Healthy Salmon in Vodka Sauce

I was recently out at a beautiful seaside restaurant in Puerta Vallarta. I ordered the salmon in vodka sauce as I love salmon and thought it would be a unique way to try it. While the dish was amazing, I found that the heavy cream that they used in the sauce made it a bit too rich. I’ve since played with the recipe ingredients & have come up with a healthier, low carb version that also contains no dairy-Healthy Salmon in Vodka Sauce.

Feel free to serve this over your favorite pasta instead of my low carb options suggested at the end of the recipe.

The Vodka in this recipe has all the alcohol burned off, while leaving a slightly delicious smoky flavor to the sauce.

Healthy Salmon in Vodka Sauce

 

Ingredients

2 tablespoon olive oil

½ cup finely diced onion

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 (28-ounce) can of tomatoes, crushed or 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes

⅓ cup vodka

½ cup coconut milk

2 (6-ounce) fillets of salmon, whole or cut into 1-inch cubes

2 ounces goat cheese (optional)

1 tablespoon fresh dill , sprigs of oregano or fresh basil chopped (optional)

1/2 thinly sliced lemon to garnish

Method

Pre-heat a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and sauté the onion and for a couple of minutes, until it starts to soften. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Season with salt and crushed red pepper flakes.

Add the crushed tomatoes and vodka and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Add the coconut milk and simmer for another 2 minutes.

Add the salmon and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, until the salmon is cooked through and the sauce has thickened a little.

Serve the, salmon over your choice of zucchini noodles, baked spaghetti sauce or cauliflower rice for a low carb meal.  a sprinkling of goat cheese, fresh dill or basil sprinkled on top.

Notes for Healthy Salmon in Vodka Sauce:

• This recipe can be doubled easily
• The salmon is cooked when it becomes opaque 
• If you choose to keep the salmon fillets whole I recommend cooking an additional few minutes