Individual Salmon en Croute (or Salmon Wellington) is a classic French gourmet dish made with fresh salmon, spinach, and cream cheese wrapped in buttery and flaky puff pastry.
Ready in just 40 minutes, this delicious salmon dish will be a family favorite that you will want to make again and again!
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Traditional Salmon en Croute is an extremely flavorsome dish made with a handful of ingredients.
Similar to Mediterranean Baked Salmon, it is simple enough to serve on a weekday, yet still fancy enough to wow your guests at dinner parties.
Whether you’re cooking for yourself, or want to impress your guests, this Salmon en Croute is a real treat!
What is Salmon en Croute (Salmon Wellington)?
In the French language en croute means "in pastry", so the literal meaning of Salmon en Croute is "Salmon in Pastry" or "Puff Pastry-Wrapped Salmon".
It is made with fresh salmon pieces topped with creamy spinach and then wrapped in a buttery and flaky puff pastry.
The puff pastry is then brushed with egg wash, and baked in the oven until golden brown.
This fancy-looking Salmon en Croute (a.k.a Salmon Wellington or Puff Pastry Salmon) is perfect if you want to impress your special dinner guests on holiday season!
Why This Recipe Works?
- Salmon en Croute is very easy to make with a few basic ingredients.
- It is easy enough to serve on a weeknight, but also a very impressive dish to wow your dinner guests on a special occasion.
- You can make Salmon Wellington a couple of days ahead and bake it just before serving.
- This Individual Salmon en Croute is already portioned, no need to worry about having perfectly shaped slices/portions while serving.
Ingredients You'll Need
Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.
Salmon Fillets
Look out for the freshest salmon fillets, and if possible, wild-caught ones from a fishmonger.
Although they are pricier than the farmed ones, they taste so much better and are nutrient-rich.
Ask your fishmonger to remove the skin for you unless you know how to skin salmon fillets yourself!
Also, make sure there are no bones left in the salmon fillets.
You can use fish bone pliers to remove the bones from salmon fillets before wrapping them in puff pastry.
Buttery Puff Pastry
I used rolled-up all-butter puff pastry sheet sizes of 35cm x 23cm (14"x9") weighing 320 grams and thickness of 2-3 mm (⅛").
You can buy them fresh or frozen from supermarkets. If using frozen puff pastry sheets, let them thaw before using them and bring them to room temperature.
If you want to use homemade puff pastry, please note it may produce different results than store-bought dough, and the cooking time and temperature may need to be adjusted accordingly.
Other ingredients you will need for Individual Salmon Wellington are:
- Fresh spinach - I use fresh baby spinach leaves as they are sweeter in taste. You can also use chopped spinach leaves instead. Wash the spinach leaves thoroughly and dry them before cooking.
- Cream cheese - It adds a creamy texture and flavor that pairs perfectly with spinach. Use the full-fat version as the fat helps keep the salmon moist.
- Parmesan - Use a good quality block of parmesan and grate it just before using it. You can substitute it with Pecorino Romano.
- Shallots - They have a finer and sweeter flavor than onions but you can use onions if you don't have them in hand.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Making this delicious Individual Salmon en Croute recipe is extremely easy.
And there are only a few simple tips and steps that you need to follow to achieve the best results:
Prepare the Spinach Filling
Put a wok or a large frying pan on medium heat and melt the butter (or add olive oil).
Add the shallots and gently sauté them until soft and translucent.
Stir in the garlic, salt, and freshly ground pepper.
And then add the spinach leaves.
Don’t worry if it’s all piled up as it will wilt quickly.
When the spinach wilts, remove the pan from the heat and transfer the spinach mixture to a fine sieve to get rid of the excess liquid.
Let the spinach filling cool down for a few minutes, transfer it into a bowl, and then add the cream cheese along with the parmesan.
Stir well and set it aside.
You can prepare the spinach filling up to 2 days in advance and keep it refrigerated in an airtight container.
Wrap the Salmon Fillets
Preheat the oven to 180° C (360° F).
Remove the skin from the salmon fillets if you don't get your fishmonger to do it for you.
Cut the salmon fillets in halves so that we can have nicely shaped rectangular parcels.
Set them aside on a plate.
Unfold the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut it into 4 equal rectangles.
Place 2 fillets of salmon pieces on one side of each of the puff pastries.
Divide the spinach mixture into 4 equal parts, and spread them evenly on top of the salmon fillets.
Smooth the spinach mixture out to avoid them falling over the sides.
Fold the empty side of the sheet of puff pastry over the salmon and press the edges of the puff pastry to seal.
