30 Minute Creamy Salmon Pasta

This creamy lemon garlic salmon pasta recipe comes together in just 30 minutes from start to finish and requires only 8 simple ingredients! The flaky and tender roasted salmon pairs perfectly with the cooked linguini and simple herb lemon cream sauce. 

The Easiest Salmon Pasta Recipe

• This easy salmon recipe is loaded with flavor but simple enough for a weeknight dinner! The ingredient list is short and sweet which means you can quickly throw it together, but it still feels fancy enough to serve on date night or at your next dinner party!
• If you love this salmon pasta recipe, be sure to check out my 20-Minute Salmon Fish Cakes, this Easy Greek Salmon Bowl, or this 10-Minute Salmon Taco recipe!

Ingredients and Substitutions

Salmon

You can use fresh or frozen salmon for this recipe. Try to find wild caught if possible – I like to use wild-caught sockeye salmon from the deli section at my local grocery store for the best flavor – but you can use any type of salmon for this creamy salmon pasta dish. You can get a single one-pound fillet or multiple salmon fillets – totally up to you.

Olive Oil

Try to find an organic, cold-pressed olive oil for the best flavor. You could also use avocado oil or grapeseed oil. If you prefer to use butter in this recipe, you are more than welcome to as well!

Herbs

Dried oregano and dried thyme are my two favorites for this creamy salmon pasta but you could substitute them with dried rosemary, dried parsley, dried basil, or Italian seasoning.

Linguine

Use your favorite long pasta for this recipe. I love linguine but angel hair, spaghetti, bucatini, or fettuccine are all great options! You could also use a shortcut of pasta like penne, rigatoni, or rotini but creamy sauce usually pairs best with long strands of noodles! You could also use whole wheat pasta for extra fiber.

Pasta Water

Once you start saving your pasta water, you will never stop. The starch in the pasta water is the very best way to get your pasta sauce to stick to the pasta and it also gives it a beautiful sheen that’s very visually pleasing. If you forget to save pasta water, you can use broth in place but it won’t give you the same flavor or texture.

Lemon

I love to add fresh lemon slices to the roasted salmon and lemon juice and lemon zest to the sauce. The fresh lemon adds a ton of flavor, however bottled lemon juice will work in a pinch!

Heavy Cream

This creates that rich and creamy texture that makes this recipe stand out! You can sub half and half but the sauce won’t be quite as creamy and luxurious.

Capers

These are an optional addition to this creamy salmon pasta recipe but I am OBSESSED with them. They’re a delicious salty, briny bite that really compliments all the other flavors of the dish!

How to Make Creamy Salmon Pasta

Place salmon into a baking dish or on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with oregano and thyme along with a couple of pinches of salt and black pepper. Place sliced lemons over salmon and place them into a cold oven. No need to cover it with foil.

Turn the heat to 400 degrees and bake for about 25 minutes or until the salmon is cooked through and flakes easily.

Sauté garlic, oregano, thyme, and a couple of large pinches of salt and pepper in olive oil. Add lemon juice and zest along with pasta water and bring to a gentle simmer.

Remove from heat and stir in heavy cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook over medium-low heat for a couple of minutes until it begins to thicken.

Add pasta. Toss to coat evenly and cook for a couple of minutes until warmed through. Season to taste and transfer to a serving platter.

Serve roasted salmon over the bed of pasta. Garnish with sliced lemon and fresh parsley, and enjoy!

Tips for Making the Best Pasta with Salmon

• Salt your pasta water! When I’m cooking a pound of pasta I’ll typically add 12-4 tablespoons of Kosher salt. Salting the water is the first chance you have to season the pasta and it will make SUCH a difference in the overall flavor of the dish. Don’t worry about it being too salty as most of the salt will wash away when you drain the pasta. Don’t forget to save some of that pasta water for dressing the pasta though!
• Always cook pasta al dente! You still want it to have a toothsome bite after cooking. I typically boil my pasta for 1 minute less than the package instructions recommend and then start tasting it until it’s perfectly al dente.
• To thicken your pasta sauce and add a bit of nutty flavor, try adding a handful of freshly shredded or grated Parmesan cheese. The cheese is going to add a delicious earthy flavor and thicken the sauce up a bit as well.
• Add any fresh veggies you enjoy to this creamy salmon pasta recipe! I love to add roasted broccoli, roasted asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, or even wilted spinach to this dish to get some extra vegetables in.
• To give this salmon recipe a kick, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce or let your family add their own to each serving.
• You can make this recipe without the salmon if you want! The pasta on its own is SO delicious that it can stand alone as a main dish alongside a green salad, but I love the extra protein and omega-3 that the roasted salmon brings to the dish.

