20-Minute Creamy Lemon Salmon Pasta With Zucchini
Creamy Lemon Salmon Pasta with zucchini, capers and fresh herbs. Light, bright, and ready in 20 minutes. Perfect for busy nights and date nights.
Ingredients
- 15 oz tagliatelle or linguine
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 9 oz. salmon fillet
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 zucchini sliced into half-moons
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- ¾ cup cooking cream
- 1 lemon organic, zest of whole lemon, juice of ½
- salt and pepper to taste
- Pasta cooking water as needed
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated, plus extra for serving
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 2 tablespoons dill fresh or flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Ingredients you need per step are listed below the step in Italic
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook the tagliatelle until al dente according to the package.15 oz tagliatelle
- Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat.2 tablespoons butter
- Place the salmon fillet in the pan.9 oz. salmon fillet
- Cook for 3–4 minutes on one side until lightly golden.
- Turn the salmon and cook for another 3–4 minutes until just opaque.
- Remove the salmon from the pan and set aside to rest.
- Add the remaining butter and olive oil to the same pan.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Add the zucchini slices in a single layer. Cook for about 5 minutes until golden in spots and tender.1 zucchini
- Add the shallot and cook for about 2 minutes until soft and translucent.1 shallot
- Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.2 cloves garlic
- Pour in the cooking cream. Add the lemon zest and the juice of half the lemon.¾ cup cooking cream, 1 lemon
- Stir and let the sauce simmer gently for about 3 minutes until slightly thickened. Season the sauce with salt and black pepper to taste.salt and pepper
- Flake the rested salmon into large chunks with a fork.
- Add the salmon to the pan with the lemon cream sauce. Fold gently so the salmon stays in pieces.
- Add the cooked pasta to the pan. Toss everything together until the pasta is coated.
- Add small splashes of pasta cooking water if needed until the sauce is silky and clings to the pasta.Pasta cooking water
- Stir in most of the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle in the capers and most of the dill or parsley. Toss once more and taste. Adjust seasoning if needed.½ cup Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons capers, 2 tablespoons dill fresh
- Serve immediately with extra Parmesan, capers, herbs, and lemon zest on top.
NOTES
1. Can I use smoked salmon instead of fresh salmon? You can, but the flavor will be much saltier and stronger. This recipe is written for fresh salmon.
2. Which pasta shape works best? Tagliatelle, linguine, or spaghetti are perfect. Long strands catch the sauce and salmon flakes.
3. My sauce looks too thick. What now? Add a splash of hot pasta water and toss until glossy and smooth.
4. My sauce looks too thin. Let it simmer on low for 1–2 minutes with the pasta, or add a little extra Parmesan.
5. Variations
- Spinach: Stir in a handful of fresh spinach at the end until just wilted.
- No capers: Use chopped olives for a different salty bite.
- All parsley: If you are not a dill fan, use only parsley.
- Fridge: Cool quickly, store in an airtight container up to 1 day.
- Reheat: Warm slowly in a pan with a splash of water or cream. Do not boil, or the sauce can split and the salmon dries out.
- Freezer: Not recommended. Cream sauce and fish change in texture.
Nutrition
Calories: 809kcal | Carbohydrates: 83g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 199mg | Sodium: 429mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1159IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Iron: 3mg
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