Creamy Salmon Pasta (Printable Copy)

Quick weeknight pasta with hot-smoked salmon in a rich, lemony cream sauce. Ready in 25 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz dried fettuccine or spaghetti
02 - Salt for pasta water

→ Sauce

03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped
06 - 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
07 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
08 - Zest and juice of 1 lemon
09 - Scant 1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking water
10 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste
11 - 5 oz hot-smoked salmon, flaked
12 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or flat-leaf parsley

# How to Make:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve scant 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.
02 - Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and shallot, sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until soft and fragrant.
03 - Stir in the heavy cream, Dijon mustard, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
04 - Add the flaked hot-smoked salmon and half of the chopped dill or parsley. Stir gently to warm through without breaking apart the salmon.
05 - Toss the drained pasta into the skillet. Add reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce to desired consistency. Sprinkle in the Parmesan cheese and toss until the pasta is evenly coated and the sauce is silky.
06 - Season with black pepper and adjust salt if needed. Serve immediately, topped with remaining herbs and extra lemon zest if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It genuinely tastes restaurant-quality but comes together faster than takeout delivery.
  • The hot-smoked salmon adds an unexpected depth that regular cooked fish never quite achieves.
  • One skillet means minimal cleanup, which matters more than any cookbook will admit.
02 -
  • If your sauce breaks or looks curdled when you add the cream, you went too hot—medium heat is genuinely the speed limit here.
  • The pasta water is not optional; it's what keeps a heavy cream sauce from feeling like you're eating butter, and it's the difference between good and actually silky.
03 -
  • Warm your serving bowls under hot water for 30 seconds before you plate—it keeps the sauce from cooling and seizing the moment you touch it.
  • Buy salmon from a fishmonger if you can; the heat-smoked version there tastes completely different from what's in tins, and it's worth the extra cost.
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