Tuck the excess pastry underneath the parcel for a neat look.
Place them on a silicon paper-lined baking tray and brush the top of the pastry with egg yolk.
Gently slit the top of the wrapped salmon parcels with a small sharp knife to create vents for steam to be released.
Bake them for 20-25 minutes, until the pastry is golden and flaky and the salmon fillets are cooked thoroughly.
Serving Suggestions
There are many options when it comes to side dishes to serve with Salmon Wellington other than fresh beans and new potatoes.
You can check my 16 Best Side Dishes for Salmon post for some inspiration.
Other side dishes you can serve with Puff Pastry Salmon are:
Sweet Potato Fries in Air Fryer, Spicy Thai Mango Salad, Greek Cucumber Salad, Watermelon Feta Salad with Basil and Cucumber, and Turkish Rice Pilaf (Sehriyeli Pilav).
Top Tips From the Chef
- Use cold salmon fillets straight out of the fridge to ensure the cooking time for salmon takes longer and they don't get overcooked by the time the puff pastry is cooked.
- Remove the skin from the salmon fillets if you don't get your fishmonger to do it for you.
- Make sure the spinach mixture is cooled down before wrapping the pastries.
- Don't skip gently sliting the top of the wrapped salmon parcels with a small sharp knife to create vents for steam to be released.
- You can make the spinach mixture for up to two days in advance and keep it refrigerated until you need it.
- Every oven is different, and it's always a good idea to keep an eye on the pastry during cooking and adjust the temperature and cooking time as needed.
Storage and Reheating
Storage
Allow the Salmon en Croute to cool to room temperature after baking, but do not leave it out for too long.
To store leftovers, wrap the Salmon en Croute tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil or place it in an airtight container.
Ideally, consume the leftovers within 2-3 days to ensure the best quality and safety.
If you want to keep them longer, you can freeze them and keep them for up to a month.
Reheating
There are a few methods to reheat Salmon en Croute while maintaining its flakiness and preventing the pastry from becoming soggy:
- Oven Method (best option) - Preheat your oven to around 350°F (175°C). Place the wrapped or covered Salmon en Croute on a baking sheet or in an oven-safe dish. Reheat for about 10-15 minutes or until it's heated through and the pastry becomes crisp again.
- Air Fryer Method - Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (175°C). Place the Salmon en Croute in the air fryer basket. Reheat for a few minutes, checking to ensure the pastry crisps up without overcooking the salmon.
- Microwave Method - While not the best method for maintaining the pastry's crispiness, it can work for small or individual portions. Use the microwave's low or medium power setting. Reheat in 20-30 second intervals, checking and flipping the Salmon en Croute between intervals until it's heated through.
Recipe FAQs
There are a few reasons that might cause the pastry to get soggy:
1. You didn't let the spinach on a sieve long enough to drain the excess water.
2. The spinach filling was still hot when you placed it on salmon fillets.
3. You didn't cut slits on the puff pastry to allow steam to escape.
4. The oven wasn't preheated enough before starting to bake the pastries.
You can make Salmon Wellington a couple of days ahead and bake it just before serving.
Just remember not to egg-wash the pastries until you are ready to bake them.
While fresh salmon is preferred, you can use frozen salmon that has been thawed properly and pat-dried with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
Related Recipes
For more scrumptious French recipes why not try:
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
I hope you enjoy the process of making this impressive French dish "Individual Salmon en Croute (or Salmon Wellington)" as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!
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Individual Salmon en Croute
Equipment
- 1 Pastry brush
Ingredients
- 520 g salmon (4x 130 grams salmon fillets)
- 320 g ready-rolled puff pastry (35 cm x 23 cm / 14" x 9")
- 20 g butter
- 1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 small shallot (finely chopped)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 150 g spinach leaves (washed and dried)
- 70 g cream cheese
- 40 g parmesan (freshly grated)
- 1 egg yolk (for egg wash)
Instructions
Preparing the Spinach Filling
- Put a wok or a large pan on medium heat and melt the butter.
- Add the shallots and gently sauté them until soft and translucent.
- Stir in the garlic, salt, and freshly ground pepper, and then add the spinach leaves. Don’t worry if it’s all piled up as it will wilt quickly.
- When the spinach wilts, remove the pan from the heat and transfer the spinach mixture to a fine sieve to get rid of the extra liquid.
- Let the spinach filling cool down for a few minutes, transfer it into a bowl, and then add the cream cheese along with the parmesan. Stir well and set it aside.
Wrapping the Salmon Fillets
- Preheat the oven to 180° C (360° F).
