This Creamy Salmon Pasta is the perfect dinner. Bursting with flavor with a lemony, garlic butter cream sauce and large flaky salmon chunks. It's sophisticated enough to serve for special occasions, but also straightforward and easy to make for a weeknight meal!
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This recipe steals the show and is nice and filling. Pasta is a go-to in our household since it's so versatile and everyone always loves it. This recipe is fabulous in that you can make the sauce while the salmon roasts, then toss it all together!
Looking for more yummy fish and seafood pasta dishes? Try this chicken and shrimp carbonara, this lobster pasta, or this squid ink pasta with calamari!
You may also like these baked crab legs, this steak and lobster dinner, or this butter poached lobster!
For more salmon recipes, try this tasty salmon bruschetta, this pesto butter salmon, or this Cajun salmon pasta.
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❤️Why we love this recipe
- Elegant. This recipe is refined enough for date night or Valentine's Day, it's certainly a show-stopper! Tender salmon in a flavorful garlicky, lemony creamy sauce. It's very decadent and supremely delicious! A restaurant-quality meal at home is easier than you think.
- Also great for family meals. This delicious pasta dish will also be loved by your whole family! It's a perfect weeknight meal packed with protein and flavor.
- Simple recipe. After a little prep work, you make the cream sauce and pasta while the salmon roasts in the oven. Toss everything together and you're set to go! This recipe is ready in 45 minutes or less, so it's a sure winner.
- Made with simple ingredients. All of the necessary ingredients for this salmon pasta dish can be found at your local grocery store, if you don't already have them on hand.
🍝Ingredients
Here are the ingredients we used for this recipe. You can find more information for substitutions below.
- Salmon fillets - You can get skinless salmon if you prefer, but since we roast the salmon in the oven, it's easy to remove the skin from the salmon after cooking. We recommend using high-quality, wild-caught salmon for the best flavor. We used sockeye salmon that packs a big punch of flavor. This guide helps determine which type of salmon to use depending on your preferences!
- Spice blend - We use a mixture of red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper, thyme, garlic powder, and onion powder. Season to taste. We like a little heat along with some smokiness and herbaceous notes. Feel free to leave things out as you see fit.
- Pasta of choice & pasta water - We recommend a bit of a thicker noodle, like fettuccine, linguine, or pappardelle since we have such a heavy cream-based sauce and thick chunks of salmon. Cook al dente according to the package directions. You can use whatever pasta you prefer. Make sure to save the salty pasta water, as this will help the sauce cling to the noodles and is great for reheating the pasta if there are leftovers.
- White wine - Choose something dry and citrusy, like sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio. Avoid oaky chardonnays.
- Parmesan cheese - Freshly grate the cheese yourself so it melts properly. Pre-shredded cheese has additives that prevent it from melting easily.
- Baby spinach - Optional, but adds some veggies and flavor.
Visit the recipe card for the full quantities and nutritional information.
✨Substitutions & variations
Here are a few suggestions on additional flavors to try, or simple variations to this recipe.
- Dairy free - Swap heavy cream for canned coconut milk or cream, use a dairy-free parmesan cheese substitute, and swap the butter for olive oil.
- Swap the white wine - Don't have white wine or prefer not to use it? No problem. Use chicken broth or seafood stock instead.
- Use leftover salmon - If you already cooked salmon the day before and you're looking for a new way to enjoy it, this is the perfect dish to transform your leftovers!
- Cajun - For a cajun flair to this dish, use your favorite cajun seasoning.
- Tomato - Add tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes for even more flavor. If you really want a punch of tomato flavor, add some tomato paste when sauteeing the garlic and onions.
- Add Italian seasoning - Feel free to swap in Italian seasoning for oregano and thyme if you prefer.
- Add fresh herbs - Add some fresh parsley or fresh basil for more herbaceous flavor.
- Gluten free - Use your favorite gluten-free pasta or pasta substitute. Please note, gluten-free pasta may lack starch, so you may need to add more parmesan cheese or even a little cream cheese to thicken up the creamy garlic sauce.
- Keto friendly - Use your favorite keto pasta substitute like zucchini noodles! All of the other ingredients in this recipe are naturally keto-friendly.
🔪Prep work
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Dice onion.
- Mince the garlic cloves.
- Pull any pin bones out of the salmon with fish bone tweezers. (affiliate link)
- Pat the salmon dry with paper towels.
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, add 2-3 tablespoons of kosher salt per pound of pasta, and cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. For best results, we recommend cooking the pasta for the lowest amount of time suggested, as it will finish cooking into the sauce. Make sure to reserve 2 cups of pasta water. Drain pasta and don't rinse! You can toss the cooked pasta with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent the noodles from sticking together.
- Measure out all remaining ingredients.
- Preheat a large skillet over medium heat.
📋Instructions
Place the salmon skin side down on a prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, mix together the seasoning blend of red pepper flakes, black pepper, smoked paprika, oregano, thyme, cayenne, garlic powder, and onion powder. Set aside. (Image 1)
Drizzle the salmon with olive oil and lemon juice. Season salmon with salt, lemon zest, and roughly half of the seasoning blend. Coat the salmon well on all sides. Press lightly to adhere the seasonings to the salmon. (Image 2)
Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until salmon reaches an internal temperature of 145°F, and set aside. (Image 3)
Meanwhile, while the salmon roasts, make the cream sauce. Add olive oil and butter to melt. Then, add the onion and a good pinch of salt. Cook until onion is softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. (Image 4)
Add in the remaining butter, along with the garlic, the remaining dried seasonings, and lemon zest. Cook for 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant, stirring often to ensure the garlic doesn't burn. As soon as the garlic is fragrant, immediately deglaze the pan with white wine. (Image 5)
Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer immediately. Cook for 3-5 minutes to cook off the alcohol.
