This easy pasta with salmon in a light lemon cream sauce works great for a quick weeknight dinner. Use leftover salmon to make meal prep even easier.
- Prep Time:
10 mins - Cook Time:
25 mins - Total Time:
35 mins
Don’t you love it when you go out in search of something and then you discover you had it all along? That is what happened with this recipe.
A few weeks ago I had some leftover salmon in the fridge that really needed to be eaten before it spoiled. I had roasted a large fillet to make some salmon guacamole bacon wraps earlier in the week for dinner and we had only eaten half of it. The other half was taunting me – challenging me to do something good with it. We had already had several healthy meals that week (like these black bean tostadas with green apple salsa) so I was ready for something more indulgent. I wanted pasta!
I went on-line in search of recipes for pasta with salmon. However, everything I found called for at least 2 cups of cream and lots of butter. Now don’t get me wrong, I like a good cream sauce just as much as the next girl but swim suit season is coming soon and I was not feeling THAT indulgent.
I was about to give up on the endeavor when I remembered that I had a great recipe for shrimp and angel hair pasta in a light cream sauce. Why not replace the shrimp with the salmon and the angel hair with pappardelle to soak up the sauce? With only 1/4 cup cream, I knew I had a winner.
Indulgence without the guilt – gotta love it.
Tips for making lemon pasta with salmon
- Use heavy cream. Although this is a heathly-ish pasta recipe, it is not without some cream. Using the full fat version (it’s only a 1/4 cup) will help the sauce thicken and prevent it from separating.
- Reduce the heat before adding the cream. The sauce should not be at an active simmer when the cream is added. Otherwise, the sauce may separate. Once the cream has been added, use a whisk to stir it in.
- Drain but don’t rinse the pasta. The starch on the pasta will help to thicken the sauce.
- Use freshly grated parmesan cheese. Pre-grated cheese is usually coated in something to prevent clumping (like cellulose powder) which will keep the cheese from melting smoothly.
Lemon Pasta with Salmon
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
This easy pasta with salmon in a light lemon cream sauce works great for a quick weeknight dinner. Use leftover salmon to make meal prep even easier.
Ingredients
- 1 pound salmon fillet
- Salt and pepper
- 8–9 ounces pappardelle pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 4 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
- Zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Prep. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cook salmon. Season salmon fillet with salt and pepper and place on a foil lined baking sheet. Roast salmon in oven for 15-20 minutes or until salmon is cooked through (see Note 1).
- Cook pasta. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling water, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain (but do not rinse).
- Make sauce. Wipe out the cooking pot with a paper towel and add the olive oil. Heat oil over medium-low heat. Add garlic and sauté until soft and fragrant, about 30-60 seconds. Add lemon juice and broth; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, whisk in cream, stirring to combine. Add in cheese and lemon zest; cook about 3 minutes to heat through but do not boil; taste and season with salt.
- Toss together. Add pasta to cream mixture and gently mix to evenly coat noodles. Continue to mix until the sauce thickens slightly and clings to pasta. Break the salmon into large chunks and gently stir into the pasta mixture.
Notes
- You can use left over roasted salmon if you have it. Skip the roasting step (obviously). You can either warm the salmon chunks in the microwave before adding it to the pasta and cream mixture or you can gently warm the salmon chunks in the hot cream sauce before adding in the pasta. Either way, just be gentle with the cooked salmon.
- Do not rinse the pasta when you drain it. The starch on the pasta helps to thicken the sauce.
- Use freshly grated parmesan cheese rather than pre-grated. Pre-grated cheese is usually coated in something to prevent clumping (like cellulose powder) which will keep the cheese from melting smoothly.
Liz says
I substituted sour cream for cream because I didn’t have any cream, worked well. The cheese also didn’t melt properly, which I’m pretty sure is because I used pre grated cheese. Used some cornstarch to thicken the sauce because I like a thicker sauce. Very tasty.
Nguyet says
I think this recipe really is forgiving. Even when the sauce separates or the cheese doesn’t melt smoothly, it still tastes great! Thank you for sharing your substitutions with us and for the 5-star review.
Jamie B says
Love this recipe. We’re GF so I make my own papardelle for it, and since I smoke a salmon filet a couple times a month, this is perfect for using up the leftovers. I’ve made it several times, last time I added 2 Tbsp of rinsed capers and wow it was good that way too! I know this is an older post but I wanted to thank you for the inspiration!
Taming of the Spoon says
I’m so happy this recipe inspired you!! I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you coming back to leave a positive comment and review!
URSULA THOMPSON says
Well, it used the remaining salmon and it tasted very nice, but sadly it was like soup!
Too much fluid, I suggest altering the amount of broth to perhaps a half a cup, and adding a tablespoon at a time if needed.
Bryan says
I also reduced the broth – to about 2/3 cup and let the pasta finish cooking in the cream/lemon-veg broth mix to thicken it up before adding the cheese and zest. I think your comment helped my dish turn out nicely. Best to you!
Christi Babington says
I made this dish last night and the sauce was so delicious. I would like to recommend adding the parmesan a little at a time. I added the entire amount (I doubled the recipe) at once and the cheese didn’t melt properly. Otherwise, I will definitely make this again.
Taming of the Spoon says
That is a great recommendation! Thanks for the tip and coming back to comment. I’m really happy you liked the recipe.