This easy Fish Florentine recipe, made with a pan seared firm white fish served on a creamy bed of spinach feels like something you would order out in a fancy restaurant!
Fish Florentine
I love fish and try to eat it once or twice a week. You can see all my fish recipes here! This recipe takes under 30 minutes to make, the creamy spinach is what makes the whole dish, made with a little cream cheese, half & half cream and Parmesan cheese. It’s dreamy, delicious and the perfect pairing for the simple white fish.
I adapted this dish from this recipe I found online, which I lightened up simply by reducing the butter, oil, Parmesan and cream cheese. I had reduced-fat cream cheese on hand so I used that instead and it turned out amazing! Rich and decadent and feels like it should be a lot more calories!
Cooking Tips
- Any firm, white boneless fillet would be great, I choose local and ask my fishmonger for the freshest options available. Here I used cod, but halibut, or sea bass would make a great option.
- For a thinner piece of fish, adjust the cook time so you don’t over-cook it.
- When fresh fish is available, wait until the day or day before to buy it before you are going to cook it.
- If fresh isn’t available, buy frozen instead of previously frozen to control freshness and keep it frozen until you need it.
- Frozen fish fillets are great to keep on hand in the freezer. You can defrost them overnight in the fridge or pull from from the freezer and put them in an ice bath (in the package if they are individually wrapped or in a sealed Ziploc) for about 30 minutes
- Swap the fish for chicken breast, scallops or shrimp if you’re not a fan of fish.
Freezer Tips
Refrigerate leftovers up to 2 days or freeze in individual containers for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave about 3 minutes.
How To Make Fish Florentine
More Fish Recipes:
- Baked Salmon with Fresh Herbs
- Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl
- Skillet Fish Fillet with White Wine and Capers
- Healthy Baked Fish Sticks
- Flounder Milanese
Fish Florentine
Ingredients
- 4 5 oz thick pieces of skinless white firm fish fillet (such as grouper, bass or halibut)
- 1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 cup red bell pepper chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 9 ounces fresh baby spinach, from two bags
- 2 ounces 1/3 less fat cream cheese, I like Philadelphia
- ¼ cup half & half cream
- 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- kosher salt
- fresh black pepper
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat add 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 tablespoon of butter, red bell pepper and garlic and cook for about 4 minutes.
- Add spinach season with a pinch of salt and pepper mix until the spinach wilts down.
- Add cream cheese, half & half and parmesan cheese mix well until cream cheese is melted and resembles creamed spinach.
- Heat a separate skillet on medium high heat, add remaining oil and butter.
- Season fish on both sides with salt and pepper and place on the hot pan.
- Cook 6 minutes on first side and flip fish over and cook other side an additional 5 minutes, until cooked through and browned.
- Divide the spinach mixture on the bottom of each plate and top with piece of fish.
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.Video
Notes
Nutrition
Categories:
Photo Credit: Jess Larson
It was good, I used haddock and I think I would use a little less cream cheese next time. It wasn’t as creamy as shown in the picture. For a first attempt it wasn’t bad. Thanks for this recipe.
Excellent recipe, I have to play around with the ingredients since we don’t have half & half but easy to thin down double cream, might add baby tomatoes next time .
This is really, really good exactly as written. My personal preference is to have a little more acid or bite, so I often add some onion, cherry tomatoes, and sometimes a dollop of Greek yogurt. Superb!
Definitely a keeper recipe. I used cod and it was fantastic! Served it with steamed broccoli and a sweet potato. I think my husband might have licked his plate it was so clean 🙂
This probably my favorite recipe from Gina, I have only made it with salmon and its omg it delicious so good everytime!!
GREAT!!
It was delicious and do easy to make. I used snapper for the fish. My husband especially liked it also
Would it be possible to sub the cream cheese for boursin?
Made this many times with different fish. My favorite tonight was salmon. Will never use any other fish. Salt, pepper , a lil spoonful of pesto and Parm on the salmon and cook in the air fryer. Comes out perfect .
Husband: “You have become an amazing cook!”
Me: Thanks Gina!!!😁👏
It was amazing. I have used tilapia 3 times and it’s totally amazing. My husband is would eat it7 days a week. Thank you for the recipe.
Ihave made this recipe many many times! I have used both cod and halibut fillets. Both are delicious but the halibut was unbelievably amazing. This is really a special occasion dish but is easy to prepare and ready in 20 minutes!
Delicious! I made it exactly as noted. I used cod fillets. We loved it!
Delicious!!! Except for substituting chicken breasts for fish, I made the recipe exactly as written. Dinner was fast, easy and Oh So Good. Even my 2 yr old grandson gobbled down the Florentine. I served it with mashed potatoes.
My husband and I LOVE this recipe, but I hate that it dirties two pans, so we don’t have it very often. i have tried making it by cooking the fish first and then setting the fish in the toaster oven at 200 degrees to keep it warm while I make the rest of the recipe. That works, if I don’t cook the fish completely first time around. Takes a little fiddling but it is doable.
This was easy and delicious! I used cod and just got frustrated because my fish kinda fell apart :-(. Any suggestions for that?? But still tasted delicious no matter how it looked! lol Made some small red bliss roasted potatoes as a side with this and it was perfect. Thanks for the recipe that is now Pinned! 🙂
Do you think i could sub strained greek yogurt for the cream cheese?
I’ve used plain non-dairy yogurt in this recipe as a swap for cream cheese and it came out great.
One of my family’s favorite meals! Simple and so delicious,
Has or would anyone use fresh walleye for this? We have a bunch of Walleye on hand and I just wasn’t sure if it would be a firm enough fish for this recipe?
I saw someone mentioned scallops and that will definitely happen sometime soon! Thanks for that suggestion.
I am in the UK. Can you tell me what half and half cream is please? I notice you use it alot in your recipes. Many thanks
It is a product that is half milk, half cream. It may be called half cream in the UK? If not you can google how to make your own. 🙂
I have recently travelled to canada and looked for half and half. I beleive it was called 32percent fat . Im not sure if it is marketed the same in england.
I made this with chicken and was hoping it would be similar to the “popeye pollo” served at a local resturaunt chain in Pittsburgh. It’s excellent! I’m not a fan of bell peppers but they do make it look pretty – I threw in a few spoonfuls of canned chopped tomatoes instead. Will definitely make again!