Easy Smoked Salmon Pasta with Creamy Lemon Sauce and Peas (20 Minutes)
This Easy Smoked Salmon Pasta with Creamy Lemon Sauce and Peas is a bright, fresh seafood pasta that comes together in just 20 minutes. Bow tie pasta is tossed in a silky lemon cream sauce, folded with smoky salmon and sweet peas for an elegant dinner that’s effortless enough for a weeknight.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pasta bow-tie, penne, or fettuccine cooked 1 minute less than package directions, drained, ½ cup pasta water reserved
- 6 ounces hot 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 fresh or dried dill or to taste
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pour and heat the half and half or cream 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.
Notes
🍋 Recipe Notes
Use hot smoked salmon (flaky, firm pieces)Hot smoked gives more texture and heartiness. Cold smoked melts more into the sauce for a softer finish. Stir the lemon zest into the cream while it warms.
Add the lemon juice at the very end, off or on very low heat. High heat + acid = broken sauce. If the sauce feels tight, add a tablespoon or two of reserved pasta water. The starch helps emulsify the creamy lemon sauce and keeps it silky, not heavy. Smoked salmon brings salt. Taste before adding additional salt at the end. Frozen peas work beautifully and don’t need thawing.
If using fresh peas, blanch just until crisp-tender so they stay bright and sweet. You can use half and half, cream, or even whole milk.
If using milk, add 1 teaspoon cornstarch to waters for proper thickening. Bow tie pasta holds the sauce nicely, but penne or fettuccine work well too. Avoid very small pasta shapes, they disappear into the sauce. Best eaten fresh, but leftovers keep 1–2 days refrigerated. Reheat gently with a splash of milk or water to loosen the sauce.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 servingCalories: 412kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 17gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 377mgFiber: 4gSugar: 14g
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