Salmon Pasta

Need a new recipe idea for date night? Salmon Pasta is a 30-minute skillet meal that will be perfect! Pan-seared salmon in a rich and tangy parmesan cream sauce is a beautiful, delicious, and easy meal to make.

Creamy alfredo sauces are irresistable, and when paired with savory salmon filets and pasta – well, forget about it! I could probably eat this whole pan by myself.

It’s much better to share though, and this seafood pasta is a great one to cook for date night. You could also try making Lobster Pasta or Garlic Shrimp Pasta. All three of these recipes are similar but perfectly seasoned to match the type of seafood included.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

1. Easy Recipe with Minimal Ingredients – While you could add veggies or other flavors to this dish, I love it just like this, with a garlic and lemon cream sauce and lots of freshly grated parmesan cheese.
2. Ready in under 30 minutes – You can cook this meal in the same amount of time that it takes to boil water and cook pasta! While the pasta is cooking, the salmon and sauce is made, and then it’s all put together before serving.
3. A Delicious Seafood Pasta Dish – Salmon Pasta is super creamy, savory from the garlic and parmesan, and has just the right amount of acidity from fresh lemon juice. Everyone is going to love this dish!
4. Perfect for Date Night – This recipe serves 2-4 people, so it’s the perfect one to make and share with someone you love. After all, the way to someone’s heart is often through their stomach!

Ingredients In Creamy Salmon Pasta

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

• Pasta: Linguine is gorgeous in this dish, but you can use any type of past you enjoy.
• Salmon: Use fresh salmon or frozen salmon that you’ve thawed. Remove the skin before cooking.
• Salt and Pepper: Season the salmon before adding it to the pan.
• Butter: We’ll pan-fry the salmon in butter to give it a beautiful crust, and start building the decadent sauce.
• Heavy Cream: If you’re in the UK, this is called double cream. This is what makes the sauce nice and creamy.
• Garlic, Lemon Juice, Parmesan Cheese: These are the classic flavors of this dish. Use fresh garlic, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and parmesan cheese that you’ve grated from a wedge.

How To Make Salmon Pasta

1. Cook Pasta: In a medium-sized saucepan with salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. When the pasta is cooked, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta.
2. Meanwhile, cook the Salmon: Season the fillets with salt and pepper and heat butter in a non-stick skillet. Cook the salmon on all sides until the internal temperature reaches 145°F/62°C. Remove onto a plate and keep warm.

1. Make the Parmesan Cream Sauce: Add garlic to the same skillet, and cook for 30 seconds until it’s fragrant. Then deglaze the pan with ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water, scraping up any bits of flavor stuck to the pan. Add the heavy cream, lemon juice, and parmesan cheese. Let the sauce bubble until it becomes smooth and thick.
2. Adjust the Sauce: At this point, taste the sauce. Add salt and pepper if needed. You can also add a bit more pasta water if you think the sauce is too thick.
3. Mix and Serve: Add the cooked pasta and cooked salmon to the sauce, and gently break the salmon into bite-sized pieces. Toss to combine. Serve immediately with fresh parsley, more grated parmesan, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Recipe Tips

• Cook the pasta to al dente. Avoid overcooking the pasta. It will cook further when you add it to the sauce, so your final dish will end up mushy.
• It’s very important to save some of the pasta water before you pour it down the drain! The starchy water helps make the sauce silky and rich, and you may need extra to thin out the sauce at the end.
• Wondering about the white spots?  The slimy bits of white stuff coming out of your salmon while it cooks are called albumin, and they are totally harmless. While it might lot look appealing, it’s just protein coming to the surface. Once the salmon is mixed into the pasta, you won’t see it anyways.
• Try with extra garlic or spice. If you really enjoy garlic, feel free to increase it to 4 cloves instead of just 3. A pinch of crushed red pepper is also a tasty way to add some spicy flavor.
• Perfect for 2 or 4. Technically this recipe makes four servings (2 ounces of pasta per person), but if you want to make the portions larger, it’s perfect for two people.

Storing Tips

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To reheat, add a splash of water and heat on the stove over low heat until hot.

What To Serve With Salmon Pasta

Salad: a healthy green salad is the perfect easy side dish to pair with a rich, savory pasta like this one. Try a simple tossed green salad with homemade vinaigrette, or give the extra effort and assemble a delicious wedge salad with bacon and blue cheese.

Veggies: Instead of salad, cook up your favorite green vegetables to serve with salmon and pasta. The air fryer cooks up asparagus or your favorite mix of fresh vegetables in just minutes.

Bread: You’ll want to have some bread on hand to wipe your plate clean. You don’t want to waste a drop of this delicious cream sauce! copycat Olive Garden breadsticks are easy and delicious or try making homemade bread in your breadmaker for the occasion.

Don’t forget dessert! Serve a slice of rich New York style cheesecake, or chocolate covered strawberries after the meal.

FAQs

You are going to love this easy Salmon Pasta recipe! Make it for date night, or enjoy it with the whole family, and be sure to Pin the recipe.