Creamy Salmon Pasta (Printable)

Silky pasta with hot-smoked salmon in a rich, lemon-infused cream sauce with fresh herbs.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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

# Steps:

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.

# Tips from the Pros:

01 -
  • The hot-smoked salmon brings this incredible depth of flavor that tastes like you spent hours slow-cooking, but actually requires zero prep work
  • The sauce comes together in the time it takes to boil pasta, meaning dinner is on the table in under 30 minutes even on busy weeknights
02 -
  • Hot-smoked salmon is fully cooked and has a different texture than cold-smoked lox, so do not substitute with raw salmon fillets or cold-smoked varieties
  • The pasta water is crucial for that silky restaurant texture, so do not skip this step or your sauce may turn grainy instead of smooth
03 -
  • If your sauce separates or looks grainy, remove it from the heat immediately and whisk vigorously while adding a splash more pasta water
  • Room temperature cream incorporates more smoothly than cold cream straight from the fridge
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