If you’re anything like me, I am always looking for a new way to cook salmon. This Salmon Puttanesca is my new favorite. Everything cooks at the same time: while the sweet potatoes boil, the green beans steam right on top of the same saucepan and the salmon poaches in the puttanesca sauce, so there are very few dishes to wash up at the end. With just 5 minutes of prep and 25 minutes of cooking, this salmon puttanesca recipe serves 4 and is naturally gluten free, nut free and egg free (and easily made dairy free too).
Salmon is on our dinner table at least once a week. It’s quick to cook, the whole family loves it and as a nutritionist, I love that it’s such a great source of protein and healthy omega-3 fats. Some of our favourite ways to enjoy it are my Citrus Miso Butter Salmon, Harissa Honey Salmon & Rice Bowls and my Sheet Pan Salmon and Asparagus with Parmesan Potatoes.
This salmon puttanesca is a little more cosy than my usual salmon recipes, which makes it perfect for the cooler months. Gently cooking the salmon in the tomato sauce keeps it really tender and juicy, and the sweet mash soaks up all of that salty, briny sauce. If you love a quick dinner that doesn’t skimp on flavour, you’ll find plenty more ideas in my 30+ Healthy 30-minute Dinner Recipes.
Everything You Need to Make Salmon Puttanesca
You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this salmon puttanesca with sweet mashed potatoes. I’ve listed everything below along with any ingredient notes and swaps. You can find the full ingredient quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
For the puttanesca sauce
- extra virgin olive oil – olive oil is my go-to oil for cooking. It’s a great source of healthy fats and polyphenols.
- red onion – cut into thin wedges so they stay a little chunky in the sauce. You can swap for a brown onion or a couple of French shallots.
- garlic – you will need 4 cloves, minced. If using jarred minced garlic, use 1 teaspoon per clove.
- passata – passata is smooth, strained tomato puree and gives you a silky sauce. You can swap it for a 700g jar or two 400g cans of crushed tomatoes if you prefer a chunkier sauce.
- white wine vinegar – adds a little brightness. Red wine vinegar or a squeeze of lemon juice will also work.
- dried herbs and seasoning – I’ve used a combination of dried rosemary, dried thyme and sea salt flakes. If you only have dried Italian herbs or mixed herbs, use 1 teaspoon of those instead.
- kalamata olives – these give the sauce its signature salty, briny flavour. Make sure you buy pitted olives. Green olives work too.
- fresh oregano – a small bunch, finely chopped. Fresh basil or parsley are great substitutes, or use 1 teaspoon dried oregano.
- salmon – you will need 4 skinless salmon fillets, about 150g each. Ocean trout or another firm white fish like barramundi or cod also work well.
For the mashed sweet potato
- sweet potato – peeled and cut into even cubes. Orange sweet potato gives you the creamiest, most vibrant mash.
- butter – to make this dairy free, swap for your favourite dairy free butter or a drizzle of olive oil.
- milk – use any milk you like. Unsweetened almond, oat milk or soy milk are good dairy free options.
To serve
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- green beans – trimmed. You can swap for broccolini, asparagus or snow peas.
Optional Extras
- capers – capers are a classic puttanesca ingredient and add an extra salty, tangy pop. Stir 1-2 tablespoons of drained capers into the sauce along with the olives. If you aren’t a fan of olives, you can also use capers in place of the olives altogether.
- anchovies – for a more traditional salmon puttanesca, melt 2-3 anchovy fillets into the oil with the garlic. They dissolve completely and add a deep, savoury flavour (not fishy, I promise!).
- red pepper flakes – add a pinch with the garlic if you like a bit of heat.
- fresh basil or parsley – scatter over the top to serve.
- lemon wedges – for squeezing over the salmon.
Tips for Making the Best Salmon Puttanesca
This is a really simple dinner to make, but here are a few of my top tips to make sure it turns out perfectly every time. You can find the full step-by-step instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Cut the sweet potato into even cubes – about 2-3cm pieces will cook evenly and be tender in roughly 15-20 minutes. Smaller pieces cook faster if you’re short on time.
- Use one saucepan for two jobs – steaming the green beans in a steamer basket on top of the boiling sweet potatoes saves time and washing up.
- Don’t overcook the beans – take them off as soon as they turn vibrant green and are just tender. Leave the lid off so they stop cooking.
- Sauté the onion low and slow – let the onion wedges soften until translucent before adding the garlic. Garlic burns quickly, so only cook it until fragrant.
- Lower the heat before adding the salmon – a gentle simmer keeps the salmon tender and juicy. If the sauce bubbles too hard, the salmon can turn dry and tough.
- Nestle the salmon into the sauce – spoon a little sauce over the top of each fillet before you put the lid on so it cooks evenly.
- Check the salmon at 8 minutes – thicker fillets may need a couple of extra minutes. It’s ready when it flakes easily but is still slightly pink in the centre.
- Drain the sweet potatoes well – let them steam dry in the strainer for a minute before mashing so your mash isn’t watery.
- Taste the sauce before adding extra salt – kalamata olives are already salty, so taste first and season at the end.
Storage
This puttanesca salmon is best served straight away, but leftovers keep well for lunch the next day. Store each component in separate airtight containers in the fridge.
- Salmon and puttanesca sauce – store together in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days (seafood is best eaten sooner rather than later). Reheat gently in a covered pan over a low heat, or in the microwave in short bursts, so the salmon doesn’t dry out. I don’t recommend freezing the cooked salmon. The puttanesca sauce on its own can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Mashed sweet potato – store in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat with a splash of milk and stir until smooth and creamy.
- Green beans – store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat briefly or enjoy them cold tossed through a salad.
Salmon Puttanesca with Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Equipment
- Sharp knife
- Chopping Board
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 red onion, peeled and cut into thin wedges
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 700 grams passata
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon sea salt flakes
- ½ cup pitted kalamata olives
- small bunch fresh oregano, finely chopped
- 4 fillets salmon, skin off
Mashed sweet potato
- 500 grams sweet potato
- 25 grams butter
- ½ cup milk
To serve
- 300 grams green beans
Instructions
- Add the peeled and cubed sweet potato to a large saucepan and top with water, place the lid on and turn to a high heat.
- While the water comes to a boil, bring a large shallow casserole pan to a medium heat. Add the olive oil and then red onion wedges and sauté until tender and translucent. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant.
- To the pan add the crushed tomatoes, white wine vinegar, dried rosemary, dried thyme, salt, olives and finely chopped oregano and stir to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes and then reduce the temperature to low.
- Add the green beans to a steamer basket and place atop the saucepan of water. Place the lid on and steam until the beans are a vibrant green and just tender, remove the steamer basket from the saucepan and set aside with the lid off to prevent the beans from cooking any further. Continue to boil the sweet potatoes until tender enough to pierce with a fork.
- Add the salmon fillets to the tomato sauce and place the lid on. Cook on low for 8 minutes. Once the salmon is cooked through, while still being slightly pink in the centre, turn off the heat.
- Once the sweet potatoes are tender, turn off the heat and strain through a heat proof strainer. Return the sweet potato to the pan along with the butter and milk and mash until you reach your desired texture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- To serve, spoon the mashed sweet potato onto four plates, followed by salmon and then beans. Spoon the puttanesca sauce over the salmon and serve warm.
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