Gluten Free Salmon Piccata

Get a healthy dose of omega-3 fats with this quick and delicious Gluten Free Salmon Piccata.  This gluten-free dish is fresh, lemony, and salty and comes together in under 20 minutes.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• How to Make Gluten Free Salmon Piccata
• Variations
• Food Safety
• Helpful tips
• Storage Instructions
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Serving Suggestions
• Nutrition
• Need More Healthy Salmon Recipes to Get You Through The Week?
• Gluten Free Salmon Piccata

Piccata is a popular dish that typically consists of meat prepared in a lemony sauce with butter and capers. It is commonly served over a generous bowl of pasta and garnished with fresh parsley and lemon slices.

This Salmon Piccata boasts all those fresh flavors and more. It’s easy to make on busy weeknights yet fancy enough to impress your guests at the next dinner party. You can have a healthy meal on the table in 20 minutes with only seven basic ingredients. 

Drizzle the light lemony wine sauce over the salmon right before serving. And don’t be tempted to skip the capers - they add amazing briny flavor, and piccata is not the same without these delightful morsels. 

Ready for an easy dinner that will become one of your favorite weeknight recipes?

Ingredients

This gluten-free salmon dinner comes together with seven common ingredients, salt, pepper, and garnish.

• Salmon - skinless salmon fillets are best; for maximum health benefits and if budget allows, use wild salmon
• Olive oil - extra virgin olive oil is a great option; I get mine from Costco
• Gluten-free flour - I prefer Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 gluten-free flour blend
• Dry white wine - a great choice is Sauvignon Blanc
• Lemon juice - fresh lemon juice is ideal, but bottled lemon juice works too
• Capers - this is the star of any piccata dish, and you don’t want to skip it
• Unsalted Butter - adds incredible richness and flavor to the overall dish
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• Fresh Parsley and Lemon - great as a finishing touch for garnish

How to Make Gluten Free Salmon Piccata

This easy salmon piccata recipe comes together quickly in one pan. The printable recipe is in the recipe card for your convenience.

Step 1.

Pat dry salmon with a paper towel. Season salmon fillets with salt and pepper on both sides.

Step 2. 

Add gluten-free flour onto a large plate and dredge the fresh salmon fillets in flour on both sides. Shake to remove excess.

Step 3.

Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat.

Step 4.

Cook salmon for about two minutes per side.

Step 5. 

While salmon cooks, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Reduce to medium heat and add garlic to the hot pan. Cook for a minute.

Step 6.

Add lemon juice, wine, and capers and stir gently to combine any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook lemon caper sauce with salmon over medium-low for about 6 minutes or until salmon is cooked through.

Step 7.

Add butter and gently stir the delicious piccata sauce until combined.

Step 8.

Spoon sauce over salmon and serve with chopped parsley and fresh lemon slices. You can also add some lemon zest to increase the bright flavor. 

Variations

This easy salmon recipe is gluten-free and sugar-free. But consider making simple modifications to make it suitable for any diet.

• Dairy-free: substitute ghee for butter or use all olive oil
• Whole30: omit the flour completely; substitute ghee for butter or use all olive oil; omit wine and use all chicken broth 
• Paleo: omit the flour completely; for true paleo, use ghee in place of butter.
• Low-Carb and Keto: omit the flour completely; follow the rest of the recipe as written

Food Safety

Pan-frying salmon typically takes approximately 5-7 minutes, so you don’t want to leave it on the heat for too long. But cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the salmon. A good rule of thumb to remember when cooking salmon is the color will change from translucent to opaque when it’s done. Additionally, salmon should flake easily with a fork when cooked through. 

Overcooked salmon is dry, rubbery, and unpleasant in taste or texture, but you also don’t want undercooked salmon. Keep in mind that the internal temperature of salmon will continue to rise even after taking it off the heat. If using a food thermometer to test for doneness, the internal temperature of salmon should be 125 degrees Fahrenheit. (source)

Helpful tips

This easy one-pan meal is pretty simple on its own. But consider these helpful tips for best results:

• Pat dry salmon with a paper towel to remove excess liquid. The flour will adhere to the fillets easier, creating a nice crust when pan-fried. The more moisture on the fish, the more it will steam. 
• You can conveniently use store-bought bottled lemon juice to make the creamy lemon sauce. 
• Don’t overcook the salmon. It will continue to cook using residual heat, so keep a close eye on it.
• This recipe doesn’t make a lot of sauce. However, add more wine or chicken broth to create more flavor and increase the sauce. 

Storage Instructions

Leftover gluten-free salmon piccata can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days in the refrigerator. 

Reheat it in the microwave until warmed through. Alternatively, you can enjoy leftover salmon piccata chilled over a salad for an easy lunch the next day. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is piccata sauce made of?

Piccata is a light and refreshing sauce containing butter, lemon juice, capers, and garlic. It’s a great recipe to go with light protein like chicken to make a chicken piccata recipe or salmon like in this dish. 

What is the best gluten free flour for salmon piccata?

The closest gluten-free flour blend in taste and texture to regular flour is Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour. It does not produce grainy results but coats the salmon very well. The best part is it’s a great gluten-free alternative that works well with all types of breading. 

What wine is best for piccata?

A dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc is best for piccata sauce. It boasts bright citrus and herbal notes and pairs wonderfully with the lemon and parsley. Other dry wines like Pinot Grigio and Pinot Blanc also work well. 

Serving Suggestions

This easy weeknight dinner is packed with flavor and nutrition and is excellent as is. But to make it a complete meal, serve it with your favorite side. Gluten-free pasta is always a lovely choice and pairs well with salmon piccata. But rice or potatoes will also work, as well as roast vegetables to keep the meal low-carb. Try this salmon with Roasted Sweet Potatoes or a seasonal salad like this Brussels Sprouts Salad.

Nutrition

Salmon is a great source of protein, healthy fats, and numerous vitamins and minerals. It’s readily available and incredibly versatile. Generally, wild salmon is higher in protein and lower in calories than farmed salmon, but either of those options is considered a nutritious food. (source)

A Gluten Free Chicken Piccata serving has only 176 calories and 9 grams of carbs. It also packs 23 grams of protein, making you feel fuller longer. It’s an excellent seafood dish that’s nutritious, easy to make, and fantastically delicious!

Need More Healthy Salmon Recipes to Get You Through The Week?

• Baked Teriyaki Salmon
• Sticky Maple Salmon
• Easy Honey Garlic Salmon
• Sheet Pan Salmon
• Salmon with Avocado Salsa

Adapted from a recipe in Dr. Oz The Good Life.