Haddock Florentine

This haddock florentine is my way of combining gourmet with comfort, perfectly pan-seared haddock in a rich and creamy spinach sauce.

The use of cream cheese and sun-dried tomatoes adds that restaurant-quality touch and it all comes together in 30 minutes.

Ingredient notes

Here are some helpful notes on the ingredients. See the recipe card below for exact quantities.

• Haddock – the fillets should be skinless. Fresh or frozen, both work fine. If using frozen, make sure it's completely thawed before you start cooking. Haddock is delicate and breaks apart easily, so cutting longer fillets into halves or thirds makes the handling easier.
• Cream cheese – cut into cubes and left at room temperature for few minutes so it dissolves quickly.
• Crushed red pepper flakes – a small amount does the trick. Skippable, but that tiny little heat makes the sauce even better.
• Baby spinach – weigh for precise measurement, if you can. If not, pack your measuring cups tightly. I use the leaves whole, but you can roughly tear them using hands.
• Sun-dried tomatoes – Use the ones that come in jars, soaked in oil – not the dried ones. Drain first, then chop or slice.
• Lemon (optional) – a few slices/wedges for serving with your fish. I also like to sprinkle some lemon zest on my plate.

How to make haddock florentine

Follow these simple, photo-assisted instructions to prepare this florentine style haddock.

Step 1: In a skillet, melt butter over medium-low heat then add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Sprinkle in the flour and stir 1 more minute. Slowly whisk in the milk until the mixture gets smooth. Keep stirring and let it thicken very slightly. Next add cream cheese, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Whisk well to get rid of any lumps.

Step 2: Toss in baby spinach in batches – one handful at a time – so it's easy to mix. Then put sun dried tomatoes and stir.

Step 3: Cook for 1 minute. When the spinach looks a little wilted (like in the photo above) turn the heat off. Cover the skillet to keep the sauce warm while you cook haddock.

Step 4: Mix flour, salt, ground black pepper in a bowl. Pat dry haddock using paper towel. Sprinkle the flour mix over haddock and use hands to coat evenly.

Step 5: In a separate skillet / pan (preferably non-stick) heat olive oil on medium-high. When the oil is hot, lay the fillets and cook undisturbed 2 to 4 minutes on one side. Flip and cook another 2 to 3 minutes (internal temperature of 145°F / 63°C is the goal).

Step 6: Before the fish gets fully cooked, warm up the spinach sauce on medium-low heat. Stir frequently and if the consistency looks too thick, add some milk. To serve, put some florentine spinach sauce on a plate then top with haddock piece(s). Garnish with lemon slices/wedges and a sprinkle of lemon zest.

Recipe troubleshooting

• Fish sticking to pan: A non-stick pan is your friend here. Make sure the oil is hot enough before you put the fish. If it sizzles upon contact, you're good. Also, don't move the fish and don't flip too early – let a crust form first.
• Sauce too thin or thick: If it's too runny, keep simmering. If too thick, add a splash of milk.
• Fish breaking apart: Use a thin spatula for flipping. And handle with care as haddock is a delicate, flaky fish.
• Dry-tasting fish: You've likely overcooked. Haddock needs only a few minutes per side. Use an instant-read thermometer (145°F / 63°C is your goal). Or use a fork to test flakiness.
• Spinach too wilted: If you like spinach less wilted, toss it into the sauce as you're warming it up just before the haddock finishes cooking, not earlier.

Substitutions and variations

• Fish options: Cod, halibut or tilapia can easily replace haddock here. Cooking times may differ.
• Different dried herbs: To switch things up, replace Italian seasoning with dried oregano or basil. Herbes de Provence also works great.
• Mushrooms: Toss in some sautéed cremini mushrooms along with the spinach for a more earthy sauce.