Pan-Seared Salmon with Lemon-Garlic Spinach
Tender pan-seared salmon fillets served atop a bed of garlicky sautéed spinach with a fresh lemon finish. This American-inspired Whole30 recipe (gluten free, dairy free), ready in about 25 minutes, pairs salmon fillets, olive oil, garlic cloves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a Whole30 week and pairs well with roasted sweet potato or a simple olive-oil salad. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 4 pieces (6 oz each) salmon fillets
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves, minced garlic cloves
- 8 cups fresh spinach
- 1 large, zested and juiced lemon
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
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Equipment for this recipe
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Instructions
- Step 1: Pat dry 4 salmon fillets (6 oz each) and season both sides with 1 tsp sea salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Step 2: Place salmon skin-side down in the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes without moving until the skin is crispy and golden. Flip and cook an additional 3-4 minutes until salmon is opaque and flakes easily.
- Step 3: Remove salmon and set aside. In the same skillet, add 1 tbsp olive oil and 4 minced garlic cloves, sautéing over medium heat for 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
- Step 4: Add 8 cups fresh spinach and cook, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes until wilted and tender.
- Step 5: Stir in the zest and juice of 1 large lemon, tossing to coat the spinach evenly and brighten flavors.
- Step 6: Serve each salmon fillet atop a generous portion of lemon-garlic spinach.







