If you love salmon wrapped in pastry but don’t want to faff around, this simple Salmon En Croûte recipe is for you! With just four main ingredients, this is my simplified twist on the traditional French recipe. I have used every shortcut I could think of to keep this the quickest, most delicious and easy version possible.
This recipe uses two shop-bought puff pastry sheets to encase a large salmon fillet, lying on a bed of leeks and Boursin cream cheese. I use no fancy pastry or cooking techniques for this simple Salmon En Croûte recipe.
If you have a toddler, weaning baby or fussy eater and are wondering how to adapt this Salmon En Croûte with Boursin cheese recipe for your family, see here >
Simple Salmon En Croûte: The Four Main Ingredients
Salmon
You’ll want to go for a boneless half-side of salmon or fillet that’s around 500g-600g (17.64oz-21.16oz) for 4-5 adults.
You’ll need to skin the salmon fillet before it goes onto the leek and Boursin bed. The best way to do that I find is flipping the fillet skin side up and using a boning knife.
Pastry
To keep this recipe as simple and easy and possible we are using shop-bought puff pastry sheets - you’ll need two of them to encase the salmon fillet in.
We aren’t going to faff around with fancy pastry work, so you don’t need to worry about having the skills or the time for that. Sure it won’t look as pretty as some other Salmon En Croûte recipes you will find, but this recipe is a SIMPLE version, so that includes keeping the pastry work simple, not just the filling.
There are two easy ways you can seal the pastry edges around the salmon fillet.
- The easiest and quickest way - use a fork to go all the way round the pastry edges, using firm but gentle pressure.
- Slightly less easy and takes a little longer, crimp the edges using your fingers - watch my recipe video above to see just how to do this.
Boursin Cheese
Using Boursin cream cheese is my favourite shortcut to keeping savoury pastries flavourful, plus easy and simple to make. You’ll find me using it in other pastry recipes too! You’ll need a pack of garlic and herb Boursin cream cheese for this recipe.
Leeks
You will need to pick a loose leek to make sure it’s large enough. And if you are using a larger salmon fillet to feed more people, you will need to select the longest and thickest one you can find! If you aren’t able to get a loose leek, and get a pack of leeks, you will need to use 1 ½-2 leeks.
I have tried this easy Salmon En Croûte recipe with watercress instead of leeks too, which was also good. See the FAQ’s for more details below if watercress is more your vibe.
FAQ’s For My Simple Salmon En Croûte
Can I substitute the leeks for something else?
You could use watercress instead of leeks, cooking them in just the same way as the leeks but frying until just wilted. I have done this once before with a 80g bag of watercress, just my kids preferred the leek version, and as a family food blogger, it made more sense to share the kid approved recipe.
How should I serve this Simple Salmon En Croûte?
This Simple Salmon En Croûte is super versatile, it can be served with your favourite potato side (ours is roast potatoes!), and a cooked green veggie like broccoli or runner beans. Or it can be served simply with your go-to side salad - my favourite way to eat it in warmer weather.
How can younger children help make it?
The kids will love to help you with the pastry work on this Salmon En Croûte, I know my son who is pie mad loves too!
Can I Store Simple Salmon En Croûte leftovers?
You can store any Simple Salmon En Croûte leftovers in an air-tight container or resealable food bag in the fridge for up to 3 days (cook day + 2). Leftovers can also be frozen, just defrost for 24 hours in the fridge. You can reheat in the oven at 180ºc/160ºf/350ºf/gas 4 for 8-14 mins, or until steaming hot all the way through. The time will really depend on the size of Salmon En Croûte you are reheating.
More on safe food storage and reheating.
What diets is this recipe suitable for?
My Simple Salmon En Croûte is NOT suitable for diets that are diary, gluten, nut or egg-free, or for vegans or vegetarians.
Adapting My Simple Salmon En Croûte For Your Family
Eating together is beneficial for families of all ages and stages, for a multitude of reasons; nutritional, behavioural, psychological and for healthy family functioning. This section will show you how to tweak this Simple Salmon En Croûte recipe for sharing with a weaning baby, toddler or a fussy eater, which will help make it easier to eat together as a family.
Keeping Fussy Eaters Happy
If you have a picky eater serve their Salmon En Croûte with a safe food or two on the side, like a cooked vegetable or salad veg and a potato side they enjoy.
Making My Simple Salmon En Croûte Suitable for Baby Weaning
Boursin cream cheese has a fairly low salt content so is ok to give babies over 6 months. If you feel more comfortable waiting until little one is over 12 months, by all means do that. You will need to hold back on adding salt to the salmon fillet - at least to one end of it, then remember which end is for baby!
How to Serve to Babies & Toddlers
You can give them a square piece of pie to pick up and eat. Alternatively, and for toddlers, flake up the pastry and the salmon into manageable pieces.
I’ve also added these notes to the bottom of the recipe so you have them to hand when you come to cook.
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Simple Salmon En Croûte
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 large leek, white & light green part quartered lengthways then sliced 1 cm & washed, see note 2
- 150 g pack Boursin Garlic & Herb cream cheese
- 2 puff pastry ready rolled sheets
- 500 - 600 g boneless fillet of salmon, skinned
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 egg lightly beaten
See notes for baby & toddler
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220ºc/200ºf/425ºf/gas 7. Take your ready rolled puff pastry sheets out of the fridge.
- Melt the butter a medium saucepan over a medium-low heat until bubbling, then add in the leeks. Fry for 5 minutes, stirring often and not allowing to brown. Take off the heat and stir through Boursin cheese until melted.
- Roll out one pastry sheet and carefully tip the leek mixture into middle. Level out into roughly the same shape and size of your salmon fillet. Top with the salmon. Sprinkle over a little salt and pepper.
- Egg wash around the pastry edges and lay the second pastry sheet over the salmon fillet. Trim off any excess pastry at both ends, leaving about a 1 inch border around the salmon. If you’ve gone for a larger salmon fillet, there may not be anything to trim.
- Either go around the edges with a fork to seal (quickest way) or use your fingers to crimp the edges (see video above).
- Then brush the pastry top with the egg. Using a sharp knife, make a cross or V shape in the centre so the steam can escape.
- Transfer to the bottom shelf of the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the pastry has gone dark golden brown and the bottom looks cooked.
Mo says
Sounds good but what if you do use watercress. How much do you use and wont it go mushy.
togethertoeat says
I have done it once before with an 80g bag of watercress which worked well. Fry it in the same way as the leeks, but until just wilted. The texture will be fine, similar to cooked spinach.
Mo says
I am going to make this tomorrow for Valentines Day. It is a pity I cannot see your video.