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Home » Ingredient » Seafood

Seafood

Creamy Salmon Pasta

Published: June 6, 2021   |   Updated: August 8, 2022   |   15 Comments

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5 from 6 reviews
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This creamy salmon pasta is perfect for date night. Think of your favorite kind of pasta smothered in a creamy garlic white wine sauce with baked flaky bite-sized salmon chunks and fresh spinach, lemon and capers.

A plate of creamy salmon pasta with spinach with lemon wedges and grated Parmesan cheese on the side.

Today we’ll be making a fun and delicious creamy salmon pasta. Think of this as a creamy version of the crowd-favorite light lemon garlic pasta with salmon. While the lighter version relies on high-quality olive oil as a kind of ‘sauce’, this slightly more decadent twist has a light creamy sauce, fresh spinach and the bright and zesty flavors of lemon and capers. And while it sounds pretty fancy, it’s really easy to make.

There are also plenty of ways to customize this. Switch it up with your favorite kind of pasta, substitute spinach with fresh basil or asparagus, make it kid-friendly by leaving out the white wine, bake the salmon with more spices to add some contrasting flavor, or try adding some red pepper flakes to the sauce for some heat.

This one is perfect for date night or an easy but comforting weeknight meal and leftovers heat up well. If you feel like skipping the carbs and just want some creamy salmon, try this recipe for creamy garlic butter salmon instead. In the meantime, let’s start cooking!

Ingredients in Creamy Salmon Pasta

Ingredients to make creamy salmon pasta in prep bowls.

How To Make Creamy Salmon Pasta (1 Min Video)

CREAMY SALMON PASTA RECIPE TIPS

Pasta – Add a drizzle of olive oil and salt to the pot while cooking the pasta. The oil prevents sticking and the salt evenly seasons each noodle from the inside out. It makes a difference! Also, feel free to substitute linguine with any other kind of pasta. You can use spaghetti, angel hair, pappardelle, farfalle, or any tube-type pasta.

Salmon -Use either fresh or frozen salmon at about 5-8 oz. each. Make sure to season generously with salt and pepper. I like to use coarse sea salt because it’s more forgiving. In this recipe, we bake the salmon but if you don’t feel like heating up the whole house, you can pan-fry it over the stovetop. You can also customize the salmon by adding more seasonings like onion and garlic powder, paprika, or chili powder.

A close up shot of creamy salmon pasta with spinach on a white plate.

Lemon -One medium-sized lemon should be enough to get the zest you need. I used a microplane to zest up a lemon and then cut the leftovers into wedges to serve on the side for folks that like adding more lemon juice to the sauce.

Garlic – Four medium-sized cloves are roughly equal to about 1 tablespoon of minced garlic. I find it easier to use either a garlic press or a mini grater to mince the garlic.

Creamy salmon pasta with spinach in a saucepan with lemon wedges and Parmesan cheese on the side.

White wine – Use a dry white wine like pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc since you want the wine to add acidity and not sweetness. Leave out the white wine to make this kid-friendly or substitute it with chicken stock or more heavy cream.

Add more flavor – Feel free to add more garlic or capers to your taste. You can also add red pepper flakes to the sauce for a hint of heat.

Toppings – Serve with either shaved Parmesan chunks, freshly grated Parmesan, or the green shaker Parmesan. Add some lemon wedges on the side for freshly squeezed lemon juice.

A close up shot of creamy salmon pasta with spinach on a white plate.

Leftovers – Heat up leftovers by adding any leftover heavy cream you might have or milk to the pasta. Stir and microwave for a few minutes.

Sides – Serve this with a side of salad, some garlic bread, or some easy Parmesan garlic knots.

Customize It!

  • Switch the spinach – If you don’t like spinach, try substituting it with fresh basil or chopped asparagus spears.
  • Make a creamier sauce – This recipe makes a very light creamy sauce. If you prefer a thicker creamy sauce, try adding some freshly grated Parmesan cheese to the sauce while simmering which will give it an Alfredo-like taste.
  • Add some heat – Add a few dashes of red pepper flakes for some heat.

And that’s about it. We loved this meal so much and had a ton of fun eating it. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did! Let me know about what substitutions you made and how you liked the recipe in the comments below.

