If you’re looking to impress at your next dinner party or want a showstopping Valentine’s Day centerpiece, this Salmon en Croûte recipe (also known as Salmon Wellington) is a great one to try.
With flaky puff pastry, a rich creamy spinach and cream cheese mixture, and succulent salmon, it’s a dish that’s both elegant and comforting.
It’s perfect for any holiday season or dinner table celebration.
What is Salmon en Croûte?
“En croûte” is a French word meaning “in a crust.”
Think of it as the seafood version of Beef Wellington.
A fillet of salmon is wrapped in a buttery puff pastry shell and baked until golden brown and crisp.
Inside, the salmon stays moist while the spinach and cream cheese filling keeps it flavorful and rich.
It’s a traditional salmon preparation that looks fancy but is actually very approachable.
Whether you’re channeling your inner Jamie Oliver or just looking for unique ways to prepare salmon, it’s hard to go wrong with this flaky salmon parcel.
MOWI Salmon Filets
Start with MOWI Salmon Filets, available in the refrigerator section of select grocery stores or available on Amazon Fresh.
These filets are known for their rich, buttery flavor and ideal texture; perfect for baking inside puff pastry sheets.
MOWI offers a number of various salmon filets sizes and seasonings to choose from.
Use a whole side of salmon for a crowd or individual 6 oz. fillets for single servings for individual salmon wellingtons.
Recommended Equipment for Salmon en Croûte
- Rolling pin (for a lightly floured surface)
- Pastry brush and small bowl (for the egg wash)
- Baking tray or baking sheet lined with parchment paper
- Small sharp knife (to trim excess pastry or score the top) – use a decorative lattice cutter you’re looking for a picture perfect presentation.
Salmon En Croûte Cooking Tips
- Remove excess moisture: If using frozen spinach, ring out all the moisture before cooking.
- Pat dry: Before wrapping, pat each piece of MOWI salmon dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. This helps ensure a crisp crust and prevents much water from steaming inside the pastry.
- Use chilled pastry: Keep your sheet of puff pastry cold for best results. Warm pastry can tear easily and lose its flaky layers.
- Seal properly: Brush egg wash along the pastry edges and long edges to seal tightly.
- Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
Salmon En Croûte Variations and Substitutions
- Crème fraîche swap: Try replacing cream cheese with crème fraîche for a lighter filling.
- Spinach filling alternatives: Many people choose to sautee the spinach for the filling, but we found using fresh, chopped spinach works just the same and saves time. Substitute fresh spinach for kale or Swiss chard, just make sure to remove any excess liquid after cooking.
- Whole side of salmon: For a larger gathering, use a salmon side instead of individual fillets and bake for 25–30 minutes.
- Air fryer alternative: You can also cook smaller salmon parcels in an air fryer at 375°F for 20–25 minutes until crisp.
What to Serve with Salmon En Croûte
- Green veggies: Pair your salmon en croute with green veggies like sautéed asparagus, green beans, or our super popular air fryer broccolini recipe.
- Mashed potatoes: For a cozy night, serve your salmon Wellington with a scoop of smooth mashed potatoes.
- Side salad: Salmon and salad are a match made in heaven (just ask those who’ve tasted our salmon nicoiqious salad recipe)
Salmon En Croûte (Salmon Wellington) Recipe
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 25–30 minutes
Serves: 4 Salmon Wellingtons
Ingredients:
- 4 MOWI Salmon Filets (6–8 oz each), skin removed
- 2 sheets of puff pastry, thawed
- 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
- 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh dill chopped - 1 tablespoon capers chopped
- 1 tsp for sea salt
- Zest of one lemon
- 1 egg yolk, beaten with 1 tbsp water (egg wash)
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Prepare the spinach filling. Mix together the chopped spinach with cream cheese, dill, lemon zest, garlic, capers, and sea salt until smooth. Set aside the spinach mixture.
- Prepare the salmon. Pat each piece of salmon dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Keep the fish chilled until it gets wrapped in pastry.
- Assemble the pastry. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the sheet of puff pastry with a rolling pin. Cut into two rectangles large enough to fully wrap each piece of salmon. We had a remaining strip of puff pastry that we reserved for a decorative lattice topper.
- Layer the fillings. Place the salmon fillet on the puff pastry, then add the creamy spinach mixture over the top of the salmon fillets.
- Seal the pastry parcel. Brush egg wash around the edge of the pastry and fold over to create a puff pastry-wrapped salmon. Trim any excess pastry and crimp the pastry edges to seal. Score the top of the pastry with a small sharp knife for decoration or use the excess dough and a lattice tool to add an additional lattice layer.
- Brush each salmon parcel with egg wash.
- Place the parcels on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in a 400 degree F oven for 25–30 minutes, until golden brown and puffed.
- Allow the salmon en croûte to rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with a side of lemon wedges.
Salmon En Croûte (Salmon Wellington) Recipe
This salmon en croute recipe uses salmon filets to create mini, individual salmon wellingtons. It's perfect for a holiday or dinner party!
Ingredients
- 4 MOWI Salmon Filets (6–8 oz each), skin removed
- 2 sheets of puff pastry, thawed
- 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
- 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill chopped
- 1 tablespoon capers chopped
- 1 tsp for sea salt
- Zest of one lemon
- 1 egg yolk, beaten with 1 tbsp water (egg wash)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Prepare the spinach filling. Mix together the chopped spinach with cream cheese, dill, lemon zest, garlic, capers, and sea salt until smooth. Set aside the spinach mixture.
- Prepare the salmon. Pat each piece of salmon dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Keep the fish chilled until it gets wrapped in pastry.
- Assemble the pastry. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the sheet of puff pastry with a rolling pin. Cut into two rectangles large enough to fully wrap each piece of salmon. We had a remaining strip of puff pastry that we reserved for a decorative lattice topper.
- Layer the fillings. Place the salmon fillet on the puff pastry, then add the creamy spinach mixture over the top of the salmon fillets.
- Seal the pastry parcel. Brush egg wash around the edge of the pastry and fold over to create a puff pastry-wrapped salmon. Trim any excess pastry and crimp the pastry edges to seal. Score the top of the pastry with a small sharp knife for decoration or use the excess dough and a lattice tool to add an additional lattice layer.
- Brush each salmon parcel with egg wash.
- Place the parcels on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in a 400 degree F oven for 25–30 minutes, until golden brown and puffed.
- Allow the salmon en croûte to rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with a side of lemon wedges.
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This salmon en croûte recipe brings together everything we love: buttery pastry, succulent salmon, and a creamy filling.
It’s a showstopper worthy of any dinner table.
Whether you’re hosting dinner parties or planning a cozy Valentine’s Day meal, this dish will impress every time.
Love All Things Salmon? Don’t Miss These Other Recipes:
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- Grilled Pesto Salmon Recipe
- Lemon, Garlic and Herb Mediterranean Salmon Recipe
- Irish Guinness Glazed Salmon
- Hot Honey Sriracha Asian Marinade for Salmon
- Crab Stuffed Salmon Recipe Hack
- Hawaiian Salmon Poke
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