The Best Creamy Salmon Pasta (Printable Version)

Quick, flavorful pasta featuring silky hot-smoked salmon in a rich, creamy lemon sauce with fresh herbs.

# 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 + 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 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.
06 - 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 an incredible depth of flavor without any actual cooking effort on your part
  • This comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like something from a proper Italian restaurant
02 -
  • The pasta water is absolutely crucial for achieving that silky restaurant consistency
  • Dont let the cream come to a rolling boil or it might separate on you
03 -
  • Room temperature cream incorporates more smoothly into the sauce
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh rather than using pre-grated for better melting
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