- Remove the skin from the salmon fillets if you didn't get your fishmonger to do it for you.
- Cut the salmon fillets in halves so that we can have nicely shaped rectangular parcels. Set them aside on a plate.
- Unfold the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut it into 4 equal rectangles.
- Place 2 salmon pieces on the side of each of the puff pastries.
- Divide the spinach mixture into 4 equal parts, and spread them evenly on salmon fillets. Smooth the spinach mixture out to avoid them falling over the sides.
- Fold the empty side of the puff pastry over the salmon and press the edges to seal.
- Place them on a silicon paper-lined baking sheet and brush them with egg yolk.
- Gently slit the top of the wrapped salmon parcels with a small sharp knife to create vents for steam to be released.
- Bake them for 20 minutes, until the pastry is golden and flaky and the salmon fillets are cooked thoroughly.
Video
Notes
- Use cold salmon fillets straight out of the fridge to ensure the cooking time takes longer and they don't get overcooked by the time the puff pastry is cooked.
- Remove the skin from the salmon fillets if you didn't get your fishmonger to do it for you.
- Make sure the spinach mixture is cooled down before wrapping the pastries.
- Don't skip gently sliting the top of the wrapped salmon parcels with a small sharp knife to create vents for steam to be released.
- You can make the spinach mixture for up to two days in advance and keep it refrigerated until you need it.
Nutrition
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Celine
This recipe was fabulous, looked and tasted great! Made it the day ahead and refrigerated. And the individual portions worked out perfectly.
Natalie
This is an amazing recipe with great instructions. I am making it again this weekend. Thank you for the recipe x
Ayla Clulee
Glad you enjoyed it, Natalie, Thank you for your lovely comment!
Ayla x
Michael Turner
This was absolutely delicious and the salmon was nice and moist and cooked perfectly.
I used a bit more spinach
Ayla Clulee
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, and thank you for sharing your experience Michael.
Best wishes
Ayla
Teresa W.
I broke all the dinner party rules last night when making this recipe for the first time -- and it was a HUGE HIT! I made six and they baked up beautifully and the salmon was perfectly tender and moist. I did season the salmon with salt and pepper before topping them with the spinach (and feel like this detail was left out in the recipe). Mine took around 35 min to bake. Served with roasted lemon potatoes and a Sonoma Pinot Noir, which was unexpectedly delicious with the dish. Yum! Thank you! Will also use your creamed spinach recipe in the future.
Ayla Clulee
Dear Teresa, thank you for your lovely comment. I am so glad everyone enjoyed the dish and it was a huge hit.
The seasoning stated in the recipe can be added to the filling or divided in between the filling and the salmon. Both would work just fine.
Best wishes
Ayla
lois pedersen
The recipe interested me so I gave it a try. I do not buy premade doughs so made my own puff paste which usually is perfect when cooked. Unfortunately you do not mention the thickness of the pastry so I rolled mine to almost 1/4" thick. Which has always puffed and flaked just right. Your recipe did give a temperature of 360 F, for 20 minutes. I have never seen a recipe with less than 400 F. temp and should have used that. I used your 360 and had to increase the ttim, unfortunately this did not work as the outer layers of the pastry flaked but the inner layers next to spinach and salmon were way undercooked. I will try again but increase the temperature. Also how thick shoould the pastry be rolled, if home made?
Ayla Clulee
Dear Lois,
Thank you for trying out my Salmon en Croute recipe and sharing your experience with me. I'm glad to hear that you usually make your own puff pastry dough and that it turns out perfect when cooked. I understand that you rolled the dough to almost 1/4 inch thick and found that the inner layers of the pastry next to the spinach and salmon were undercooked despite increasing the cooking time.
To answer your question, I would suggest rolling 320 grams of homemade puff pastry to a size of 35cm x 23cm (14"x9") or a thickness of about 1/8 inch. However, please note that homemade dough may produce different results than store-bought dough, and the cooking time and temperature may need to be adjusted accordingly.
Regarding the cooking temperature, I'd like to clarify that the recipe calls for a temperature of 360 F, which has been tested and works well for the specified puff pastry sheet size and weight. However, every oven is different, and it's always a good idea to keep an eye on the pastry during cooking and adjust the temperature and cooking time as needed.
Lastly, I appreciate your feedback, and I'd like to politely suggest that it's important to follow the recipe as written, including using the specified puff pastry sheet size and weight, to ensure the best results. I'll make sure to highlight any important details or instructions in the recipe to help ensure that they are noticed and followed.
Thank you again for trying out my recipe and for your helpful feedback.
Best regards,
Ayla