Why Bake Salmon in a Cold Oven

• Baking the salmon in a cold oven allows it to cook slowly.
• It will give you the most tender, juicy salmon ever.
• It’s also super easy because you don’t have to wait for the oven to preheat. Just toss the salmon in when you’re ready and continue on making the rest of the recipe!

How to Choose the Best Fish for Creamy Salmon Pasta

• Try to find wild-caught salmon if possible. It is the most sustainable and will give you the best flavor. Farmed salmon is typically lighter in color and less flavorful than wild-caught salmon. I prefer wild-caught sockeye salmon for this recipe!
• I like to buy salmon with the skin on because it holds in the moisture while the fish bakes and protects it from becoming tough and dry. Also, removing the skin after the salmon has baked is much easier than trying to remove it while it’s raw.
• You can use one large filet of salmon or you can use a filet that’s been cut into individual pieces. The large filet is nice because you can season it all at the same time, however, the smaller filets are convenient and also pre-portioned if you’re serving this at a dinner party.
• I typically buy fresh salmon, but you can also buy frozen! Just be sure to thaw it in the fridge overnight before baking it.
• This salmon pasta recipe is a great way to use up leftover salmon from my Mediterranean salmon, Greek salmon, or easy smoked salmon recipes!

The Best Kind of Pasta for Creamy Salmon Alfredo

I’m a big linguine fan for this creamy garlic and herb salmon pasta because cream sauces tend to pair well with long, flat cuts of pasta, but you could also use:

• fettuccine
• spaghetti
• angel hair
• bucatini
• penne
• farfalle
• rotini
• rigatoni

Honestly, most pasta will work with this salmon pasta recipe but definitely try to avoid those ultra-small cuts of pasta like orzo and ditalini. They will just get lost in the sauce! You can also make it gluten-free by using gluten-free pasta!

How to Know When Salmon is Done

• It’s important not to overcook the salmon or it will end up dry and tough.
• Salmon should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees. The easiest way to check this is to use an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the salmon.
• If you don’t have a thermometer on hand, be sure that the salmon flakes easily with a fork.
• It should also be an opaque color on the outside and slightly translucent pink in the center.

What pasta sauce goes with salmon?

This super quick and easy lemon, garlic, and herb cream sauce is the very best accompaniment for roasted salmon! It is classic, smooth, and simple – subtle enough that it doesn’t overpower the salmon which makes it one of our family’s favorites!

What spices pair well with salmon?

The beauty of salmon is that it’s so versatile. It pairs well with dried herbs like those found in Italian seasoning – dried oregano, dried thyme, dried basil, etc. But you could also take this creamy salmon pasta in another direction by skipping the herbs and adding Cajun seasoning for a Cajun salmon pasta or even taco seasoning for a spicy salmon pasta. If you want to stick with the herb flavors you could also try using fresh dill, parsley, or basil in place of the dried herbs.

Make Ahead

This salmon pasta is the perfect make-ahead meal. You can prep the salmon and bake it a day ahead of time and then store it in the fridge. You can also cook the pasta up to a week in advance. Then when you’re ready to eat, stir the sauce together, toss the pasta and flaked salmon in, and cook it all together until heated through.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freezing

While I don’t recommend freezing this recipe because the sauce will separate a bit, you certainly can if you’re okay with that! Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Reheating

Reheat leftovers in a saucepan over medium heat. Add a splash of cream or broth to loosen up the sauce, and then cook, stirring frequently until warmed through.

Try these easy salmon recipes next!

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