Creamy Salmon Pasta (Printable)

Quick pasta with hot-smoked salmon, creamy lemon sauce, and fresh herbs ready in 25 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve scant 1/2 cup pasta cooking water before draining.
02 - Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and shallot, sauté 2–3 minutes until soft and fragrant.
03 - Stir in heavy cream, Dijon mustard, lemon zest, and juice. Simmer gently 2–3 minutes.
04 - Add flaked hot-smoked salmon and half the chopped dill or parsley. Stir gently to warm through.
05 - Toss drained pasta into skillet. Add reserved pasta water as needed to loosen sauce. Sprinkle in Parmesan and toss until pasta is evenly coated. Season with black pepper. Serve immediately topped with remaining herbs and extra lemon zest if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything comes together in one pan in about twenty minutes, making it perfect for those nights when you want something indulgent but dont have hours to spend cooking
  • The hot-smoked salmon means no raw fish handling and brings this incredible depth of flavor that feels restaurant quality without the restaurant price tag
02 -
  • Reserving that pasta water is not optional, it's the secret ingredient that transforms individual components into a cohesive sauce
  • Hot-smoked salmon is already cooked, so just warm it gently instead of cooking it into submission or it'll become dry and mealy
03 -
  • Microplane your Parmesan fresh from a wedge, the pre-grated stuff never melts into the sauce quite right and you'll end up with grainy bits instead of silkiness
  • If your sauce seems too thick before adding the pasta, don't panic, that reserved pasta water will bring everything together into the perfect consistency
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