Rich and Creamy Salmon Spinach Pasta
Make this rich and creamy salmon spinach pasta for a satisfying weeknight dinner. This recipe uses simple steps to create a gourmet seafood pasta at home.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Total Time: 30 min
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound pasta (fettuccine or penne recommended)
- 1 pound salmon fillets, skin removed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 5 ounces fresh spinach
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining. Set the drained pasta aside.
- Season the salmon pieces lightly with salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the salmon and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until lightly golden and cooked through. Remove the salmon from the skillet and set aside.
- Add the butter to the same skillet. Once melted, add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Do not let the garlic burn.
- Pour in the white wine or broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it simmer and reduce by half, about 2 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low. Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in the Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth.
- Add the fresh spinach to the sauce. Stir until the spinach wilts completely, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice. Taste the sauce and adjust salt and pepper as needed. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water until you reach your desired consistency.
- Return the cooked pasta and the cooked salmon pieces to the skillet. Toss gently to coat everything evenly in the garlic cream salmon sauce.
- Serve immediately, topped with extra Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- For the best flavor, use fresh salmon. If using frozen, thaw it completely before cooking.
- To prevent the cream sauce from separating, keep the heat low when adding the cream and cheese. Do not allow the sauce to boil rapidly after adding the dairy.
- You can substitute half-and-half for heavy cream for a slightly lighter sauce, but the texture will be less rich.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 750
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 550
- Fat: 45
- Saturated Fat: 25
- Unsaturated Fat: 20
- Trans Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 40
- Cholesterol: 150