This Creamy Salmon Pasta is an Italian dish that combines the delicate smokiness of salmon with the velvety richness of a creamy sauce. It brings together tender and flaky smoked salmon, al dente pasta, and a luscious cream sauce that that is absolute perfection. Get ready to elevate your pasta game with this irresistible seafood delight.

Smoked salmon can be done so many ways, as an antipasto on bruschetta, served with a salad, on a pizza but one of the best ways is in this creamy tomato sauce.

Ingredients to make a Creamy salmon pasta recipe

Butter
Salmon – smoked salmon slices
Carrot
Cream – whole, heavy or whipping cream with at least 30% fat content
Tomato puree
Salt
Black pepper
Parsley
Pasta – best to use short pasta

The sauce is enough for approximately 3-4 cups of cooked pasta which is about 2 – 2 1/2 cups dry pasta.

How to make Salmon Pasta sauce

In a large skillet add the butter and melt over low heat, add the sliced smoked salmon, cubed carrot and salt, sautee for approximately 30 seconds.

Add the tomato puree and 1 cup of water stirring to combine, raise the heat and bring to a boil, lower to simmer until the sauce has thickened.

While the sauce is cooking cook the pasta al dented in boiling salted water.

Crush the carrots with a fork (or leave whole if desired) add the cream, bring to a boil, stirring constantly for a couple of minutes. Serve over pasta, top with chopped parsley before serving.

What is the best pasta to serve with the sauce?

The best pasta to use is a short al dente ridged pasta, such as penne, rigatoni or mezze maniche. The sauce will hold itself better to these types of pasta. If you prefer you could use spaghetti, fettuccine or even linguine.

How to cook pasta

Always cook the pasta in enough water, you will need 4 cups (1 litre) for 3 1/2 ounces (100 grams) of pasta. Be sure to choose the correct size pot, you don’t want the water to reach the rim and overflow, because pasta, when cooked, can increase in volume up to three times. Always cover the pot when boiling the water, but remove it once the pasta has been added.

Calculate about 7 g of salt for every litre of water. Add the salt only when the water has reached a boil and never before.

After adding the pasta to the pot, bring it back to a boil and keep it at a boil while the pasta is cooking. This allows the pasta to achieve an even cooking, be sure to stir frequently while it is cooking.

Never pass the freshly drained pasta under running tap water. You should never stop the cooking, even when you are making a cold pasta salad, let it cool by adding a drizzle of olive oil to prevent it from sticking.

Drain the pasta al dente, this is done by tasting, if it has a bite to it it’s ready, nothing worse than mushy pasta. If you have to toss the pasta in a pan with sauce (like this recipe) then cook it at least one minute less (pasta very al dente). And be sure to leave some pasta water to add to the pan.

Salmon cream pasta in a white plate and in the pan.

Is salmon good for you?

Salmon is a good source of high-quality protein, essential for muscle growth, repair, and overall tissue health. The omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon are known for their anti-inflammatory properties, which may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases and promote heart health.

These fatty acids are also crucial for brain health. Salmon also includes an array of vitamins and minerals therefore incorporating salmon into your diet can be a delicious and nutritious way to support a healthy lifestyle.

How much dry pasta to cooked pasta

Pasta usually doubles in size when cooked, so for the recipe you will need approximately 1 1/2 to 2 cups of dried pasta to make 3 cups cooked. One cup of uncooked pasta is equal to approximately 70 grams (I measured with mezze rigatoni).

How to store it

This is one pasta dish that is best consumed at the time it is made. If you do have leftovers, then store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 day, re-heat on the stove, add a little milk and heat through.

The addition of a couple of cut up carrots adds extra taste and the flavour of the cooked carrots is delicious, Everyone will want a taste.

So if you are looking for a delicious new way to serve pasta I hope you give this Creamy Salmon Pasta a try! Buon Appetito!