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Salmon Wellington is a delicious and elegant option for a special meal. Perfect if you are entertaining guests or cooking up a storm for date night. The combination of rich salmon with a herby mixture of spinach, leek and cream cheese is a taste sensation. Baked in golden brown and flaky puff pastry. While it may look fancy, it’s actually pretty easy to make.

What is it?

You’ve likely heard of Beef Wellington, one of the most iconic dishes in British cuisine. Named after the Duke of Wellington, Beef Wellington features fillet steak that is coated in a layer of pate and duxelles (sauteed mushrooms), and then wrapped in puff pastry. Over the years, many variations of this classic dish have emerged using ingredients such as mushrooms, lamb and fish.

Salmon Wellington is a great option if you want to swap red meat for fish, yet still create something which looks equally regal and impressive. The dish is typically made by wrapping a piece of salmon in pastry along with other fillings. I use a mixture of sauteed veg and cream cheese and top it all off with a lemon and dill creme fraiche.

How can I stop the salmon from getting soggy?

There are few things more disappointing than a dish that promised to be crispy and flaky but instead is soft and mushy. So what went wrong? And more importantly, how can you prevent it from happening again? The most likely culprit is excess moisture. The fish releases steam while cooking, which can quickly make the dough soggy. To prevent this, be sure to pat dry the salmon first and make sure that your slits in the top of the pastry are deep enough to allow the steam to escape from the packet.

I also add a dusting of breadcrumbs to the bottom of the filling before securing the packet and flipping it over. This will help absorb excess moisture. In addition, you can cook the Salmon Wellington on a wire rack so that the heat can circle around the pastry properly. With a little care, you can ensure that your Salmon Wellington is crispy and delicious every time.

What can I serve it with?

If you’re looking for a show-stopping main course, Salmon Wellington is definitely the way to go. But what should you serve with it? A simple green salad is always a good option, or you could try a plate of roasted veg. This roasted tenderstem broccoli or roasted courgette goes really well.

A few other ideas to consider include:

• Courgette salad
• Parmentier Potatoes
• Halloumi salad
• Individual dauphinoise potatoes

Can I make it in advance?

I recommend that you cook the Wellington fairly soon after assembling it. No more than 1-2 hours later. The ingredients all contain moisture and if they seep into the pastry it can cause it to go soggy.

However, you can prepare the individual parts of the Wellington in advance, making it easier to pull together when you come to cook it. The leek and cream cheese filling will keep for 1-2 days in the fridge.

You can also reheat Salmon Wellington after cooking. Keep it covered, in the fridge for up to 3 days and then reheat in the oven for the best results.

Can I eat it cold?

Yes, you can absolutely cold Salmon Wellington. Serve it with a salad for a quick and easy lunch. Or pack it up as part of a picnic in the summer months. If you aren’t a fan of cold pastry then you could also extract the salmon and flake it into a salad or a wrap.

Leftover Salmon Wellington is not suitable for freezing. The puff pastry and filling will not hold up well when frozen and the cream cheese may also separate.

Can I use a different type of pastry?

Puff pastry is what makes this dish so buttery and flaky. It’s also easy to buy pre-made and tastes just as good, if not better, than homemade.

If you want to go for a different result then you can also try the Wellington with filo pastry. Crisp and wafer-like, this thin pastry is incredibly versatile, able to be moulded into any shape. The dish won’t be as puffy and flaky, but you’ll have an equally delicious crispy shell around the salmon.

If you try the dish with filo pastry then I recommend lightly searing the package before adding it to the oven to help it turn a rich golden colour. 1 minute on each side in a lightly oiled pan over medium-high heat will work great.

Ingredients

For more detailed ingredients, with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.

For the salmon…

• Leeks, thinly sliced
• Garlic, finely chopped
• Fresh spinach
• Cream cheese
• Thyme leaves, finely chopped
• Puff pastry
• Salmon, skinless
• Breadcrumbs
• Egg, beaten

For the lemon & dill creme fraiche…

• Creme fraiche
• Dill, finely chopped
• Lemon juice

How to make it

For more detailed instructions, with recipe tips, jump to the printable recipe card.

