Easy Salmon with Sun-Dried Tomato and Olive Tapenade
David Scott Allen · Fish & Seafood · Main Course · Provencal Recipes · TasteSeafood is popular in France, with over half of all French residents purchasing fresh or frozen fish from their local grocery store. Salmon is a bright and flavourful fish that goes well with various flavours. This robust dish features tangy sun-dried tomatoes and a delicious olive tapenade to make a gourmet meal that fools anyone into thinking you’re a pro. Pair it with a complex red wine, like Mon Coeur Côtes-du-Rhône from Jean-Louis Chave, and you’ll make an impression.

Salmon with Sun-Dried Tomato and Olive Tapenade
This dish is a great centrepiece to enjoy with some field greens, risotto, and a bottle of top-quality French red wine.
Ingredients
- 2 leeks light green and white parts only
- 5 fresh basil leaves
- 3 tbsp butter chilled
- salt
- freshly ground white pepper
- 4 sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- 8 Oil-Cured Olives pitted
- 1 tbsp capers drained
- 4 sprigs thyme leaves stripped
- 1 tbsp chives chopped
- 1 tbsp parsley chopped, plus extra for garnish
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 6-oz Salmon Fillets skinless
Instructions
- Slice leeks in half lengthwise, loosen the layers and run them under cold water to wash out any sand or dirt. Cut the halves into 1/2-inch thick slices and place them in a saucepan of salted water. Bring to a boil, then simmer until leeks are fully tender – about 6 minutes. Drain and place leek slices in a blender with the basil leaves and butter. Purée until very smooth and return to the saucepan to keep warm, and season well with salt and freshly ground white pepper.
- Next, place the sun-dried tomatoes, olives, capers, herbs, and olive oil in a small processor or spice grinder; purée until it forms a chunky paste.
- Divide and spread the paste among the tops of the two salmon fillets, pressing it gently to adhere.
- Place salmon on an oiled baking sheet and roast for 8-10 minutes, depending on thickness and your preference. (Our fillets we about 1 inch thick, and were perfect after 9 minutes.)
- To serve, spoon some of the leek-basil purée on a dinner plate and top with salmon. Sprinkle with parsley.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Other Recipes You Might Enjoy
Roasted King Salmon with I’itoi Onion Compote
Allow enough time for the onions to cook slowly, as the caramelizing process will make all the difference in the flavour of the compote. Serve with the roasted salmon for a lovely combination. If you have too much onion compote, it won't go to waste, serve with grilled meat or on a sandwich.
Check out this recipe
Seared Salmon with Red Wine Shallot Sauce and Wasabi Mashed Potatoes
Easy, delicious and chef quality a fish dish to impress!
Check out this recipe
Smoky Cinnamon Salmon with Mushroom Lentils
This salmon dish is easy, tasty and full of wonderful spices.
Check out this recipe
Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms: Goat Cheese, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and Tapenade
This recipe is easy to prepare and delicious to eat. Serve hot with chilled rosé.
Check out this recipe
Salmon with Herbed Chèvre Wrapped in Zucchini
Moist and buttery baked salmon wrapped in zucchini and stuffed with chèvre gently floating in a spicy tomato sauce topped with olives.
Check out this recipe
Seared Salmon with Tomato-Shallot Ragoût
The tomato ragoût is simple to prepare, you can make it in advance as it will keep for a few days. The salmon takes less than 10 minutes to cook, so dinner is on the table in no time at all.
Check out this recipe
Legal
All rights reserved. Perfectly Provence articles and other content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten (including translations into other languages) or redistributed without written permission. For usage information, please contact us.
Syndication InformationAffiliate Information
As an Amazon Associate, this website earns from qualifying purchases. Some recipes, posts and pages may have affiliate links. If you purchase via these links, we receive a small commission that does not impact your price. Thank you in advance for supporting our work to maintain Perfectly Provence.
Previous Post
Discover the Underwater Museum of MarseilleRelated Provence Articles
Delicious Paella Recipe Served With a Rosé from Bandol in Provence
August 30, 2024
Playing around with this recipe for paella (Arroz con Pollo) took me years to perfect. Paella is a Spanish dish from the Valencian Community but is often found in Provencal markets. The exact ingredients are up to the chef, but this version was inspired by Jacques Pépin’s Arroz con Pollo, and his recipe called for …
Food Matters in Provence a Short List of Favourite Restaurants
November 22, 2017
Contributor blog post by Paula Kane: Eating out in Provence is a challenge. I leap into panic mode when someone says, “let’s go out for lunch or dinner”. I know most people think eating out in France is a dream, and it can be. Around here it’s difficult to find simple, delicious food that isn’t precious …
Moussaka d’Aubergines: A Layered History, Cooked the Provençal Way
February 18, 2026
In the long history of Mediterranean cooking, few dishes carry as much history or as many revisions as moussaka d’aubergines. Though it is most closely associated with Greece today, its roots reach further east, into the Arab world. The name comes from the Arabic musaqqā‘a, meaning “moistened,” and originally referred to a dish of eggplant …
Pissaladière a Delicious Flatbread Recipe from Provence
February 17, 2023
A traditional recipe from Provence, pissaladière is a flatbread with caramelized onions and often a few anchovies as garnish. Although pissaladière is commonly found in bakeries throughout Provence, the dish originates from the City of Nice on the French Riviera. Given the city’s proximity to Italy, which only became part of France in 1860 with …
No Comment