Mediterranean stuffed salmon with spinach, olives, feta, and toasted pine nuts is a flavorful, healthy dinner ready in 30 minutes. Elegant enough for guests, easy enough for a weeknight.
There is a particular kind of weeknight dinner that feels like it requires a reservation; the kind where a beautifully bronzed piece of fish arrives at the table stuffed with something unexpected and deeply savory. This Mediterranean stuffed salmon is exactly that. And the secret is that it takes about 35 minutes, start to finish, and requires zero culinary heroics.
The filling is what makes it: wilted spinach and garlic, briny kalamata olives, chewy sun-dried tomatoes, and crumbled feta all tucked into a thick pocket cut into each salmon fillet before a quick roast at high heat. Toasted pine nuts go on at the very end for crunch.
I made this for the first time using my new Wolf DF36450GSP dual fuel range, and I loved every minute of it! The oven runs so accurately and evenly that the salmon finishes exactly when the timer goes off, every single time. I’ll get to the kitchen details in a bit, but first: let’s talk about why this recipe actually works.
Why You’ll Love this Stuffed Salmon
- The filling has zero filler. No cream cheese, no breadcrumbs. Just bold Mediterranean ingredients that hold their shape and deliver real flavor.
- High heat = perfectly cooked fish. At 400°F, salmon roasts in 14–16 minutes. Enough time to get slightly caramelized edges without drying out the center.
- It looks like you tried really hard. Guests never have to know it’s a 35-minute meal.
- It’s naturally gluten-free and packed with protein. 40 grams per serving, for anyone keeping track.
- Make-ahead friendly. The filling can be prepped up to 24 hours in advance.
The Kitchen Upgrade that Changed How I Cook
I’ve been cooking in this new kitchen for a few months now, and I’m still not entirely over it. The appliances (both by Bekins) changed the way I approach weeknight cooking in ways I didn’t anticipate!
The Wolf DF36450GSP dual fuel range is the one I cook on every single day. The oven preheats faster and holds temperature more precisely than anything I’ve used before! Which matters enormously for a recipe like this stuffed salmon, where a few degrees of difference can mean the line between perfectly silky fish and an overcooked one.
The Sub-Zero CL4850SIDO column refrigerator is where I store the make-ahead filling (up to 24 hours in advance), and where everything stays genuinely, properly cold. The dual refrigeration system keeps ingredients at exactly the right humidity. My herbs last almost twice as long as they used to!
What I appreciated most about working with Bekins is that they’re not just selling you an appliance. They guided me through the entire selection process, handled installation, and followed up afterward. A genuinely local partner that still treats the whole thing like a relationship.
Ingredients
- Salmon fillets: go thick, at least an inch at the widest point. Thinner fillets won’t hold a pocket well, and they’ll overcook before the filling has time to warm through. Skin-on helps the fillet hold together on the baking sheet.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: in oil, not the dry-pack kind here. The oil-packed tomatoes are softer, more intensely flavored, and won’t pull moisture from the filling as they roast.
- Kalamata olives: the brininess is non-negotiable. Roughly chop them so you get little bursts of flavor in every bite rather than a uniform paste.
- Feta cheese: buy a block and crumble it yourself for better texture. Pre-crumbled feta is drier and doesn’t melt as beautifully into the filling.
- Pine nuts: toasted at the lower oven temperature before you crank the heat. Don’t skip this step! Raw pine nuts have a flat flavor compared to the buttery, golden ones that come out of even a 5-minute toast.
How to Make Mediterranean Stuffed Salmon with Spinach, Olives, & Feta
Step 1. Heat your oven to 350 and toast your pine nuts on a baking sheet for 5-6 minutes, until golden and fragrant.
Step 2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet, add the garlic and spinach, and cook until it wilts. Remove from heat, and squeeze out any excess moisture.
Step 3. Combine the wilted spinach with minced olives, sun-dried tomatoes, feta, lemon juice and lemon zest.
Step 4. Finish with oregano and red pepper flakes, then stir gently until evenly mixed, but not mashed.
Step 5. Slice your salmon into fillets and pay dry. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Step 6. Using a sharp knife, cut a deep horizontal pocket into the thickest part of each fish, making sure you don’t cut out the other side.
Step 7. Spoon a generous helping of the filling into each pocket and press gently to close (it’s okay if the filling overflows onto the top). Arrange on a prepared baking sheet, and drizzle in olive oil.
Step 8. Crank the oven up to 400, and cook the fish for 14-16 minutes, until it flakes easily with a fork.
Scatter the toasted pine nuts over the top and finish with fresh basil or parsley. Serve with fresh lemon, and enjoy your Mediterranean Stuffed Salmon with Spinach, Olives, & Feta.
More Mediterranean Recipes to Try
- Mediterranean Sautéed Shrimp
- Beef Shawarma with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce
- Easy Grilled Vegetable Pasta
- Sheet Pan Greek Chicken and Vegetables
- Greek Chicken Lemon Soup (Avgolemeno)
Eat It, Like It, Share It!
Did you try this recipe and like it? The next time you make it, snap a picture and share it to your socials! Tag @thelemonbowl and #thelemonbowl so we can admire and share your dish.
And if you’re thinking about a kitchen upgrade of your own, I genuinely cannot recommend the Bekins team enough. The Wolf and Sub-Zero lineup they carry is extraordinary, and the service from selection through installation is unlike anything I’ve experienced with a big-box retailer. Worth the conversation. Visit bekins.us to learn more!
Your fork is waiting.
📺 Catch me on the premiere of 100 cooks on Food Network!
Sunday, June 7 @ 9/8c
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Toast the pine nuts in the oven on a small baking sheet until golden and fragrant, about 5–6 minutes. Transfer immediately to a plate to cool. Increase oven temp to 400°F.
- Make the filling by heating 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add spinach and cook, tossing, until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cool slightly, and squeeze out any excess moisture.
- Mix the stuffing by combining the wilted spinach and garlic with olives, sun-dried tomatoes, feta, lemon juice, lemon zest, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Stir gently to combine.
- Stuff the salmon by patting fillets dry and seasoning all over with salt and pepper. Cut a deep horizontal pocket into the thickest side of each fillet. Spoon filling generously into each pocket, pressing gently to close.
- Roast on the prepared baking sheet, drizzled with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, until salmon flakes easily with a fork, about 14–16 minutes.
- Finish and serve by scattering toasted pine nuts over the top and finishing with fresh herbs. Serve immediately with lemon rounds alongside.
Liz’s Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, just make sure it’s fully thawed and thoroughly patted dry before you cut the pocket. Frozen salmon can hold extra moisture, so the drying step is even more important. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator for best results.
The salmon is ready when it flakes easily with a fork and the flesh has turned from translucent to opaque throughout. If you prefer a precise temperature, an internal thermometer should read 125–130°F for medium (slightly translucent center) or 145°F for fully cooked.
Lemony orzo, roasted asparagus, Greek-style roasted potatoes, a simple arugula salad with shaved parmesan, or just a really good loaf of crusty bread. The filling is bold enough that the sides can stay simple.
You can sear the outside first in an oven-safe skillet, then transfer to a 400°F oven to finish. This gives you a beautiful crust on the skin side. Skip searing and go straight to the oven for the simpler, hands-off version in this recipe.
Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Bekins. As always, all opinions and recipes are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make The Lemon Bowl possible!
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