This Salmon Wellington takes dinner to a whole new level. It’s a savory dish of seasoned salmon that is placed on a bed of cheesy sautéed spinach and wrapped in puff pastry dough.
Serve this salmon wellington with a side of Garlic Asparagus or Scalloped Potatoes.
Table Of Contents
Recipe Details
Salmon Wellington, also known as Salmon en Croute, is made with baked puff pastry that is filled with a cheesy sauteed spinach and seasoned salmon fillets. I love this elegant dish because it’s utterly delicious and sure to impress anyone you serve it to.
- TASTE: The flavor of the salmon is enhanced by the white wine and buttery, cheesy spinach filling. The light sweetness of the outer pastry is the perfect complement.
- TEXTURE: The salmon is tender and layered with creamy, cheesy spinach and wrapped in delicate and flaky puff pastry.
- TIME: It takes just 45 minutes.
- EASE: This is an easy dish to make. Just prepare the filling, wrap it, and bake it for a fabulous dinner.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Salmon- You can use fresh or thawed fillets. Remove the skin and check for pin bones to be sure they are all taken out.
- Puff pastry-These add a delicate layer around the salmon that bakes up flaky and delicious. You can also use thinly rolled dough in its place.
- Cream cheese- Use full-fat to get the richest flavor.
- Shallots- These have a mild oniony flavor that is delicate enough to not overpower this dish.
- White wine- This adds a unique flavor that is gorgeous in this filling. The alcohol cooks out and the flavor is infused with the shallots and garlic.
- Egg- This acts as a binder for the spinach filling.
- Spinach- Fresh spinach is best, but in a pinch, you can use frozen spinach that has been thawed and drained.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Add dill and honey mustard- Add the herbaceous flavor of fresh dill with tangy honey mustard for something different.
- Substitute the protein- You can make this with beef, chicken, or pork loin as well.
- Add prosciutto- A layer of thinly sliced prosciutto will add earthy, salty flavor to this Salmon Wellington that is delicious.
- Substitute feta cheese- In place of the Parmesan, add feta cheese crumbles for a salty, briny flavor in the cheesy spinach filling.
How to Make Salmon Wellington
- Saute the shallots and garlic. In a pan, heat the butter, chopped shallots, and garlic over medium heat. Sauté until the shallots become translucent.
- Add the wine and cream cheese.Bring the heat to high and add the white wine. Let it cook out for about 5 minute, then add the cream cheese and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add the spinach, breadcrumbs, and cheese. Lastly, add the spinach, bread crumbs, and Parmesan cheese. Sauté just until the the spinach softens.
- Prep the puff pastry. Unfold the puff pastry onto a light floured surface and roll out the 2 sheets, then cut them in half (each piece is about 10×14 inches).
- Add the salmon to the pastry. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper and place them in the middle of each puff pastry sheet.
- Add the spinach filling. Divide the spinach mixture into 4 equal parts and evenly spread it on top of the 4 fillets. Then brush the edges of the puff pastry with egg wash.
- Fold. Begin folding the the puff pastry over starting with the longer side, then the shorter side.
Pro Tip: Leave about 2 inches around the edges of the filling so there is enough puff pastry to fold tightly.
- Add crosshatch marks. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the salmon wellington seam side down. Make crosshatch slits on top of each with a knife. Then brush with more egg wash.
- Bake. Bake at 390 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown.
Recipe Tips
- Save time- Make the cheesy spinach mixture a few hours in advance. Also, thaw and cut the puff pastry a few hours prior to assembly, storing it in the fridge tightly wrapped in plastic wrap.
- Adjust the pastry for the fillet- Depending on the size of the fillet, you may need to roll out the puff pastry a little more or less.
- Add more egg wash to the short sides- When folding over the short edges, brush more of the egg wash before folding to help it hold.
- Finish with egg wash- Adding egg wash to the entire wellington gives it a wonderful golden brown coloring and crisp outer layer.
FAQs
Salmon Wellington and Salmon en Croute are the same except the en croute is topped with pate. There is no topping with a wellington.
Make sure that your spinach is fresh or well drained if it was thawed to avoid extra moisture in the salmon wellington. Also, adding an egg wash to the entire outside of the puff pastry can form a moisture barrier as it cooks.
Serving Suggestions
This Salmon Wellington is a delicious and creamy dish in a flaky puff pastry crust. It tastes wonderful when served with salads, grains, veggies, and potatoes.
- Grains: Serve this wellington on a bed of Wild Brown Rice, Wild Rice, Quinoa Fried Rice, or with a Shrimp Quinoa Bowl.
