Description
A creamy and flavorful salmon pasta recipe featuring tender seared salmon, mixed greens, and a luscious white wine cream sauce, perfectly paired with tagliatelle or any long pasta. Quick and easy to prepare, this dish balances fresh ingredients and rich flavors for an impressive yet simple meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- ½ kg (1 lb) pasta such as tagliatelle, fettuccine, or linguine
Salmon and Cooking
- 200g (7 oz) salmon fillet, skin removed
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1/4 tsp salt or to taste
- Salt and pepper to season salmon
Sauce
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 125ml (1/2 cup) dry white wine (such as pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc, or chardonnay)
- 250ml (1 cup) double/heavy cream
- 80g (2 cups) mixed greens (such as spinach, arugula, watercress)
- 1/2 lemon, zest and 1 tbsp juice
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Before draining, reserve some pasta cooking water for the sauce.
- Prepare the Salmon: While pasta cooks, remove any skin and bones from the salmon fillet, then cut into bite-sized pieces. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Sear the Salmon: Heat 1 tbsp butter in a large frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add salmon pieces and sear on all sides until just cooked through, about 2-3 minutes total. Remove salmon to a separate plate to prevent overcooking.
- Sauté Shallots and Garlic: Using the same pan, add 1 tbsp olive oil, chopped shallots, and minced garlic. Sauté over low heat for 1-2 minutes to soften and release flavors.
- Reduce the Wine: Increase heat to medium and pour in the dry white wine. Let it simmer and reduce for 5-7 minutes until slightly thickened and aromatic.
- Add Cream and Greens: Stir in the heavy cream, mixed greens, salt, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix well and cook just enough for greens to wilt.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Drain the pasta, then add it directly into the sauce pan. Toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time if needed to loosen and cream the sauce.
- Serve: Top the pasta with the seared salmon pieces and sprinkle freshly chopped parsley over the dish for garnish. Serve immediately while warm.
Notes
- Reserve some pasta water before draining to add creaminess and flavor to the sauce.
- Use a large skillet or frying pan preheated over medium-high heat for searing salmon to get a nice crust without overcooking.
- This sauce works best with sturdy long pasta shapes, such as tagliatelle, that can hold the creamy sauce well.
- Use a dry white wine like pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc, or chardonnay. Avoid sweet wines as they will alter the sauce flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/6th of recipe)
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
