Ready in 20 minutes, this smoked salmon pasta recipe comes straight from Italy to your kitchen — adapted from The Silver Spoon, the Italian home-cooking Bible. This simple combination of smoked salmon, pasta, butter, cream, lemon, and herbs add up a deeply satisfying dish that never fails to impress. Here’s the recipe, plus pro tips, video, wine pairings, and serving suggestions.
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Why This Smoked Salmon Pasta Recipe Works
Until recently, I thought the only thing you could do with smoked salmon was pile it onto a bagel, like with this smoked salmon cream cheese spread. I was wrong. This creamy smoked salmon pasta recipe is easy, authentically Italian, deeply satisfying, and ready in 20 minutes. It’s become one of my favorite smoked salmon recipes of all time.
Smoked salmon has been part of the culinary tradition going back to ancient Rome. Called pasta al salmone in Italy, the technique here is beautifully simple: boil your pasta, fold it into a pan of butter, cream, and smoked salmon, garnish with lemon and chives, and serve. That’s it. Twenty minutes, one pan, and the result is silky, briny, and deeply satisfying.
I adapted this recipe from The Silver Spoon, the definitive Italian home-cooking bible, and have cooked it many times since.
This is one of my favorite quick dinners, but you can explore my full collection of 8 essential salmon recipes for more fresh and smoked salmon ideas.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make this pasta with smoked salmon recipe:
- Pasta: tagliatelle, fettuccine, or linguine are my recommended pasta shapes. The long ribbon shapes hold the creamy sauce well. A medium-sized tube pasta like penne or rigatoni would also work nicely.
- Smoked salmon: see the note below on which type to use; you’ll need cold-smoked salmon like Nova
- Butter: the base of the sauce; it helps give the pasta its rich texture
- Heavy cream: for richness and sauce stability
- Lemon: both juice and zest, essential for brightness. The acid balances the salt.
- Fresh chives: for finishing and adding a delicate onion fragrance and flavor. Scallions or dill work well, too.
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Substitutions and Variations
- Plain yogurt, thinned with water or milk to cream consistency, for the heavy cream. Eliminate the lemon since yogurt is acidic.
- Dill, thinly-sliced scallions, or parsley can substitute for the 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.
- Fresh or thawed green peas or chopped asparagus can be gently cooked with the salmon to add a vegetable component to the sauce.
A note on garlic: Many smoked salmon pasta recipes call for garlic, but this recipe follows the Silver Spoon approach and skips it, letting the salmon’s smokiness and the lemon’s brightness lead. If you’d like to add garlic, sauté one finely-minced clove in the butter along with the salmon, lemon, and chives. A splash of dry white wine at the same stage is another variation, and adds a mild complexity to the sauce.
A note on capers: Capers are another common, classic pairing with smoked salmon; their briny, slightly sharp flavor cuts through the richness of the cream and amplifies the salmon. This recipe doesn’t call for capers because the lemon is already doing that brightening work, but if you love capers, add a tablespoon of drained capers with the salmon at the start of cooking. Be sure to rinse them first; they can be salty.
Another creamy pasta from The Silver Spoon worth knowing: this silky Pasta With Gorgonzola Sauce, which comes together just as quickly. If you love want a rich, slow-cooked pasta sauce, ragù bianco is the ultimate Italian meat sauce without any tomato, the most traditional pasta in Bologna.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s how to make this smoked salmon pasta step by step, along with a short video to show the key technique: folding the al dente pasta into the cream sauce for a silky finish.
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until just shy of al dente, stirring a few times. Drain, reserving about ¼ cup of pasta water.
- Make the salmon cream sauce. While the pasta cooks, 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 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the cream and simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes, until silky and lightly thickened. Do not let the sauce boil; a gentle simmer prevents over-reducing and keeps the sauce from separating.
- Add the pasta. Add the drained pasta to the cream sauce and toss to coat. Cook for a minute or two, tossing to coat all the pasta. If the sauce looks tight or dry, add reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time until the pasta is coated in a glossy, emulsified sauce. Taste for seasoning and add salt and black pepper as needed.
- Garnish and serve. Transfer to serving plates and top with the remaining chives and lemon zest. Serve immediately.
Video Tutorial: Watch How to Fold the Pasta Into the Smoked Salmon Cream Sauce
Watch this short video to see an important step: folding salmon into the pan of sauce, and finishing the pasta with fresh herbs.
What to Serve With Smoked Salmon Pasta: Food + Wine Pairings
Food pairings: This salty, slightly-rich dish needs the complement of a bright salad or fresh vegetable side dish, especially something green like asparagus or sautéd spinach.This asparagus salad with peas and feta is a particularly good match — the lemon and mint echo the flavors already in the pasta.
Wine pairings: Here, this creamy, salt-forward pasta dish deserves a bright, acidic wine with strong minerality (avoid notes like peach or oak).
- Whites and Rosé: Champagne or sparkling wine makes a top choice for smoked salmon. I’d also drink a dry Riesling here, or a white Burgundy. A Provençal rosé is another balanced option.
- Red wine: Something light and berry-forward with minimal tannins like a California Pinot Noir or French Beaujolais (not nouveau!) are my top picks. Garnacha could work as well. I have a WSET Level 2 certification in wine, so I love to do food and wine pairings.
F.A.Q.s and Expert Tips for This Smoked Salmon Pasta Recipe
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.
And if you want a fresh salmon recipe, this salmon en papillote, baked in parchment with tomatoes and dil, is a beautiful dinner.
How to Store and Reheat This Pasta
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
- Reheating: Reheat leftover pasta with smoked salmon slowly in a pan on low- to medium-low heat with a few tablespoons of water or extra cream to help reconstitute a sauce. Stir gently until warmed through. I do not recommend reheating in the microwave, which always makes the pasta dry.
