Healthy Creamy Leftover Salmon (Printable)

Creamy skillet salmon with fresh spinach, tomatoes, and a tangy lemon-dill sauce. Quick, nutritious, and satisfying.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Protein & Dairy

01 - 2 cups cooked salmon, flaked, skin and bones removed
02 - 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or reduced-fat crème fraîche
03 - 1/4 cup light cream cheese, softened

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 cup baby spinach, chopped
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
07 - 1 clove garlic, minced

→ Broth & Seasoning

08 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried dill)
10 - 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
11 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
12 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
13 - 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

→ To Serve

14 - 2 tablespoons chives, chopped
15 - Cooked quinoa, rice, or whole-grain pasta (optional, for serving)

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add a splash of oil or a small amount of broth, then sauté the sliced red onion and minced garlic for 2–3 minutes until soft and fragrant.
02 - Add the chopped spinach and halved cherry tomatoes to the skillet. Cook for another 2–3 minutes until the spinach is just wilted and the tomatoes have softened.
03 - Stir in the broth, softened cream cheese, and Greek yogurt. Continue stirring over medium heat until a smooth, creamy sauce forms, about 2 minutes.
04 - Gently fold in the flaked salmon, chopped dill, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 2–3 minutes more until the salmon is heated through. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
05 - Serve hot, sprinkled with chopped chives. Spoon over cooked quinoa, rice, or whole-grain pasta if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It transforms sad leftover salmon into something so velvety and rich that nobody would guess it started as yesterdays dinner.
  • The entire dish comes together in one skillet with zero fancy techniques, making it perfect for tired weeknights when you still want to eat well.
  • It is endlessly flexible, working with whatever greens, herbs, or grains you happen to have hanging around.
02 -
  • Adding the Greek yogurt over direct high heat can cause it to separate and look grainy, so keep the heat at medium or lower once the dairy goes in.
  • If your leftover salmon was heavily seasoned the first time around, taste the finished dish before adding any additional salt.
  • This dish reheats gently on the stove with a splash of broth, but avoid the microwave if you want to preserve the creamy texture.
03 -
  • Let the cream cheese sit on the counter for fifteen minutes before cooking so it blends into the sauce without stubborn lumps.
  • A glass of dry Sauvignon Blanc beside this dish is not required but it does make a weeknight dinner feel suddenly like a weekend one.

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