Creamy Salmon Pasta (Printable)

Quick weeknight pasta with hot-smoked salmon in a rich, lemony cream sauce with fresh herbs.

# Components:

→ Pasta

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

→ Sauce

03 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped
06 - 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp heavy cream
07 - 1 tsp 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 tbsp chopped fresh dill or flat-leaf parsley

# Directions:

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 - Meanwhile, 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. Season with black pepper and adjust salt if needed. Serve immediately, topped with remaining herbs and extra lemon zest if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The hot-smoked salmon brings this incredible depth without any actual cooking effort on your part
  • It comes together in about 25 minutes but tastes like something from a proper Italian restaurant
02 -
  • That pasta water is liquid gold, don't dump it down the drain until you've used what you need for the sauce
  • Hot-smoked salmon is saltier than fresh, so taste before adding extra salt to the final dish
03 -
  • Flake the salmon while it's still slightly cold, it breaks apart more cleanly
  • Room temperature cream blends more smoothly than cold from the fridge
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