Salmon Pasta
Mildly spicy, delicious salmon pasta is loaded with fresh salmon, sun-dried tomatoes, and healthy greens. Irresistibly creamy, cheesy, and brimming with lovely Cajun flavors. This exquisite dinner is ready in 30 minutes!
Salmon isn’t just packed with nutrients, but it’s also delicious whether fried, grilled, or roasted. Salmon makes a great topping for salad, and you can also add it to dips. A fast, easy, and fancy dinner perfect for the whole family or a cozy date night.
In fact, it’s so versatile that you can add it to almost any dish, like pasta, salads, casseroles, and soups. Take this amazing salmon pasta, for example.
Why This Creamy Salmon Pasta Recipe Works
The authentic Cajun flavors and a citrusy zing give it flavor, but the creamy sauce makes it. Umami and creamy in the same dish deliver a satisfying meal, and then vegetables make it one-meal dish. What could be better?
How to Make Salmon Pasta
- Pasta – Cook the pasta per package directions in a large pot of salted water until al dente. (Photo 1)
- Salmon – Lightly season the salmon fillets with Creole seasoning, salt, and pepper. (Photo 2)
- Cook – Heat the olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the salmon for 2 minutes per side. (Photo 3)
- Set Aside – Take the fish out of the pan and set it aside. Reduce the stove’s heat to medium.
- Start Sauce – Add the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and Dijon mustard to the pan. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Sauce Base – Add the heavy cream, chicken stock, lemon juice, Cajun seasoning, and salt. Stir until smooth. (Photo 4)
- Drain and toss the pasta into the cream sauce with the spinach. Stir and cook for about a minute to soak up the sauce. Add a little pasta water if it’s too thick. (Photo 5)
- Assemble – Add salmon (flake the salmon or leave it as is). Adjust seasonings to taste. (Photo 6)
- Serve – Remove it from the heat. Garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese and optional red pepper flakes. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- Add more veggies, like zucchini, butternut, broccoli, bell peppers, olives, and carrots.
- Make it vegetarian with oyster or portabella mushrooms.
- Using the lemon zest is a great way to reduce waste. Zest it before juicing and add it to the sauce with the cream.
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
Cook the pasta, sauce, and salmon up to three days ahead, then store them separately. Assemble them in a saucepan, heat through, and serve.
Store leftover salmon pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You could freeze it for a couple of months, but the texture will be different.
FAQs
Fresh salmon is the best option. But, of course, canned salmon works, especially when you don’t have the time for a run to the grocery store. Plus, canned salmon is a decent substitute for making our salmon pasta recipe anytime you need a quick pasta fix.
Season the salmon with salt, pepper, and your choice of seasoning (you can do this the day before to save time). It’s that easy. Salmon cooks quickly, leading to the next question.
Cooking time varies depending on the size and thickness of your salmon fillets. My salmon fillets only took a few minutes since I cut them small.
Perfect Pairings For Salmon Pasta
Pasta salad is a great one-dish meal, but it does enjoy having company. Bacon-wrapped asparagus and garlic knots are fabulous sides. Easy lemon bars are a light dessert and go great with ginger tea.
More Easy Pasta Recipes to Try
- Creamy Mushroom Pasta
- Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Shrimp Alfredo Recipe
- Chicken Alfredo
- Lobster Mac and Cheese
By Imma
Watch How to Make It
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This blog post was originally published in February 2022 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video
Salmon Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 8-ounce package uncooked pasta
- 1 pound (450g) fresh salmon
- 1-2 teaspoons (4-10g) Creole seasoning (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1-2 tablespoons (15-30ml) olive oil
- 2 tablespoons (28g) butter
- ⅓ cup (100g) sun-dried tomatoes
- 2-3 teaspoons (10-15g) minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon (15g) Dijon mustard
- 1½ cup (360ml) heavy cream
- ½-1 cup (120-240ml) vegetable stock or chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon (12g) Cajun seasoning
- 1-2 cups (30-60g) spinach or mixed greens
- salt and pepper to taste
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese to taste
Instructions
- Boil a large pot of salted water for the pasta, then cook it al dente according to package directions (or take it off the heat a minute or two before the package says). Start the sauce about 10 minutes before the pasta is ready.
- Lightly season the salmon with Creole seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Heat the oil and butter in a skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the salmon for 2 minutes per side.
- Take the fish out of the pan and set it aside. Reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and Dijon mustard to the pan. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Add the cream, chicken stock, lemon juice, Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper to the pan. Stir until the sauce is smooth.
- Toss the drained pasta with the sauce and spinach. Cook it for about a minute to soak up the sauce, adding more stock if it's too thick.
- Then add salmon and break it up or leave it as is, as desired. Adjust seasonings to taste.
- Remove it from the heat. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Tips & Notes:
- Freshly grated parmesan is more flavorful and has a better texture than pre-shredded parmesan. But it’s not a deal-breaker if that’s what you have.
- Thin or thicken your sauce according to your preferred consistency. Adding more broth or stock will thin the sauce, and simmering it longer will thicken it. Or add a cornstarch slurry if it’s too watery.
- Reserve your pasta water. It thins your sauce if it’s too thick and makes it stick to the pasta better.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used in the recipe.
This is Great. Love it. Will make again
Awesome! Thank you for taking the time to comment, Louis. Please stay tuned for more recipes. 🙂
Excellent very good and quick….I made exactly as instructed…My husband says a definite repeat.
Awesome! I’m glad this gets a nod from you. And thank you for taking the time to comment.