- Salads: Enjoy this main dish with a green salad, like this Spinach Salad, Cabbage Cucumber Salad, Strawberry Feta Spinach Salad, or Broccoli Cranberry Salad.
- Vegetables: Pair this Salmon Wellington with Bacon Wrapped Asparagus, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Crispy Air Fryer Broccoli, or Air Fryer Green Beans.
- Potatoes: Serve this dish with some Scalloped Potatoes, Super Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Air Fryer Potato Wedges, or Crispy Air Fryer Baby Potatoes.
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: You can prepare the spinach mixture ahead of time and thaw the puff pastry, placing both in the refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble and bake.
Storing: Store this Salmon Wellington in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat it in the oven or the microwave, but the latter will make it less flaky and crisp on the outside.
Freeze: If the salmon was previously frozen, then it’s not advised to refreeze it. However, if it was made with fresh salmon, then you can freeze these wellingtons for up to 3 months. Thaw and bake in the oven until warmed through and crispy on the outside.
More Delicious Salmon Dishes!
This recipe was originally posted on Dec 30, 2015, we’ve tweaked it a bit since then. This post has Amazon affiliate links for tools we used to make this recipe.
This salmon wellington recipe was featured in Women’s Day Magazine. Find the article HERE
Full Recipe Instructions
Salmon Wellington
Ingredients
- 4 7 oz salmon fillets
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 shallot chopped
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 3 oz cream cheese
- 5 oz fresh baby spinach
- 2 tbsp plain bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 1 lb. package puff pastry
- 1 egg for egg wash
Instructions
- In a pan, heat butter, chopped shallots, and garlic over medium heat. Sauté until the shallots become translucent.
- Bring the heat to high and add the white wine. Let the liquid cook out for about 5 minute, then add the cream cheese and sauté for 1 minute.
- Lastly, add the spinach, bread crumbs, and Parmesan cheese. Sauté just until the the spinach softens.
- Unfold the puff pastry onto a light floured surface and roll out the 2 sheets, then cut them in half. So you end up with 4 pieces. I made each piece about 10X 14 inches.
- Season the salmon with salt and pepper to taste. Place each seasoned salmon fillet in the middle of each puff pastry sheet. Depending on the size of the fillet, you may need to roll out the puff pastry a little more or less. Leave about 2 inches around the edges.
- Divide the spinach mixture into 4 equal parts and evenly spread it on top of the 4 fillets. Then brush the edges of the puff pastry with egg wash (1 egg + 1 tsp water).
- Begin folding the the puff pastry over starting with the longer side. When folding over the short edges, brush more of the egg wash before folding.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the salmon wellington seam side down.
- Make crosshatch slits on top of the Wellington with a knife. Then brush with more egg wash.
- Bake at 390 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.
Nutrition
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Ardita Fitzpeters says
Hello,
Your recipe calls for 4 salmon filets wrapped in four pieces of puff pastry but the recipe says it makes 8 servings. The individual Wellington puffs don’t look large enough for two servings. Would you clarify? I will be serving 7 people and want to make sure to make enough for everyone.
Dina says
Hi, you are correct. The 4 salmon fillets were meant to by split amongst 8 people because there are usually other sides that are served with a dish like this. You are welcome to double the recipe if you are worried it might not be enough 🙂
Deborah Moore says
Can this be made as one big slab as opposed to individual
Dina says
Hi Deborah 🙂 Yes you can make this salmon Wellington as a big slab. You will just want to cook the salmon longer. You will want to use a meat thermometer toward the end of the baking cycle. I hope that helps. Let me know how this recipe turns out! 🙂
Islay says
Easy and delicious thank you
Dina says
You are very welcome! Glad to hear you loved this salmon wellington! 🙂
Patricia says
This is a wonderful recipe and never fails to impress!! Easy to prepare. I will serve it tonight with creamy dill potatoes. Thanks.
Dina says
Hi Patricia 🙂 I am very happy to hear that you love this salmon wellington and that it impressed your dinner guests! I love the idea of the dill potatoes with them. Thank you so much Patricia for your feedback! 🙂
Barbara D says
Delicious, make this for company. So easy and a beautiful presentation. Served with asparagus. A winner!!@
Dina says
Thank you for the kind feedback Barbara! I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe!
Shannon says
Made this for Easter dinner. It was beautiful and delicious. I have made this once before. This time I did not include breadcrumbs and parmesan. This did not in any way take away from the taste.
Dina says
What a fantastic choice for Easter dinner! I am glad you loved it even with the modifications!
inger scott says
Looks good I would love to make this for my brother and my sister in law but she love salmon but don’t like Spanish what can I use as a substitute, or is there a substitute.
