Ready in under 20 minutes this Creamy Smoked Salmon Pasta is luscious, silky, creamy, all the good things you need in a bowl of pasta!
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We cook pasta at least once a week and this simple dish is one of our favourites. Just a handful of ingredients, cooked in a straightforward manner just ticks all the boxes. The cream gives that luscious mouth feel and the smoked salmon gives us that beautiful smoky, yet somehow still delicate, flavour. The pasta is freshened up with lemon juice, a splash of wine and a handful of peas, it is a winning combo right there.
The ingredients you will need for this dish are pasta, I used a lovely papadelle, olive oil, butter, onion and garlic. Also cream and wine or stock, smoked salmon, I have used wood smoked salmon from High Country Salmon, and frozen peas. To finish, salt and pepper, chopped parsley and a lemon.
How to make Creamy Smoked Salmon Pasta:
Cook the pasta as per packet directions, all pasta is different but my top tips for pasta cooking are: 1. Use a large pot with a lot of boiling water. 2. Salt your water well. Once the pasta is cooked, drain well and reserve some of the pasta water, this helps your sauce get all silky later. Drizzle the pasta with a little olive oil, which prevents sticking. While the pasta is cooking, start making the sauce by taking a large heavy based pan, I am using my Biroix pan. It is the perfect size for this too as you can serve the whole dish straight from the Biroix on the table. Into the pan, add butter, olive oil, and onion and saute.
Add the garlic and cook gently for 1 minute, stirring as garlic can burn quite easily. Add the wine (or stock) and deglaze the pan. Simmer for 1-2 minutes and turn the heat right down, now it’s time to add the cream. Stir and simmer for 3-5 minutes, we are thickening up the sauce now. Then it is time to use that reserved pasta water, add 1/4 of a cup. add the peas too and cook for 1-2 minutes until peas are tender.
Add the salmon to the sauce, use your hands to flake the salmon in large chunks. Season well with salt and pepper. Pour the pasta over the sauce, and mix gently.
If you like you can add a little more pasta water here, this makes it a little silkier and creamier. Take off the pasta off the heat, add the juice of half a lemon.
Scatter with herbs and serve with extra lemon wedges.
If you are looking for more recipes using salmon check out my posts for Salmon with Teriyaki Noodles and Salmon Tray Bake with Herby Lemon Mayo.
Common questions about Creamy Smoked Salmon Pasta:
What can I use instead of Parsley? Dill or chives are lovely.
Instead of wine you can use stock – vegetable, chicken or fish stock are all great in this recipe.
Creamy Smoked Salmon Pasta
Ingredients
- 500 grams pasta
- 1 teaspoon Olive oil plus extra
- 25 grams Butter
- 1 onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 cup Cream
- ½ cup Stock / white wine
- 300 grams smoked salmon
- 1 cup Frozen Peas
- Salt & Pepper
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- 1 lemon
Instructions
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Cook pasta as per packet directions. Once cooked, drain, reserve 1 cup of cooking water. Place the pasta back in the pot and drizzle with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.
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While the pasta is cooking, take your Biroix dish and place on a medium heat and add the butter, 1 teaspoon of olive oil and sauté the onion until soft, around 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for a further 1 minute. Stir occasionally to ensure the garlic doesn’t burn.
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Add the wine/stock and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Turn the heat down to low and add the cream, stir to combine, and simmer for 3-5 minutes until thickened a little. Add ¼ cup of the reserved pasta cooking water, and peas. Cook for 1-2 minutes until peas are tender.
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Add the salmon, flaking it in in large chunks.
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Season to taste with salt and pepper.
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Pour the pasta over the sauce while the heat is still on, toss gently together for a minute or so.
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If you like you can add a little more pasta water here, this makes it a little silkier and creamier. Take off the pasta off the heat, add the juice of half a lemon.
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Scatter with herbs and serve with extra lemon wedges.
I worked with Biroix on this recipe, who make beautiful colourful cast iron Dutch Ovens. They are made from the highest quality cast iron for better heat distribution and retention. The Dutch ovens work with electric/solid, gas, induction, ceramic and halogen.