This salmon pasta recipe is so creamy without cream thanks to the magic of pasta water and yogurt. The sauce comes together with lots of garlic, shallots, sun-dried tomatoes, and lemon.
I love a good creamy pasta dish (see my mushroom pappardelle in cream sauce, my pumpkin pasta sauce, and my pepper jack mac and cheese), but sometimes I want the creaminess without the heft of heavy cream.
Enter this delicious salmon pasta. I start by roasting the salmon in the oven, then sauteing some aromatics with sun-dried tomatoes and lemon zest for lots of added brightness.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This pasta is easy and quick enough to come together on a weeknight. Off the heat, the sauce gets tossed with pasta, pasta water, and yogurt until thickened, creamy, and glossy. I stir in the pasta, top with some parsley, and voila!
- The combination of the juicy, fatty salmon with light, tangy yogurt is a perfect pairing without feeling too heavy.
- Aromatics like, garlic, shallot, lemon zest, and sun-dried tomatoes brighten the whole dish.
Key Ingredients
Salmon: You will need ½ pound of salmon for 2 servings. This recipe works best with a fattier salmon, but you can use a leaner cut as well. This is also a great way to use up leftover cooked fish, like with my salmon meuniere!
For the pasta:
- Pasta: I recommend a long cut here, such as spaghetti or bucatini.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Sun-dried tomatoes add a nice texture and pop of flavor to the pasta.
- Yogurt: Yogurt is the main creamy component in this dish. When mixed with pasta water, it creates a glossy, clingy sauce.
For a full list of ingredients and their quantities, please refer to the recipe card.
How to Make This Salmon Pasta
Step 1: Marinate the salmon. Marinate the salmon in a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper. Roast in the oven until cooked through.
Step 2: Meanwhile, saute the aromatics and cook your pasta! Saute the garlic, shallot, and lemon zest in butter until nice and soft.
Step 3: Add the sun-dried tomatoes and half the parsley. Saute for couple of minutes to release all of those good flavors.
Step 4: Remove the salmon from the oven and let cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, carefully peel away and discard the skin.
Step 5: Flake the salmon. Using a fork, gently flake the salmon into bite-size pieces.
Step 6: Remove the pot from the heat, and stir in the yogurt, pasta, and pasta water to form a saucy texture. Add in the salmon, top with the remaining parsley, squeeze a bit of lemon, and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- Add the yogurt off heat: To prevent the yogurt from curdling, make sure to add it with the pasta water off the heat.
- Add the salmon last: To prevent the salmon from flaking apart too much, stir it in after making the yogurt sauce, just before serving.
- Have leftover cooked salmon? This is a perfect recipe for using leftovers. Just skip the instructions for roasting the salmon and stir in the leftover pieces of fish before serving.
Storage Instructions
Leftover salmon pasta will last 1 - 2 days in the fridge but is best served the same day as the yogurt sauce can curdle if reheated. It's the perfect amount for 2 servings, so you likely won't have leftovers anyways!
Recipe FAQs
Add a bit more pasta water to loosen the sauce, and stir vigorously to emulsify the pasta water with the yogurt. That should make things creamier!
Yes! Keep in mind, canned salmon tends to be a bit softer and flakier in texture, but it will still be tasty.
I like salmon cooked "medium", so I'll remove it from the oven once the internal temperature reaches 125°F (51°C) but you can cook it as long as you like.
Note: The USDA recommends you cook salmon to an internal temperature of 145°F but the fish will be very well done at this point.
I recommend serving this with a citrus salad or a green salad like this tuna caesar.
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Happy eating! Love, KarishmaCreamy Salmon Pasta (No Cream)
Ingredients
For the salmon:
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, from ½ lemon
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Black pepper
- ½ pound salmon fillet
For the pasta:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 shallots, peeled and finely minced
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
- ½ lemon, zested and juiced
- 3 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, rinsed, drained, and finely chopped
- Handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped and divided
- 6 ounces dried pasta, such as spaghetti or bucatini
- ¼ cup yogurt or skyr
Instructions
- Do some prep: Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 425°F/218°C. Set a large pot of water to boil.
- Marinate salmon: In a small bowl, mix lemon juice, dijon, honey, oil, salt, and black pepper until smooth. Pat salmon dry, then line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and place fish on top. Pour the marinade over the top of the salmon, making sure it's well coated. Note: If you have time, marinate the salmon for 15 minutes before baking for added flavor.½ pound salmon fillet, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, Black pepper
- Cook the aromatics: In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic, and lemon zest, and saute for 3 - 5 minutes until the aromatics are nicely softened. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and half of the parsley, and saute for 1 - 2 minutes until the tomatoes begin sticking to the pan. Note: Once you've finished cooking the aromatics, turn the heat off while you wait for the pasta to cook and the salmon to bake.2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 shallots, 3 cloves garlic, ½ lemon, 3 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, Handful flat-leaf parsley
- Roast the salmon: Bake the salmon for 12 - 20 minutes in the oven until cooked to your desired temperature.Note: I prefer cooking my salmon to medium, which is done when an IR thermometer reads 120F° in the thickest part of the flesh. Once the salmon is cooked through, allow it to cool for a few minutes before peeling off the skin. Use a fork to gently flake the fish into bite-sized pieces.
- Cook the pasta: Meanwhile, cook the pasta. Add a generous pinch of salt to the boiling water, then stir in the pasta. Cook until al dente according to package instructions, reserving ¾ cup of pasta water.6 ounces dried pasta
- Finish the dish: Off the heat, transfer the pasta* to the saucepan and toss to combine. Stir in ¼ cup of pasta water and yogurt, and toss vigorously to create a smooth, glossy sauce. You can add more pasta water as needed if the sauce feels too thick. Just before serving, stir in the salmon and top with remaining parsley. Divide amongst two serving bowls and eat immediately!Note: Ideally, you're transferring the hot pasta to the pan so it will re-heat the aromatics. If the pasta is cold, you will want to re-heat it over medium-low heat with some pasta water until warmed through. Then, remove it from the heat and stir in the yogurt.¼ cup yogurt or skyr
Notes
- Sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil are often salty, so I like to rinse and drain them before adding to the sauce.
- Add the yogurt off heat: To prevent the yogurt from curdling, make sure to add it with the pasta water off the heat.
- Add the salmon last: To prevent the salmon from flaking apart too much, stir it in after making the yogurt sauce, just before serving.
- Have leftover cooked salmon? This is a perfect recipe for using leftovers. Just skip the instructions for roasting the salmon and stir in the leftover pieces of fish before serving.
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