Thank You
Dina says
Hi 🙂 Thank you for giving my recipe a look. I hope you will be able to make it. You can omit the spinach and just have the cream cheese layer. I am not too sure what would go as a good substitute since I have not tried a different substitute for this salmon Wellington. If you give it a try please let me know how it goes. I would love to pass this information to my viewers. Thank you 🙂
Kathy says
This salmon makes a beautiful “special” dinner. And makes you look like a gourmet chef! Made it twice and served it with asparagus or green beans. Rave reviews from hubby and guest. IF there are leftovers, the toaster oven crisped up the meal nicely. Making again for a birthday dinner and searched high and low for gluten free frozen puff pastry. Fingers crossed it turns out just as beautiful and tasty.
Dina says
Hi Kathy 🙂 So happy that this salmon Wellington made you look like a gourmet chef! It is always a win when hubby loves it. 🙂 Let me know how it turns with the gluten free version. Thank you so much for your support and kind feedback! 🙂
Ann M Bishop says
So many great comments about this recipe! I LOVE it, as well as so many others!
Dina says
Hi Ann 🙂 You are so kind! Thank you so much for supporting me and making many of my recipes! It truly makes me happy when people enjoy my recipes! I hope you continue to find new recipes to enjoy from my food blog! 🙂
Tanya S. says
I have made this Salmon Wellington multiple times. Dina’s step by step recipe is easy to follow. The salmon Wellington comes out delicious and is great the next day, warmed in the air fryer.
Dina says
Hi Tanya 🙂 Thank you so much for supporting my food website and making my recipes! Glad to hear this salmon wellington recipe is easy to follow and delicious. Awesome to hear that this recipe warmed up nicely in the air fryer. 🙂
Karen says
I love this recipe and have made it many times but the bottom crust is always soggy. How can I get it more crispy? Thank you.!
Dina says
Hi Karen, I am glad you love this recipe! I would suggest baking the wellington on the bottom rack if you want to crisp up the bottom a little. I hope that helps 🙂
Anne says
Can I make theses a day ahead? Will the pastry hold up?
Dina says
Hi Anne, unfortunately this cannot be made days ahead. It’s best to serve it fresh. But you can prepare everything up until baking and keep it in the fridge for a few hours. Then add the egg wash and bake.
Athomemama says
FYI these reheat beautifully in the air fryer! Just slice into smaller sections and 350 for about 5 min.
Dina says
Thank you for that information! Glad to hear that worked out. 🙂
Susan says
This salmon was so delicious! It looked amazing coming out of the oven! I will definitely be making this again!
Dina says
Susan, I am so happy to hear that you loved this salmon recipe! Thank you for the awesome feedback 🙂
Manon Stuart says
Hi Dina,
I’ve made your recipe a few times – we love it! I was wondering if I could assemble the salmon Wellington before company arrives, and place them in the refrigerator for an hour or two before putting in the oven.
Thank you for sharing this great recipe.
Manon
Dina says
Hi Manon! So glad you love this recipe! Yes, you definitely keep them unbaked salmon wellington in the fridge a few hours before baking 🙂
Lucy Roberts says
If freezing uncooked ca I ask how you would cook it? Defrost first or cook from frozen?
Dina says
Hi Lucy, you would thaw it first and then bake 🙂 Enjoy!
Polly says
This is an exceptionally delicious recipe. The presentation is lovely and has a wow factor when it comes out of the oven. I am preparing this salmon recipe for the third time next weekend and will make the suggested Scalloped Potatoes for the first time.
Thank you so much for sharing yummy dish!
Dina says
You are very welcome Polly! That is so awesome to hear that you loved this salmon Wellington recipe so much! Glad to hear you are enjoying other recipes from my food blog. Thank you so much for your support and feedback! 🙂
R Marc says
I’ve made this one before, but it’s been a few years. It was as a hit with everyone. I think you could use any dark leafy green, not just spinach. Kale, chard or even collard or beet greens. In the US, spinach is almost always available. Where I’m at in the Caribbean it’s hit or miss.
Seems like a good fall recipe to try again and easy. I only do the fancy recipes at my house though as my family and friends have crap for tools :). Loved the side recommendations. Scalloped potatoes sound like the winner. Everyone will have to take nap after though.
Dina says
I am so glad that you enjoyed this salmon wellington! Thank you for the kind feedback!
Lorraine Séguin says
Awesome with no change but my question is are we able to freeze???
Thank you
Dina says
Hi Lorraine 🙂 Very happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! ! I have never tried freezing cooked salmon wellington. It won’t freeze well though. The puff pastry may get ruined and soggy and the cream cheese can separate a little. You can freeze it before you bake it. I hope that helps. Thank you for your feedback! 🙂