Use a small knife to cut a slit in each salmon fillet lengthwise to create a pocket. Cut all the way through the middle, but don’t cut through the ends.

Pat the salmon dry with paper towels. Brush with olive oil and the lemon juice for baking, or use lemon juice only for pan searing. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a small skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and sauté until wilted, about 1-2 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

Once cooled, squeeze out any excess liquid from the spinach. In a medium bowl, combine the spinach, minced garlic, cream cheese, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Stir until combined.

Divide the mixture into 4 portions and stuff each salmon fillet with the filling.

For stovetop cooking: In a cast iron skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the stuffed salmon and sear for 5-6 minutes, until the salmon is mostly opaque on the bottom half. Flip gently and sear for an additional 3-6 minutes.

For oven cooking: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place stuffed salmon fillets in a baking dish and bake for 10-15 minutes.

Cook until the salmon internal temperature reaches 125 degrees F for medium rare, 130 degrees F for medium, 135 degrees F for medium well, or 140-145 degrees F for well done.