➤ Introduction for Creamy Salmon Pasta Recipe

I’m not going to lie, I totally love making this creamy salmon pasta – it honestly is my go-to dish for something that feels blasted fancy but can be done quickly without spending hours in the kitchen. There’s something about salmon – it immediately starts breaking down in your mouth, condensing into a flavourful bite that dances with the creamy and silky sauce.

What I am truly excited about is that the garlic and white wine make this excellent base – the cream mixes in and it somehow turns into something quite worthy of a higher end restaurant. The fresh dill really takes this over the top too as it adds fresh minimalist herbaceous brightness and tang to cut through any richness to balance the dish.

I came across this Creamy Salmon Pasta after too many miserable attempts in restaurants eating too-expensive-on-my-budget pasta that I knew I could do better than. Not saying it would be easy, but now I can ultimately choose the exact salmon I want, get the pasta texture I like, and adjust my lemon and parmesan to be just right as I try to embody that (absurd) balance of creamy and bright.

➤ Why I Love This Creamy Salmon Pasta Recipe

• I’m shocked at how Creamy Salmon Pasta this creates restaurant-quality food with grocery ingredients. The simple techniques yield something that tastes so fancy!
• It’s easy to get this Creamy Salmon Pasta on the table in 30 minutes, which is a bonus for busy weeknights and entertaining nights. It’s great to impress people without any stress!
• And I feel good serving something that’s actually comfort food but also good for you with the omega-3s and protein. I love to switch up the herbs, veggies, or pasta shapes as it is huge adaptable to the ingredients I have on hand.

➤ Creamy Salmon Pasta Recipe Ingredients

For the salmon:

•approximately 1 pound of fresh salmon (remove the skin and cut it into bite-size cubes, about an inch)
•A couple glugs of olive oil – ballpark estimate of about 2 tablespoons
•Salt and black pepper – fresh ground is always preferable

For the pasta and sauce:

•12 ounces of fettuccine or penne (choose your fighter!)
•2 tablespoons of butter (don’t be a cheap ass)
•1 medium yellow onion, small-diced
•3 fresh garlic cloves, diced (or you could use jarred garlic – but please don’t)
•1/2 cup chicken broth
•1 cup heavy cream (you heard me? yes)
•1/2 cup(parmesan) halal certified (you can also use regular parm if that’s your only option)
•about 1/4 cup of fresh dill or 2 tablespoons of dried
•2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
•about 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional, but if you like the heat, why not? You only live once!)
•Salt, and some white pepper (to taste)

➤ How to Make Creamy Salmon Pasta Recipe

1 • Start the pasta:

•Take a larger pot of water – and yes, oil the pan with a good pinch of salt. Once the water is boiling, add in the pasta – follow the directions on the box until it is “al dente”. Here is a little tip for you: before draining your pasta, take a + cup of the starchy pasta water. Hold onto this tip for later! Put the pasta to the side.

2 • The salmon:

•Take your pieces of salmon and pat them down aggressively with a paper towel to get it dry. After patting it down, season it heavily – salt and pepper. A larger skillet is best for this. Add olive oil to the skillet and put over medium-high heat. The oil is hot and ready if you see it shimmer or dance.

3 • Now let’s get that sear:

•place your salmon into the pan fairly gently and carefully. When you add seafood to a hot pan you need to be careful not to overcrowd, give the salmon room to breathe. We are going to cook the salmon 3-4 minutes per side. You are looking for the salmon to be golden brown on both sides to ensure it is cooked through. If you have a thermometer, you are looking for 145F, which is well-done.

4 • Making the sauce:

•I just keep the same pan – don’t waste the tasty stuff, just stuck to the bottom yet. I turn the heat to medium, and add the butter. Once melted and bubbling, I add my diced onion, and stir. I let it cook for about 3 or 4 minutes, stirring now and again, until the onion becomes soft and kind of see-through. When that happens, I know we can move onto the next step.

5 • It’s time for the garlic: Now, I throw some minced garlic in and constantly stir it because it will burn quickly! I cook the garlic for about a minute until my kitchen smells divine. You will know when it’s done – it will smell like garlic in your kitchen!