Now, reduce to low heat, then pour in the cream. (Image 6)
Add in freshly grated parmesan cheese in small handfuls, stirring to melt completely before adding more cheese. (Image 7)
Continue stirring over low heat and adding the cheese until a creamy sauce forms. (Image 8)
Once the sauce has formed, add in the optional spinach with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of pasta water. (Image 9)
Stir to wilt. (Image 10)
Add the cooked pasta to the pan along with fresh lemon juice, and another drizzle of pasta water. Toss until the sauce coats the noodles then remove from the heat. (Image 11)
Break the roasted salmon into large chunks using a fork, then place it on top of the pasta. Garnish with more parmesan cheese, fresh herbs, and lemon slices. Enjoy!
✨Tips & tricks
- Don't overcook the salmon. Salmon cooks pretty quickly, and overcooked salmon is dry and flavorless. Cook until it's done, then remove from the oven. Salmon is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.
- Don't overcook the pasta. You want the noodles to be firm and al dente when you finish cooking them, because the noodles will absorb some of the sauce. If you overcook the pasta, the noodles will become mushy and fall apart.
- Don't allow the cream sauce to boil. This will curdle the sauce and you'll have to start from scratch. Once the cream is added, keep the stovetop on low heat, stir often, and don't walk away from it.
- Add the lemon juice LAST! This important. We like to add it after the pasta has been added. Since lemon juice is so acidic, it can make the cheesy cream sauce separate.
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💭Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop with by adding the pasta to a large skillet over medium-low heat. Stir often, and gently stream in leftover pasta water or stock to help loosen up the noodles.
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📖 Recipe
Creamy Salmon Pasta
Equipment
- large stock pot
- microplane (for zesting lemon)
Ingredients
Seasoning blend
- 1.5 teaspoons thyme
- 1.5 teaspoons oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional and to taste)
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional and to taste)
Salmon
- 2 pounds salmon
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium lemon, juice and zest
Cream sauce and pasta
- 1 pound linguine, cooked and drained (or noodle of choice)
- 2 cups reserved pasta water
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided (to taste)
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium lemon, zest
- 1.5 cups white wine (use something dry and citrusy like pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc)
- 1.5 cups heavy cream
- 4 ounces parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 5 ounces baby spinach (optional)
- 1 medium lemon, juiced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pull any pin bones out of the salmon with fish bone tweezers. Pat the salmon dry with paper towel.
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, add 2-3 tablespoons of kosher salt per pound of pasta, and cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. For best results, we recommend cooking the pasta for the lowest amount of time suggested, as it will finish cooking into the sauce. Make sure to reserve 2 cups of pasta water. Drain pasta and don't rinse! You can toss the cooked pasta with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent the noodles from sticking together.
- Mix the seasoning blend together in a small bowl and set aside.
- Place the salmon skin side down on a prepared baking sheet. Drizzle the salmon with olive oil and lemon juice. Season salmon with salt, about half of the seasoning blend, and the lemon zest. Coat the salmon well on all sides. Bake the salmon for 12-15 minutes, or until salmon reaches an internal temperature of 145°F, and set aside.
- Meanwhile, make the cream sauce. Add olive oil and butter to melt. Then, add the onion and a good pinch of salt. Cook until onion is softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add in the remaining butter, along with the garlic, the remaining dried seasonings, and lemon zest. Cook for 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant, stirring often to ensure the garlic doesn't burn. As soon as the garlic is fragrant, immediately deglaze the pan with white wine. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer immediately. Cook for 3-5 minutes to cook off the alcohol.
- Reduce to low heat, then pour in the cream. Add in freshly grated parmesan cheese in small handfuls, stirring to melt completely before adding more cheese until a sauce forms. This should take about 3-5 minutes.
- Now, add in the spinach with a pinch of salt, and stir to wilt. Slowly drizzle in pasta water to help wilt the spinach and form the sauce.
- Add the cooked pasta to the pan along with fresh lemon juice, and a little more pasta water. Toss until the sauce coats the noodles then remove from the heat.
- Break the roasted salmon into large chunks using a fork, then place it on top of the pasta. Garnish with more parmesan cheese, fresh herbs, and lemon slices. Enjoy!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Do not freeze.
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Notes
- Don't overcook the salmon. Salmon cooks pretty quickly, and overcooked salmon is dry and flavorless. Cook until it's done, then remove from the oven.
- Don't overcook the pasta. You want the noodles to be firm and al dente when you finish cooking them, because the noodles will absorb some of the sauce. If you overcook the pasta, the noodles will become mushy and fall apart.
- Don't allow the cream sauce to boil. This will curdle the sauce and you'll have to start from scratch. Once the cream is added, keep the stovetop on low heat, stir often, and don't walk away from it.
- Add the lemon juice LAST! This important. We like to add it after the pasta has been added. Since lemon juice is so acidic, it can make the cheesy cream sauce separate.
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