Best Italian Salmon Recipe from Tuscany

Picture this: You’re on a roadtrip, driving through Italy and observe the colorful rolling hills stretched out in front of you on the landscape of the Tuscany – painting a canvas of warm colors from the setting sun. The winding roads leading you through vineyards where you watch pump, sun-kissed grapes dance in the sunset and rows of olive trees swaying gently. 

This is how this delicious Tuscan Salmon dish is – it’s a canvas of flavors, playing with your senses. 

Each bite is full of fresh herbs, zesty lemon romancing the salmon with and a rich sauce dripping off of your fork – Best part? It’s perfect for busy weeknights or to wow your dinner guests!

How to Make Italian Salmon from Tuscany

Here are the ingredients you need:

• 4 fresh salmon filets (~ 6 ounces each)
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 fresh garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes 
• 1 lemon zest – yes, the entire!
• 1 lemon juice – yes, the entire!
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Lemon slices and fresh parsley for garnish
• Optional: 1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)

Tip: Add 1 cup of heavy cream to get a creamy sauce!

Alternative Ingredients: 

• • Protein – Cod, trout, halibut, mahi-mahi, or sea bass 
  • Herbs – Basil, sage, tarragon, dill, garlic powder, cilantro – can be fresh herbs or dry herbs 
  • Zitrus zest – Lime, orange, grapefruit
  • Olive oil – Avocado oil, grapeseed oil, walnut oil, or infused oils
  • Seasonings – Smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, Italian seasoning, or Tuscan herb blend
  • White wine – Chicken broth, vegetable broth, or bone broth
  • Garnish – Fresh basil leaves, fresh chives, microgreens, toasted pine nuts, or almonds

No matter what substitutes you take, you want to make sure you have a crispy herb-crust on your salmon.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: First, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Alternatively, you can also make this dish in a skillet!

Step 2 – bowl : Take either a small bowl or a ziplock bag and whisk together the extra-virgin oil, minced garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, fresh parsley, salt, and freshly ground black pepper – mix the herbs well!

Step 3– ziplock: If you take a bowl, place the salmon filets on the prepared baking sheet with the skin-side down and brush the marinate generously on top of the salmon filets and let it sit and marinate for 10-15 minutes.

However, if you take zip lock bags, you can just put your salmon filets inside it and give it a good shake – then place it for 10-15 minutes in the fridge to rest and marinate.

Tip: This is the moment when you’d pour some white wine over your filets, if you want!

Step 4 – bake : Either bake the salmon in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes – the salmon should easily flake with a fork and have a slightly golden brown crust when done. Once done, let the salmon cool off at room temperature and garnish with some fresh parsley before you serve it hot with lemon wedges on the side. 

Step 5 – skillet: If you’d rather fry your salmon, take a large skillet and warm it up over medium-heat with some olive or avocado oil, then place your salmon filets on it with some of the marinate dripping off of them – don’t be afraid to add more marinate to it! Once you see a crust forming on the salmon or it flakes easily with the fork, flip it and fry it for another 5-10 minutes. Once done, serve it with fresh parsley and lemon wedges on the side.

This dish is perfect for date night or just a comfortable night, as the fragrant herbs bring out the bright flavors and are guaranteed to make any night better.

 

Expert Tips

• Use fresh, high quality salmon fillets to get the best taste – when you’re deciding what to buy, look for a firm touch and a vibrant pink-orange color.
• While dried herbs work, fresh herbs will give you a more vibrant flavor palette as they’re more potent with aetheric oils. 
• When you’re zesting the lemon, be careful not to include the bitter white pith underneath the yellow peel – try using a microplane grater to make it easier.
• If you’re baking the salmon and aren’t sure whether it’s done based on the looks, you can measure the temperature – salmon needs to have an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) for it to be done. So, don’t overcook it or you’ll end up with a dry fish!

What to Serve This Dish With

Looking for some sides? We got you!

Appetizer 

• Caprese salad
• Bruschetta 
• Minestrone soup

Sides

• Roasted vegetables
• Herb-roasted potatoes
• Creamy polenta
• Other seafood sides

Salad

• Arugula salad – either with a lemon or strawberry vinaigrette
• Cucumber salad
• Orzo salad 

Dessert

• Tiramisu
• Panna cotta

Check here our selection of coconut panna cotta, coffee panna cotta, vanilla panna cotta, or traditional panna cotta recipes!

Wine

• Pinot Grigio
• Chianto
• Vin Santo
• Sweet Moscato

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions, hope these help! If not, ask below!

How do you make salmon so it doesn’t taste fishy?

Super common question! The best way to not make salmon taste so fishy is to combine sweetness with acidity. Here, you can take ingredients like honey or teriyaki and make a glaze out of it. Alternatively, you can also soak your salmon in milk for 15-20 minutes and drain it before letting it marinate.

What can I add to salmon to make it taste better?

While the above marinate is going to make it taste delicious, some other variations are with garlic butter sauce or a honey/maple syrup, with soy sauce or dijon mustard to get a more savory flavor glaze profile.

Is it better to bake or pan fry salmon?

Honestly, this will depend on what you prefer, however, it’s easier to fry salmon in a skillet as it takes less time and is also usually much less labor intensive!

How to store Italian salmon?

To preserve your dish as long as possible, make sure to store your leftover salmon in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days.

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