Pasta al Salmone
Creamy Salmon Pasta
Pasta al Salmone, done the proper Italian way, with just a little cream and tender flakes of salmon - no drowning your pasta in sauce... This recipe is easy, delicious, and exactly how a real Italian pasta should be. Believe us, you’ll have Pasta al Salmone on repeat in your kitchen!
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Pasta al Salmone, done the proper Italian way, with just a little cream and tender flakes of salmon - no drowning your pasta in sauce... This recipe is easy, delicious, and exactly how a real Italian pasta should be. Believe us, you’ll have Pasta al Salmone on repeat in your kitchen!
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Why We Love It!
- Quick & Easy: Pasta al Salmone is ready in just 30 minutes, making it a great choice for busy weeknights.
- Rich & Creamy: The creamy garlic sauce is rich without being too heavy, perfectly coating the pasta...
- Double Up: This recipe easily scales up, so whether you’re feeding four or ten, just double up on the ingredients and you’re good to go.
- Budget Friendly: This pasta recipe is a fantastic option when you want something special without breaking the bank.
- Easy-to-find ingredients: One of the best things is that it’s made with ingredients that you can find at any grocery store.
What Is Pasta al Salmone?
Cream rarely makes it onto our grocery list. In fact, we hardly ever cook with cream, but for Pasta al Salmone, we gladly make an exception. This dish is one of those feel-good meals that looks and tastes like something straight out of a fancy Italian restaurant, yet it’s easy to make at home. Pasta al Salmone is all about freshness and balance – using just enough cream to coat the pasta without overwhelming the other ingredients.
Pasta al Salmone is made with fresh, pan-fried tender salmon, a creamy garlic sauce, a touch of white wine, spinach and basil. But the secret to turning a reasonable pasta into a great pasta, is gently folding the pasta and salmon into the sauce just before serving. This way the pasta is beautifully dressed with just enough sauce and the delicate salmon flakes remain intact. It’s the way Italian mamas make it and how good Italian restaurants serve it!
Ingredients
Pasta al Salmone
left to right top to bottom – check our ‘Recipe’ card below for quantity info
- Shallot: Finely chopped shallot forms the base for the white wine sauce.
- Butter: We use unsalted butter, butter gives the sauce it’s rich silkiness.
- White Wine: Dry white wine like Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio are easy to find at the grocery store or maybe even in your fridge ;) – they’re great options for this recipe.
- Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated Parmesan is the best!
- Garlic: We use fresh cloves, they add lots of flavor without overpowering the dish.
- Lemon: Fresh lemon brightens up flavors and cuts through the richness of the sauce – simple but so effective!
- Spinach: We love adding plenty of spinach – it wilts down and lightens up the sauce, balancing the texture perfectly.
- Heavy Cream: It’s the heart of the sauce, making it luxurious.
- Olive Oil: Any good quality olive oil does the job.
- Basil: A finishing touch of basil makes Pasta al Salmone taste truly Italian.
- Pasta: Penne is our noodle of choice, it holds the sauce really well, but you can use whatever pasta shape you like.
- Sea Salt
- Black Pepper
- Salmon Filet: This recipe calls for really fresh salmon, boneless and skinless.
How To Make Pasta al Salmone
Boil
First, bring a big pot of salted water to the boil.
Chop & Rinse
While you’re waiting for the water to boil, peal and chop the shallots and garlic finely. Rinse the spinach and leave it to drain in a colander, letting it dry out a bit until you’re ready to use it.
Cook
Once the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente (firm to the bite). When ready, reserve some of the salted pasta water before draining. You might need it for the sauce, later on.
Sear
While the pasta is cooking, heat half of the olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Season the salmon filet with salt and black pepper, then sear it for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden and crispy on the outside but still pink inside. Remove the salmon from the pan and set it aside to cool slightly.
Sauté
Melt the butter and the rest of the olive oil in wide pan over medium heat. The olive oil prevents the butter from burning too quickly. Add the shallots and garlic, and sauté for 2 minutes until soft and fragrant.
Then, pour in the white wine and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes until reduced by half.
Add Cream
Once the wine has reduced, stir in the heavy cream. Let the sauce simmer gently over low heat for about 2-3 minutes until it thickens slightly. Season with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a little of the reserved pasta water.
Add Spinach & Basil
Now, stir in the fresh spinach and basil. Cook for just 1-2 minutes until the spinach wilts and the basil stays vibrant green.
Add Pasta & Salmon
Add the drained pasta to the sauce and gently fold everything together, making sure that the pasta is well coated.
