Pan Roasted Salmon with Gnocchi, Tomatoes and Mozzarella Fondue

So, I recently ordered this exact thing off the menu at a Bonefish Grill, while I was visiting my family in Lexington, KY. We ordered a big Door Dash delivery and the sounds of the salmon, gnocchi, tomatoes and * mozzarella fondue * was tantalizing – reeled me right in (pun intended!). That said, when it arrived, it wasn’t nearly as delicious as I was hoping it would be, and I suppose that was mostly due to its inability to travel well. This is a dish best enjoyed right away – without that half hour+ of sitting around, you know? So, today I’m giving you a hot, fresh and homespun version – my Pan Roasted Salmon with Gnocchi, Tomatoes, and Mozzarella Fondue.

Plus? You can serve four for the price of my single-serving order. Now that’s a My Kitchen Little trick – a hat trick … a MAGIC TRICK. This one is so delicious, y’all.

But wait, can you serve fish with cheese?

You may have done a double-take at the recipe title here — what with my grouping together of cheese and fish. There’s this old wive’s tale that’s been floating around for a while which suggests that the pairing of fish and cheese is a preposterous thing. I mean, maybe that is absolutely true in some cases, sure. But it mostly just depends on the fish and cheese(es) in question.

Take it from this Italian gal (okay, I’m only a quarter but my heart is much more Italian than that), fish and cheese have been playing nice together in Italian cookery for a long time now, and trust me – your plates will be so much better for embracing that truth. Let’s kick that old wive’s tale to the curb and serve some buttery, succulent roasted salmon right alongside some creamy, dreamy whipped mozzarella, shall we?

The tomatoes burst, releasing their juices and mix in with the olive oil, salt and creamy mozzarella fondue, creating a moist righteous combination of flavors and textures that actually feels a little fancy, when all is said and done.

So yes. YES WE CAN! We can serve fish and cheese together and live happily ever after. Amen.

What is the white, slimy stuff that forms on roasting salmon?

Ah yes. This would be the “albumin.” Salmon tends to emit a white, slimy substance when cooking that is really just coagulated protein – and it’s perfectly fine to eat it. Essentially, as salmon roasts away in the oven, its muscle fibers contract which causes it to push and wring out the internal proteins of the fish – the albumin.

There are ways to prevent the albumin from forming, though, or to reduce the effect from happening. My personal favorite thing to do is to use a spread or a “crust” of some sort on my salmon, giving it a nice, tasty shield against the albumin that really just blankets it, hiding it from sight.

Today, that crust is pesto, which gets nice and salty when roasted and it forms a glorious crust on top of the salmon.

Quick Tips and tricks for this Pan Roasted Salmon with Gnocchi recipe

You’ll notice in my ingredients list for this recipe, I call for “skillet gnocchi.” This is something that is available at each of the grocery stores that I frequent here in Charleston, and it was also readily available at my store in Indianapolis, before we moved. So, I think it’s pretty easy to come by and it’s really great to work with. It holds together beautifully and gets this toasted, crispy exterior which I find wonderful in a mushy food such as gnocchi (bless it).

What is skillet gnocchi?

Really, it’s just a gnocchi product that has been developed to eliminate the need (the gneed?) for boiling the little potato dumplings. You can cook them up in butter or olive oil, or a lovely combination of them both, and it will cook through as needed, gaining a crisp, toasty exterior all the while.

In short, it’s a great product.

But what if I can’t find skillet gnocchi, Lauren?

It’s cool. No harm, no foul. I’ve included an alternative direction for using regular, boiled gnocchi in this recipe if you cannot find the skillet variety at your store. The biggest trick is to undercook them during the boiling (just boil them for a minute or two less than the package directions ask you to). This is to prevent them from over cooking in the oven, as they will roast/broil for a bit along with the salmon.

What you’ll need to make this Pan Roasted Salmon with Gnocchi, Tomatoes and Mozzarella Fondue

12-oz. Fresh mozzarella

1 cup ricotta

12-oz. Skillet gnocchi (I use Rana brand, see alternate directions for regular gnocchi)

12-oz. cherry or grape tomatoes

2 to 4 salmon fillets, depending on how many you’re serving

½ cup store-bought pesto, give or take (again, Rana is the best for the price – not sponsored, just a big fan)

Olive oil, for coating

Salt and pepper, as needed

How to make this Pan Roasted Salmon with Gnocchi, Tomatoes and Mozzarella Fondue

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 

In a high-speed blender, combine the mozzarella, ricotta, 2 TBSP water, and salt to taste. Blend until smooth and creamy (TIP: you can add a little pesto, if you want to flavor it). Spoon into a bowl/container for now, and set aside. 

If using skillet gnocchi:

In a large, oven-proof skillet set over medium heat, add a couple tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the skillet gnocchi and tomatoes Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the gnocchi is crisp and toasted; about 4 to 6 minutes. OR …

If using regular (boiled) gnocchi:

If you’re not using the skillet gnocchi, simply prepare regular gnocchi according to package directions in salted water, but take them out of the cooking water about two minutes early. Drain. In a large, oven-proof skillet set over medium heat, add a couple tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 6 to 8 minutes or until just burst. Add the boiled gnocchi, stir to coat in the olive oil and tomato juices, and proceed with the recipe. 

After the gnocchi and tomatoes have cooked, place the salmon and fillets on top of them in the pan and coat the salmon with pesto, covering their tops evenly. I use about 2 TBSp per fillet. The pesto will form a natural crust and keep the albumen from forming on top (the white slimy film that tends to form on roasted salmon).

Place the pan in the preheated oven and roast for 10 to 11 minutes, or just until the salmon is done on the insides. Remove from the oven and spoon some of the mozzarella fondue into the pan, pushing the tomatoes/gnocchi over to make room. The heat from the pan will slowly melt the cheeses. Serve right away. 

If you like the looks of this Pan Roasted Salmon with Gnocchi, Tomatoes, and Mozzarella Fondue, you might also enjoy:

Tuscan Garlic Butter Salmon and Shrimp

Spinach and Artichoke Gnocchi Soup with Crispy Prosciutto

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