This recipe for Lemony Smoked Salmon Pasta with Peas is so easy to prepare and tastes so rich. Less than 30 minutes from start to finish. You need to use smoked salmon here, not cured salmon.
More about Lemony Smoked Salmon Pasta with Peas
I have been making this Lemony Smoked Salmon Pasta with Peas for years, and only realized last night that I had no "recipe" written down for it. Well, time to fix that!
"For this dish use smoked salmon, not a cured salmon such as lox"
I love salmon. I love smoked salmon. I love pasta. I love cream. I love food. I love you. OK...enough.
Wild Caught Alder-wood Smoked Salmon
For this dish, you need to use smoked salmon, not cured salmon such as lox.
The rich, smokey, oiliness of the fish, combined with the cream (or half and half, or if you really want, you could use low-fat milk, mixed with a bit more of the cornstarch) and the lemon zest, along with fresh spring peas gives you a beautiful tasty dish in about 20 minutes time.
Pasta Pasta Pasta
I like to use bow-tie pasta for this dish, but you can use whatever pasta shape you like.
It's best to use either a long thick pasta, such as fettuccine, or one with a shape, like shells, penne, or bow-ties.
Kinds of pasta that hold the sauce and the pieces of salmon nestled into it, so you can enjoy all the flavors with every bite. Be sure to cook your pasta just slightly under the recommended cooking time, 1 - 2 minutes less, as it will continue to cook while being sauced.
Peas, fresh or frozen
I was lucky enough to be able to harvest peas fresh from my garden. If you can find fresh peas, use them. If you can't frozen peas will work just fine. No need to defrost.
Lemony Smoked Salmon Pasta with Peas
A simple salad rounds out this meal.
Wine Recommendation: With this creamy sauce a Chardonnay works really well. Another choice would be a Viognier for its sweeter tropical notes.
LindySez: This dish is so easy to make. Really it's a bing banga boom and a great way to incorporate more heart-healthy fish into your diet. It's also easily adapted for two, or even one person.
Lemony Smoked Salmon Pasta with Peas
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pasta bow-tie, penne, fettuccine cooked 1 minute less than package directions, drained, ½ cup pasta water reserved
- 6 ounces smoked salmon flaked
- 1 cup fresh or frozen peas if fresh, blanch in boiling water for 2 - 3 minutes until crisp-tender, run cold water over to stop the cooking, if frozen, no need to thaw
- Zest and juice of 1 large lemon zest the lemon into the half and half or cream and allow to sit while you prepare the salmon and the pasta cooks. Do NOT add the lemon juice to the half and half or you will have curdled milk...YUCK
- 1 ½ cups half and half or cream (I have made it with both, whatever you have in the fridge)
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch If making with milk, then 1 teaspoon should thicken it up adequately
- ½ teaspoon fresh or dried dill or to taste
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Mix the cornstarch with a bit of water in a small container, then into the cream or half and half I find that cornstarch does not blend well directly with cream, so a little water first helps it be more homogenous. Pour and heat in a large skillet over medium heat; add the pasta and peas, simmer for about 2 - 3 minutes, or until the pasta is well coated, then gently stir in the flaked salmon. Add the lemon juice and cook until all is hot. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add the dill, stir gently. Add some of the pasta water if it seems to dry. Serve in heated bowls.
Michael C. says
Wonderful recipe! Please, don't make the same mistake I did and buy a good quality smoked salmon. I bought what was on sale and ended up regretting it. It had little to no smoked flavor. I managed to remedy this with some alderwood smoked sea salt. And rushing it to get it on the table, I forgot the sweet peas! Even so, everyone LOVED it!
LindySez says
Hi Michael...YOU ARE SO RIGHT...this being such a simple dish, the salmon is so important. Great save with the smoked sea salt! We have a local seafood market that makes the BEST smoked salmon, that I'm so spoiled with it now I can hardly use anything else, but any good quality smoked salmon will work. Hope you and your family enjoy it again soon. Cheers ~ Lindy
Linda @ Food Huntress says
This looks scrumptious!!! I had to yum and pin it.
LindySez says
Thanks Linda, I do appreciate the share. I hope you try this, it's so good, and so easy to make. A win-win in my book! Cheers ~ Lindy