fully cooked.
- Step 6: Serve the sauce over rice, noodles or pasta. Garnish with fresh parsley.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Creamy Salmon Recipe
- If you want the sauce to have a deeper, more intense flavor, caramelize the onions first, then add the tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, and other ingredients.
- Don't like a chunky sauce? Use the back of your spoon to press the cherry tomatoes and mash them gently. This will yield a sauce with a smoother consistency.
- If using salmon fillets with skin, cook skin side down first before flipping.
- Bulk up the salmon dish by adding other vegetables like zucchini, mushrooms, and potatoes, as well as greens like kale.
- Another great idea to lend the dish an extra bit of tangy, tomato flavor is to add some tomato paste into the sauce. Start with a little, taste and adjust if needed.
- Fresh basil and parsley are excellent additions to the dish - if you can find them, I would highly recommend using them too!
- Use a heavy-bottomed non-stick pan to sear the fish. This ensures the fish is cooked evenly and doesn't end up sticking to the pan or even burning.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
Enjoy this tangy and creamy salmon with some steamed white rice or brown rice, and a side of veggies like roasted garlic butter Parmesan potatoes or a simple cucumber tomato salad.
I also love pairing it with my east African chapati- the bread soaks up all that beautiful sauce so nicely! Another great idea is to serve it with a noodle dish, such as simple Yakisoba noodles.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, but it must be thawed and patted dry. You can't start with frozen salmon because it can lose a significant amount of water when cooked, which can make your entire dish too watery.
Frozen and thawed salmon will take a shorter time to cook. Be careful not to overcook the salmon. Searing time will be about 30 seconds on each side, and the cooking time inside the sauce will be approximately 3-5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets.
Use heavy cream or half-and-half cream for that rich, creamy deliciousness.
The best way to check if the fish is cooked is to prod it with a fork or a spoon. When you do this, it should flake easily.
More Salmon Recipes to Try
If you tried this salmon in creamy tomato sauce or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Pan Seared Salmon in Coconut Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
To Season The Fish
- 3 Salmon Steaks
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Blackpepper
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 3 tablespoon Cooking oil
For The Sauce
- 3 Garlic cloves minced
- ½ Onion chopped
- 1 Red bell pepper chopped
- 1½ cup Cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 teaspoon Chilli paste adjust or skip
- 400ml Coconut milk
- 2 cups Spinach chopped
- 2 tablespoon Parsley finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon Butter or oil
- Pinch of Salt and Blackpepper to taste
Instructions
- Sprinkle the salt, black pepper, garlic powder and paprika generously on both sides of the fish. Use your hand to rub it well.3 Salmon Steaks, 1 teaspoon Garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Blackpepper, 1 teaspoon Paprika, 1 teaspoon Salt
- Add oil to a hot pan on medium heat and sear each side of the fish for about 1 minute. It's not supposed to be fully cooked at this point.2 tablespoon Butter
- Remove the fish and set aside.
- Heat the butter or oil. Add the garlic and onion. Sauté for 30 seconds.3 tablespoon Cooking oil, 3 Garlic cloves, ½ Onion
- Add the bell peppers, tomatoes, and chilli paste or flakes, stir, and cook for about 2 minutes.1 Red bell pepper, 1½ cup Cherry tomatoes, 1 teaspoon Chilli paste
- Add the coconut milk, spinach, parsley, salt and black pepper. Stir well.400ml Coconut milk, 2 cups Spinach, 2 tablespoon Parsley, Pinch of Salt and Blackpepper to taste
- Place the salmon inside the sauce. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until fully cooked.
- Serve the sauce over rice, noodles or pasta. Garnish with parsley.
Video
Notes
- If you want the sauce to have a deeper, intense flavor, caramelize the onions first and then add in the tomatoes and other ingredients.
- Don't like a chunky sauce? Use the back of your spoon to gently press the cherry tomatoes and mash them. This will give you a sauce that has a smoother consistency.
- If you don't have cherry tomatoes, use regular tomatoes. Chop them up into 1 inch chunks and use them for the recipe.
- Don't have coconut milk but still want that creaminess in the sauce? Add some heavy cream, but again- remember to add it in towards the end.
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Bilikis says
Wish to try the recipe
Bilikis says
Yummy yummy