Creamy Salmon Pasta (Print Version)

Silky pasta with hot-smoked salmon in a lemon-cream sauce with fresh herbs, ready in 25 minutes.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 - 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

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 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 2–3 minutes until soft and fragrant.
03 - Stir in the heavy cream, Dijon mustard, lemon zest, and juice. Simmer gently for 2–3 minutes.
04 - Add the flaked hot-smoked salmon and half of the chopped dill or parsley. Stir gently to warm through.
05 - Toss the drained pasta into the skillet. Add reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Sprinkle in the Parmesan and toss until the pasta is 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.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd think—perfect for those nights when cooking needs to be quick but still feel special.
  • Hot-smoked salmon does the heavy lifting, so you're not fussing with delicate timing or temperature checks.
  • The sauce is naturally lemony and bright, cutting through the richness so it never feels heavy or one-dimensional.
02 -
  • Save that pasta water before you drain the pasta—it's the secret to a sauce that actually clings to the noodles instead of sliding off into a pool at the bottom of your bowl.
  • Don't let the cream boil hard or it might split; a gentle simmer is all you need, and the sauce will still be silky and luxurious.
03 -
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh and add it at the very end so it melts into the sauce rather than becoming grainy or clumpy.
  • If your sauce feels too thick, thin it with pasta water rather than cream—the starch does the work of keeping everything cohesive.
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