Creamy flavor.
An elegant and easy 20-minute dinner, this creamy smoked salmon pasta recipe comes straight from Italy to your kitchen and takes only a few simple ingredients.
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Does Smoked Salmon Go Well With Pasta? Yes. Italians Have Been Cooking It for Centuries.
Until recently, I thought the only thing you could do with smoked salmon was add it to a bagel, like with this smoked salmon cream cheese recipe. Was I wrong.
Smoked salmon pasta may not sound as natural as a bagel and lox, but it is no less delicious. Creamy smoked salmon pasta is a simple, 20-minute (yes) dinner that tastes salty, satisfying, and brightened with lemon and chives.
I adapted this recipe from The Silver Spoon cookbook. The Silver Spoon is to Italy as The Joy of Cooking is to America: a necessary Bible of home cookery. This recipe involves little more than 1) boiling pasta, and 2) adding it to a pan of smoked salmon pieces that have been simmering in a pan of butter and cream.
Smoked salmon is actually a not-unpopular Italian food. Smoked salmon was — and remains — an effective a way of preserving fresh seafood, enjoyed even by the ancient Romans and Greeks.
How to Make Smoked Salmon Pasta
Smoked salmon is usually not cooked. But for those who have ever wondered, “Can you cook smoked salmon?” the answer is a resounding yes, and this creamy smoked salmon pasta recipe is a big reason why you should. Here, smoked salmon is warmed through in a simple creamy sauce and topped with a simple garnish of chives or parsley. It’s a beautiful pasta dinner ready in no time.
Here are the ingredients for smoked salmon pasta:
- Pasta such as linguine, fettuccine, or tagliatelle
- Smoked salmon
- Cream
- Butter
- Lemon
- Minced chives
- Salt and fresh black pepper
Substitutions:
- Yogurt for the heavy cream, in which case, eliminate the lemon
- Dill, thinly-sliced scallions, or parsley to substitute for the chives
- Tubular pasta such as rigatoni or penne
Instructions for Smoked Salmon Pasta:
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until just shy of al dente. Drain, reserving some pasta water.
- While the water is boiling, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the salmon, lemon juice, half of the lemon zest, and half of the chives. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the cream and cook over low heat (the cream should be at a simmer) for about 5 minutes.
- Add the drained pasta to the cream mixture. Cook for a few minutes, tossing to coat. Taste for seasoning and add salt and black pepper as you like. If the pasta looks a little dry, add pasta water a tablespoon or two at a time until it is creamy enough.
- Serve immediately, garnished with the remaining chives and lemon zest.
What to Serve With Smoked Salmon Pasta
This salty, slightly-rich dish needs to complement of a bright salad or fresh vegetable side dish, especially something green like asparagus or sautéed spinach.
Tips for Making Creamy Smoked Salmon Pasta
Be sure to check the salt. Different brands and types of smoked salmon (lox, nova, and so on) differ in sodium content, but all do have a lot of salt. Thus, this recipe does not call for added salt — you are also boiling the pasta in salted water — but check for seasoning anyway.
Substitutions and Additions
Scallions work really well here in place of chives. Just like with salmon cream cheese, scallion and smoked salmon make a great flavor combination, with the fresh, mellow allium sharpness of scallions working as a great counterpoint to the salty salmon. I use chives here because they give the dish a great presentation and taste more mild, but scallions are a fine alternative.
How to Reheat This Pasta
Reheat leftover salmon pasta slowly in a pan on low- to medium-low heat. Add a few tablespoons of water or extra cream to help reconstitute a sauce. Stir frequently.
Did you make this smoked salmon pasta recipe? What did you think? Share below.
More easy pasta and salmon recipes:
- Fettuccini Alfredo
- Smoked Salmon Sandwiches
- The Best Salmon Burgers
- Smoked Salmon English Tea Sandwiches
Smoked Salmon Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta, such linguine, fettuccine, or tagliatelle
- 6 ounces smoked salmon, cut into pieces
- 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) butter
- 2 lemons, zested and juiced
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons minced chives (can substitute 2 tablespoons thinly-sliced scallions)
- Kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until just shy of al dente. Drain, reserving some pasta water.
- While the water is boiling, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the smoked salmon pieces, lemon juice, half of the lemon zest, and half of the chives. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the cream and cook over low heat (the cream should be at a simmer) for about 5 minutes.
- Add the drained pasta to the cream mixture. Cook for a few minutes, tossing to coat. Taste for seasoning. If the pasta looks a little dry, add pasta water a tablespoon or two at a time until it is creamy enough.
- Serve immediately, topped with the remaining chives and lemon zest.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutrition information is provided for courtesy purposes only, and is an estimate not verified by medical or nutrition experts. Read the full nutrition disclaimer.
38 comments
Elaine W
no changes or notes. very good and easy recipe. did not know smoked salmon was italian but it tasted great.
Lindsay
This is fabulous and could not be easier. I threw some spinach in with it for a little green vegetable, and it worked well.
Greg
This recipe is great. I often have some leftover smoked salmon in the fridge after bagel breakfast and this is perfect. Next time I think I might try it with some peas.
Esther
Is the quantity for the pasta referring to dried or fresh?
Lisa Ruland
Dried! Great question. Hope you enjoy.
Bonnie J.
What an easy dinner! This tasted very sophisticated for being such a simple pasta. I had never cooked smoked pasta before. The texture changes into something like cooked little salmon pieces, but this was not a bad thing. We will make again. Be sure not to oversalt the sauce because the salmon will add a lot once it comes together.
Melinda
I wasn’t sure if I would like this, but I have to say that this is one of the best pasta dishes I have ever had. I made it last week and will make it again for dinner soon. Thank you!!
Trudy
Oh my goodness this was easy! It is DELICOUS!
Kathy
This recipe sounds fantastic and I look forward to making it. Do you think it would work with fresh salmon? Are there any adjustments you would make? Thanks!
Unpeeled
Yes, you could certainly do this with fresh salmon! Flake it into small pieces, and proceed as normal. The small salmon pieces will cook just fine. The main difference will be in seasoning since smoked salmon is quite well salted, and has additional, subtle smoky notes. But I think that’s a great substitution!
Kathy
I just made this with smoked salmon after all and it was over the top delicious! We are fortunate to live near two of the great lakes and a local source for smoked meats and fish, so no excuses! The lemon and scallions were perfect and balanced the richness of the cream and salmon. Can’t wait to make it again!
Unpeeled
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed.
Rhonda Turner
My husband smoked some wild sockeye salmon for the first time! It was amazing, and I wanted to surpirse him with a dinner that would really showcase his accomplishment. I found your recipe, and it was SO delicious! We both loved it and will add this to our regular rotation…..thanks so much!
Unpeeled
I am so glad that you enjoyed and how cool that he smoked his own salmon! I am sure that made it extra delicious. Thanks for the great comment.
Joy Pak
Perfect easy dinner. Loved this.