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan and saute the leeks. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
3. Add the spinach to the pan and cook until wilted. Reduce the heat to low.
4. Add the cream cheese and thyme to the pan and stir everything together until fully combined.
5. Roll out the puff pastry until over twice the size of the salmon.
6. Pat the salmon with paper towels and season well on both sides. Lay bottom side up on the pastry.
7. Spread the leek mixture over the salmon and then scatter the breadcrumbs over the top.
8. Fold the long lengths of the pastry in over the top of the salmon and then cut the ends so there is just enough to fold into the packet. Fold the remaining ends inwards.
9. Flip the package over and then cut diagonal slits across the pastry, both ways, to make a cross-hatched pattern.
10. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes and then leave to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
11. While the salmon is baking make the lemon and dill creme fraiche by mixing all the ingredients together in a bowl.

Looking for other great salmon recipes? Try:

• Cajun salmon with mango salsa
• Salmon with Italian salsa verde
• Simple salmon risotto
• Pan-seared salmon with lentils
• Salmon and leek pasta

Products that work well for this recipe:

Magnetic Spice Rack – Set of 12

Organise your spices with this magnetic rack! – Stick to the fridge or the provided plate – Rotating design with sift/pour holes

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Rolling Pin and Silicone Baking Pastry Mat Set

– Food Grade, High-Quality Stainless Steel – Perfect Thickness Every Time: The rolling pin makes you roll the dough to a precise thickness perfectly and consistently. Four sizes of detachable rings: 1/16, 1/8, 1/4 and 3/8 inches (2mm / 4mm / 6mm / 10mm)

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Cole & Mason Herb Keeper

It’ll keep what’s left of your bunch perky for longer – perfect for the fridge door!

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Salmon Wellington

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• Author: caroline
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x

Print Recipe

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Description

Salmon Wellington is a delicious & special meal. It combines rich salmon with a cream cheese & leek filling, baked in golden brown and flaky puff pastry.

The default recipe serves 4.

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Ingredients

Units MUS Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 100g thinly sliced leeks
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 150g spinach
• 100g cream cheese
• 1 tsp finely chopped thyme leaves
• 300g puff pastry
• flour, for dusting
• 500g salmon fillet, skinless
• 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 egg, beaten

for the lemon & dill creme fraiche…

• 6 tbsp creme fraiche (see note 1)
• 2 tsp finely chopped dill
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F.
2. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large frying pan. Add the leeks and cook for 3-4 minutes until they start to lightly brown. 
3. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute before adding the spinach and stirring it around the pan regularly until it fully wilts.
4. Reduce the heat to low and add the cream cheese to the pan along with the thyme. Stir everything together until fully combined and season well. Remove from the heat.
5. Gently roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface. Roll it until it is just over double the size of the salmon in both length and width.
6. Pat the salmon dry and season well. Place it in the middle of the pastry, bottom side up (the side that would have had the skin on it facing up).
7. Spoon the leek mixture on top of the salmon and spread it out evenly.
8. Scatter the breadcrumbs over the top of the leek mixture.
9. Fold the pieces of pastry from the long side of the salmon over the top of it so they slightly overlap in the middle and press lightly together. Trim the long ends of the pastry on either side so there is just enough to fold into the parcel, like you would when wrapping a present. Fold in the edges and lightly press. 
10. Flip the parcel over and transfer it to a baking tray lined with baking/parchment paper. Cut diagonal lines across the length of the pastry with a sharp knife, and then diagonally the other way, to make a cross-hatched pattern. Use a pastry brush to brush the beaten egg all over the top.
11. While the salmon is baking make the lemon dill creme fraiche by whisking all the ingredients together in a bowl.
12. Bake for 25 minutes in the oven and rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with the lemon dill mayo drizzled over the sliced wellington.

Notes

1. You can use sour cream instead of creme fraiche, for a more piquant sauce.
2. To prevent the bottom of the parcel from getting soggy make sure to pat the salmon with paper towel before adding it to remove excess moisture. Also, make sure to use the breadcrumbs which will soak up any excess moisture and make sure that you score the parcel to let steam escape.
3. You can also cook the parcel on a rack, lined with baking paper, to help the heat circulate all around the pastry.
4. For a crispier version, you can also try this will filo pastry. Sear the parcel for around a minute on each side in a pan before cooking to help it turn a rich golden colour.
5. Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven for best results, or enjoy cold.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Bake
• Cuisine: British

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1
• Calories: 746
• Fat: 38g
• Carbohydrates: 59g
• Protein: 36g

Keywords: dinner, fancy, special, salmon, fish, british