MORE SEAFOOD RECIPES TO TRY

  • Creamy Garlic Butter Salmon
  • Light Lemon Garlic Pasta with Salmon
  • Lemon and Parmesan-Crusted Salmon
  • Salmon Piccata
  • Lemon Garlic Butter Baked Shrimp

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A plate of creamy salmon pasta with lemon wedges and grated Parmesan cheese on the side.

Creamy Salmon Pasta


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 6 reviews

  • Author: The Cooking Jar
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4-6 1x
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Description

This creamy salmon pasta with fresh spinach, lemon and capers in a creamy garlic white wine sauce is perfect for pasta or date night.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 lb. linguine
  • 2 salmon fillets (5–8 oz. each)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 4 medium garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 5 oz. baby spinach
  • 2 tablespoons capers
  • Lemon wedges for serving
  • Fresh Parmesan for serving, shaved or grated

Instructions

  1. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente.
  2. Season both sides of the salmon fillets with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes or until the salmon is no longer pink and the internal temperature reads 145° F.
  4. Melt butter over medium heat in a dutch oven or deep skillet.
  5. Add minced garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  6. Add heavy cream, wine, lemon zest and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly.
  8. Add in cooked pasta, spinach and capers. Stir and simmer until the spinach is cooked, about 2 minutes.
  9. Flake the salmon into bite-sized pieces and gently toss the salmon in with the pasta.
  10. Dish and serve hot with lemon wedges and Parmesan cheese.
  11. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Switch the spinach – If you don’t like spinach, try substituting it with fresh basil or chopped asparagus spears.
  • Make a creamier sauce – This recipe makes a very light creamy sauce. If you prefer a thicker creamy sauce, try adding some freshly grated Parmesan cheese to the sauce while simmering which will give it an Alfredo-like taste.
  • Add some heat – Add a few dashes of red pepper flakes for some heat.
  • Scroll up to RECIPE TIPS for more useful tips, suggestions and ingredient substitutions.
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins

Did you make this recipe?

Let me know how you liked it, what substitutions you made, or what you paired it with in the comments below. If you enjoyed it, help me out with a  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ star rating!

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posted in: Main Dishes, Pasta, Popular Recipes, Quick and Easy, Seafood, Stovetop

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    Comments & Reviews

  1. Jenni says

    November 29, 2024

    We’ve got some family members who are lactose-intolerant – has anyone made this dish using an alternate non-dairy ‘milk’, such as coconut cream?

    Reply
  2. Bobbie says

    May 6, 2023

    I was just thinking about what I could make with the ingredients I had in the kitchen on a whim. I tried this and my family enjoyed it. Quick Saturday meal. Thanks 😊

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      May 8, 2023

      Most welcome, Bobbie and I’m glad it’s one of those recipes you can make on the spur of the moment like that 🙂

      Reply
  3. Mel Weaver says

    May 4, 2023

    Absolutely delicious! I only had 3/4 cup cream so added 1/4 cup full fat milk, and also added about 1/4 cup peas and a teaspoon or so of chopped dill. This is one I would happily serve to guests.

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      May 8, 2023

      Great fix! Peas and dill are a great addition, thanks for sharing 🙂

      Reply
  4. Kate says

    March 30, 2023

    We’ll be adding this to our regulars. The capers and white wine balance the cream so nicely, not too heavy but also really nice!

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      April 4, 2023

      Thank you for giving the recipe a go and I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it! We had a lot of fun digging into this one as well and it’s a favorite 🙂

      Reply
  5. Judy says

    July 21, 2022

    This was divine, whole family loved it. Will be a keeper for sure.

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      July 21, 2022

      Excellent! I’m thrilled to hear you enjoyed it, Judy 🙂

      Reply
  6. Ash says

    June 2, 2022

    This it’s delicious and easy. Made it tonight for dinner. It’s definitely going into our make regularly list.

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      June 7, 2022

      I’m glad you found a new staple! We loved this one too and it’s a favorite in our household as well.

      Reply
  7. Laura Smyth says

    March 2, 2022

    Really tasty dish the whole family loved

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      March 2, 2022

      I’m glad to hear it was a hit with everyone. Thank you, Laura 🙂

      Reply
  8. Rachel says

    February 1, 2022

    Made this and was delicious! I subbed shrimp for the salmon. It was super easy but so flavorful!

    Reply
    • The Cooking Jar says

      February 4, 2022

      Yay! I’m happy to hear you liked it and that it works with other kinds of seafood. Scallops would probably work as well. Thanks, Rachel!

      Reply

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