The BEST Salmon Pasta with a Creamy Garlic Sauce

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This salmon pasta with creamy garlic sauce is incredibly easy and will quickly become a favorite. A light and zesty cream sauce with loads of parmesan cheese, lemon, and garlic is combined with perfectly grilled salmon. Your friends and family will love this simple salmon pasta recipe, which only takes a few minutes to prepare.
This pasta recipe is easy enough to prepare any day of the week, but it's ideal for a romantic evening meal!

You might also try the Creamy Garlic Pasta Recipe or Easy Canned Tuna Pasta.

extreme close-up of serving tongs twirling creamy salmon spaghetti

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Why you’ll love it
What you’ll need
How to make creamy salmon pasta
Pro tips
Substitutions and variations
Leftovers and storage
FAQs
More Pasta Recipes
Recipe
The BEST Salmon Pasta with a Creamy Garlic Sauce
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Why you’ll love it

Simple Recipe with Few Ingredients: I prefer this meal with a garlic and lemon cream sauce and lots of freshly grated parmesan cheese, but you could add vegetables or other flavors.
Ready in less than 30 minutes: This dish may be prepared in the same time as boiling water and cooking pasta! The salmon and sauce are prepared while the pasta cooks, and everything is assembled just before serving.
Salmon Pasta is a delectable seafood pasta dish that is incredibly creamy, flavorful from the garlic and parmesan, and perfectly acidic from the fresh lemon juice. This dish is sure to please everyone!
Ideal for a romantic evening: This recipe is ideal to cook and share with a loved one because it feeds two to four people. After all, a person's stomach is frequently the gateway to their heart!

What you’ll need

This basic dish calls for only a few ingredients. Here are the major items you'll need:

process shot of ingredient quantities in dishes for making creamy salmon pasta with a garlic sauce

Pasta - You can use any kind of pasta you like, but linguine is beautiful in this dish. I used spaghetti.
Salmon - I used salmon fillets, but if you'd rather, you can also use canned salmon. Tuna, mackerel, or any other canned fish would also taste great in this dish.
Onion powder.
Olive oil and butter - for pan searing. We'll begin constructing the rich sauce after pan-frying the salmon in butter and olive oil to give it a lovely crust.
Flour - To make the sauce thicker, use flour.
Garlic powder or garlic- The sauce gains a great deal of flavor from the minced garlic cloves.
Chicken broth or white vinegar. For this step, you can use vegetable broth, chicken broth, or white vinegar.
Heavy cream -Without, well, cream, salmon pasta isn't creamy! The ideal sauce texture is achieved with heavy cream; if you use something else, your sauce can curdle and not turn out correctly.
Lemon juice— I use lemon zest and juice in this recipe since they go well with the salmon.
Parmesan cheese- Use a box grater's star side or a microplane to ensure it is extremely finely shredded.
Parsley- Add some freshly chopped Italian parsley, dill, chives, or any other herb you want.

How to make creamy salmon pasta

This is a summary with detailed pictures. The recipe card below contains all of the ingredients and instructions.

pan searing salmon fillet in a cast iron skillet and making the sauce for creamy salmon pasta in a skillet

Cook Pasta: Cook pasta as directed on the package in a medium-sized skillet with salted water until al dente. After the pasta is done, drain it and set aside 1 cup of the pasta water.
Cook the salmon in the meanwhile. Heat the butter and olive oil in a non-stick skillet and season the fillets with onion powder, salt and pepper. Cook until the internal temperature of the fish reaches 145°F/62°C on all sides. Transfer to a platter to maintain warmth.
Prepare the cream sauce with parmesan. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the flour to the skillet and heat for about 30 seconds, stirring regularly.
In the same skillet, add the garlic and stir. After that, use chicken broth to deglaze the pan, scraping out any flavor residue. Pour in the lemon juice and heavy cream.
Add the parmesan and stir until the sauce is smooth.

adding salmon back into the sauce for creamy garlic salmon pasta and then mixing in spaghetti with tongs

Return the salmon to the pan and use your spoon to break it up into small pieces. Stir it gently into the sauce. Cook until the salmon is cooked through and the sauce has thickened.
Mix and serve: Add the cooked pasta and fish to the sauce, breaking it up slightly. Toss to blend. Serve immediately with fresh parsley, extra grated parmesan, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Pro tips

Make sure to remove any pin bones from your fish before cooking! By doing this, you won't unintentionally poke yourself while chewing!
The fish should not be overcooked. When it starts to get flaky and the center stops being translucent, you'll know it's finished.
Don't set your heat too high. When I make a creamy sauce, I keep the heat low. Bring the cream to a very slow simmer, then reduce the heat and add the parmesan. Get saucy.
A creamy parmesan sauce will continue to thicken after you remove it from the heat. You want it saucier than you think on the stovetop so it doesn't dry out too much by the time you serve.
Try adding more spice or garlic. Feel free to use four cloves of garlic rather than just three if you truly like it. Another delicious method to add some spicy flavor is with a pinch of crushed red pepper.

Substitutions and variations

Put some citrus in there. To give the salmon fillets a delightfully zesty flavor, squeeze in some lemon juice or zest.
Turn up the heat. give some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the cream sauce to give a little spiciness.
Use different seasonings and herbs. For the finest flavor in your creamy parmesan sauce, you can add fresh dill, fresh basil, Italian spice, or other herbs.

Leftovers and storage

To Store. Although this pasta dish is best eaten the day it is prepared, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two days in an airtight container.
To Reheat. Reheat leftovers in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium heat, very gently.
To Freeze. For up to two months, store leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe container. Before reheating, let it defrost in the fridge overnight. Once thawed, the sauce could separate slightly, but it will still taste great.

FAQs

Is Salmon Pasta Healthy?

Although the creamy sauce in this meal is high in calories, including fresh salmon in your diet is a terrific way to include nutrients and heart-healthy lipids. In moderation, enjoy!

Can I Make This Pasta With Frozen Salmon?

I always keep frozen salmon filets in my freezer. To ensure that the fillets are ready to cook, make sure to thaw them in the refrigerator overnight.

Why Is My Salmon Sticking To The Pan?

When cooking fish fillets, a non-stick pan works best. Pans made of cast iron or stainless steel will not function as well. Additionally, it's crucial to let the pan to warm up before adding the fish.

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