- Freezing: I do not recommend freezing smoked salmon pasta. The texture of the pasta and salmon will change. But if you must, freeze in an airtight container for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat as detailed above.
Yes, although the flavor will be different. Fresh, flaked raw salmon can be added into the sauce and simmered until cooked through. Smoked salmon adds a deeper savory flavor and gentle smokiness, while fresh salmon creates a milder, lighter pasta dish. You will need to add extra salt if you use fresh salmon.
Cold-smoked salmon is the traditional choice for smoked salmon pasta. It has a silky texture and delicate smoke flavor that blends beautifully into the warm cream sauce. You may also be wondering about lox. While often found in the same corner of the grocery store, lox and smoked salmon aren’t quite the same. Lox is salt-cured but not smoked, resulting in a sharp, purely briny flavor. Smoked salmon undergoes a smoking process (either hot or cold). For this recipe, I recommend cold-smoked salmon. Its buttery, translucent texture melts into the warm cream and has a richer flavor. But that said, lox will also work. Avoid hot smoked salmon.
This is the most common pitfall. Smoked salmon is salt-cured, and its salinity can vary wildly between brands. To keep the dish balanced, never salt your cream sauce until the very end, after you’ve tasted it, and go lighter than usual on the pasta water salt. Always taste a small piece of your salmon first; if it’s particularly salty, skip the added salt in the sauce entirely and let the fish provide the seasoning. If it’s still too salty, try adding some additional lemon juice.
A “broken” sauce usually comes down to heat management. If you boil the cream or add the acidic lemon juice while the pan is over high heat, the fat can separate. To ensure a glossy, restaurant-grade emulsion, simmer the cream gently. A splash of starchy pasta water also acts as a stabilizer to keep the sauce velvety smooth.
You’re in luck: Lots of pasta shapes work here. Short pasta shapes such as penne, rigatoni, or fusilli work well because they hold onto the creamy sauce. Long noodles like fettuccine or linguine are also excellent choices for smoked salmon pasta, since the silky sauce coats the strands evenly.
Yes, absolutely. This is actually a traditional Italian pasta dish, called pasta alla salmone. The Italians have been smoking salmon since the ancient Roman times!
More Easy Smoked Salmon Recipes and Creamy Pastas:
- Fettuccini Alfredo
- Smoked Salmon Sandwiches
- The Best Salmon Burgers
- Smoked Salmon English Tea Sandwiches
Did you make this smoked salmon pasta recipe? What did you think? Share below.
Easy Smoked Salmon Pasta (20-Minute Recipe)
Essential Equipment
- Microplane or lemon zester
- Pasta tongs (if using long noodles, like linguine or tagliatelle)
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta, such linguine, tagliatelle, penne, or rigatoni
- 6 ounces smoked salmon, cut into pieces
- 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter
- 2 lemons, zested and juiced
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons minced chives, divided (can substitute 2 tablespoons thinly-sliced scallions)
- Kosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed (optional)
- Freshly-grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until just shy of al dente, stirring a few times during cooking. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/4 cup of pasta water.
- Make the salmon cream sauce. While the water and pasta are 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 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Optional ingredient: If you'd like to use capers for extra tang, add them now.)
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the cream and cook at a gentle simmer for 4 to 5 minutes. PRO TIP: Do not boil the sauce; just gently simmer. Boiling the sauce will cause it to over-reduce, and risk separating.
- Add the pasta with the sauce. Add the drained pasta to the cream mixture. Cook for a few minutes, tossing to coat. If the pasta looks a little dry, add pasta water a tablespoon or two at a time until it's tossed in a glossy, creamy, emulsified sauce. Taste for seasoning.
- Garnish and serve. Transfer the pasta to serving plates. Top with the remaining chives and lemon zest, and a light dusting of Parmesan cheese if you'd like (optional; I personally do not use Parm, but some people like it). Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Pasta: The sauce works equally well with long pasta like spaghetti or fettuccine as tube pasta like penne or rigatoni. Avoid very small pasta, like orzo.
- Herbs: Chives have a lovely, delicate flavor that perfectly complements the smoked salmon flavor, but you can also substitute or add thinly-sliced scallions, minced parsley, or minced fresh dill
- Adding vegetables: Peas, diced asparagus, or spinach make a colorful, seasonal spring twist. Add peas or asparagus with the salmon; spinach can be added to the sauce just before the pasta, since it wilts quickly.
- Cream: You can substitute half-and-half for the heavy cream, but you will lose a little bit of richness. Do not use milk, which is too thin.
- Storage: Like all creamy pastas, this dish is best served immediately. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
- Reheating: Reheat leftover salmon pasta slowly in a pan on low- to medium-low heat with a few tablespoons of water or extra cream to help reconstitute a sauce. Stir frequently. I do not recommend reheating in the microwave, which inevitably leads to a dry, clumpy result.
- Keep the sauce gently simmering — never at a boil — when cooking to prevent over-reducing the sauce and possible separation and curdling
- Use freshly squeezed lemon juice to brighten the sauce and balance the cream.
- Reserve a bit of pasta water to adjust sauce consistency; this keeps the sauce glossy and light
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.
Why You Can Trust This Recipe: These recipes were developed and tested from scratch by Lisa Ruland, a Culinary Institute of America graduate (valedictorian), Level 2 WSET-Certified Wine Professional (With Honors), and professional chef and food writer/recipe developer. I am committed to providing accurate, trustworthy culinary guidance based on years of hands-on experience in professional and home kitchens. Learn more about Lisa’s background and expertise.
51 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.