6 • Getting all of that goodness: Now I pour in my chicken broth, and for deglazing, I use my spoon to scrape all of those wonderful brown bits from the bottom of the pan – that’s where all of the flavor is! I let it boil for about 2-3 minutes until it reduces by half.

7 • Making it creamy: I pour in the heavy cream and gently bring it to a simmer – not a rolling boil – just a gentle simmer. I let it cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until I can see that the sauce is thickening a bit.

8 • Bringing it together: I put my cooked pasta back in the pan and gently toss everything together so that each piece of pasta is coated with the creamy sauce, and then I gently put those beautiful pieces of salmon in. Everything is coming together now!

9 • Thefinishing touches for Creamy Salmon Pasta :

•I remove it from the heat and add my halal cheese, fresh dill, a good squeeze of lemon juice, and those red pepper flakes if I’m feeling spicy. I gently toss everything together, and this is wherethat pasta water comes into play- I add a little at a time until I get the sauce the way I want it. Not too thick and not too thin.

10 • Ready to eat: I give Creamy Salmon Pasta a taste and add more salt or white pepper to taste if it needs it. I serve it up right away while it is still steaming hot. There’s nothing worse than lukewarm pasta!

➤ Creamy Salmon Pasta Recipe Tips & Variations

• If I do not have any fresh salmon, I will substitute whatever I have – leftover salmon from last night’s dinner works well, or I will choose some smoked salmon from the deli. If price is a concern, I have used good canned salmon and it still tastes good.
• Sometimes when I want something less rich, I will take out the heavy cream and use half and half, or I will use some regular milk with cream cheese – it still gets creamy but does not feel heavy like that.

➤ Serving Suggestions for Creamy Salmon Pasta Recipe

• I usually pour myself a glass of crisp white wine – my choice is Sauvignon Blanc but Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay do the same job too – there is something about that crisp wine that breaks through all that creamy richness perfectly
• If I’m feeling fancy, I will steam some asparagus or roast up Brussels sprouts in the oven. Sautéed green beans are also a win – super quick and delightful crunch.
• If I’m having a date or entertaining I love to have a light soup to start or even just make some bruschetta. It makes it feel like a ‘dinner’ dinner party vs ‘I just whipped this up on a week day’ thing for my guests, even if it’s a Tuesday night!

If you enjoyed this Creamy Salmon Pasta, please try my recipe for a brine for smoked salmon next. It is only a few simple ingredients, and you will be amazed with the smoky flavor – which is great for brunch or appetizers. Once you do your own, you won’t buy it from the store again!

➤ Storage and Leftovers

• If I have leftovers, I’ll warm them in a skillet over low heat and add a little cream, milk, or a bit of the pasta water I saved to get back to a creamy texture.
• I can keep this in airtight containers in the fridge for two to three days, but I wouldn’t freeze it because the cream sauce gets all weird and separated when it thaws.
• Honestly, the dish tastes best fresh, and cream sauces can be tricky if reheated multiple times.

➤ Creamy Salmon Pasta Recipe FAQs

Q: Can I use frozen salmon for this recipe?

⤷ A: Yes, 100% – just make sure, that it is completely thawed first and you pat it as dry as possible with paper towels, if there is too much moisture it can steam rather than get a good sear.

Q: Can I make it dairy-free?

⤷ A: Of course! I just substitute coconut cream for the heavy cream and use nutritional yeast instead of parmesan. The flavor is different, but still really good!

Q: How do I prevent the cream sauce from curdling?

⤷ A: You can prevent the cream from curdling if you keep the heat at medium or lower when you add the cream and don’t let it bubble too vigorously. If it begins boiling violently, it may separate on you.

Q: Can I double the Creamy Salmon Pasta recipe if I’m serving it for a dinner party, and will the Creamy Salmon Pasta still taste as good as it does when I make a single portion of Creamy Salmon Pasta?

⤷ A: Yes! You can absolutely double it! I’ve made large and extra large batches of Creamy Salmon Pasta before for parties! Just make sure to use a larger skillet, or do it in 2 pans. So it may slightly alter the timing, but for the most part, it remains the same timing. You may wish to cook the salmon in batches, just to not overcrowd the pan (because salmon will sweat, lose flavor, and become flat/overcooked). It will take a minute or two longer to evaporate additionally water due to the additional cream in the sauce, but it will be just the same creamy and delicious meal!