And finally add in flakes of salmon - be careful not to break up the pieces to much.
Serve
Serving Tips & Pairings
- Salad: A simple green salad with a lemony dressing is a great side dish for this rich pasta.
- Garlic Bread: Warm garlic bread is perfect for mopping up any leftover sauce.
- Vegetables: Serve it with our grilled Espárragos or just some green beans for light, veggie-packed side.
- Drinks:
- Try it with our Limonata if you prefer a great alcohol-free pairing.
- Pair Pasta al Salmone with a crisp white wine like a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc to cut through the creaminess of the sauce.
Substitutions & Variations
- Smoked Salmon: For a little luxury, stir in some smoked salmon at the end, but be careful not to overcook it – it’s all about keeping those delicate slices of smoked salmon intact.
- More Veggies: Add peas or cherry tomatoes for extra color and flavor.
- Herb Swap: Fresh dill or parsley are a perfect substitute for basil.
- Spicy: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for little heat in the sauce.
FAQs
The way to pronounce it in English is ‘pah-sta ahl sahl-moh-neh’, with the stress on ‘pah’ and ‘moh’.
Sure, you can use any pasta shape you like. Rigatoni, farfalle, spaghetti or linguine, they all work well in this recipe.
Certainly, you can prepare the sauce and salmon separately in advance and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days. When you’re ready to eat, cook the pasta and gently reheat the salmon and the sauce. Then fold the pasta and the pasta into the reheated sauce.
Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of cream or water to loosen the sauce if needed.
We don’t recommend freezing it. Freezing the cream sauce will affect the texture.
Recipe
Pasta al Salmone
Ingredients
- 2 pieces shallots
- 30 g butter
- 150 ml white wine
- 50 g parmesan cheese - freshly grated
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 piece lemon
- 200 g spinach - fresh
- 300 ml heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 handful basil leaves
- 500 g pasta
- 1 pinch seasalt
- 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
- 300 g salmon filet
Instructions
- First, bring a big pot of salted water to the boil.
- While you’re waiting for the water to boil, peal and chop the shallots and garlic finely. Rinse the spinach and leave it to drain in a colander, letting it dry out a bit until you’re ready to use it.
- Once the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente (firm to the bite). When ready, reserve some of the salted pasta water before draining. You might need it for the sauce, later on.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat half of the olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Season the salmon filet with salt and black pepper, then sear it for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden and crispy on the outside but still pink inside. Remove the salmon from the pan and set it aside to cool slightly.
- Melt the butter and the rest of the olive oil in wide pan over medium heat. The olive oil prevents the butter from burning too quickly. Add the shallots and garlic, and sauté for 2 minutes until soft and fragrant.Then, pour in the white wine and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes until reduced by half.
- Once the wine has reduced, stir in the heavy cream. Let the sauce simmer gently over low heat for about 2-3 minutes until it thickens slightly. Season with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a little of the reserved pasta water.
- Now, stir in the fresh spinach and basil. Cook for just 1-2 minutes until the spinach wilts and the basil stays vibrant green.
- Add the drained pasta to the sauce and gently fold everything together, making sure that the pasta is well coated.And finally add in flakes of salmon - be careful not to break up the pieces to much.
- Serve the pasta in a bowl or directly onto the plates. Top with freshly grated Parmesan and enjoy your Pasta al Salmone immediately!
Notes
- Shallot: Finely chopped shallot forms the base for the white wine sauce.
- Butter: We use unsalted butter, butter gives the sauce it’s rich silkiness.
- White Wine: Dry white wine like Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio are easy to find at the grocery store or maybe even in your fridge ;) - they’re great options for this recipe.
- Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated Parmesan is the best!
- Garlic: We use fresh cloves, they add lots of flavor without overpowering the dish.
- Lemon: Fresh lemon brightens up flavors and cuts through the richness of the sauce - simple but so effective!
- Spinach: We love adding plenty of spinach - it wilts down and lightens up the sauce, balancing the texture perfectly.
- Heavy Cream: It's the heart of the sauce, making it luxurious.
- Olive Oil: Any good quality olive oil does the job.
- Basil: A finishing touch of basil makes Pasta al Salmone taste truly Italian.
- Pasta: Penne is our noodle of choice, it holds the sauce really well, but you can use whatever pasta shape you like.
- Sea Salt
- Black Pepper
- Salmon Filet: This recipe calls for really fresh salmon, boneless and skinless.
Nutrition
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