Salmon Pasta
Pasta with flaked tinned salmon, peas and a lemon and cream cheese sauce. Four servings in 20 minutes.
Make Ahead and Storage
Keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat with a splash of milk.
Making Salmon Pasta
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Boil the penne in well-salted water for 2 minutes less than the packet says, add the peas and cook for 2 minutes more. Keep a mug of the water, then drain.
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Return the pan to low heat and add the cream cheese, lemon zest, juice and 100 ml of the pasta water, stirring until smooth.
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Add the pasta and peas and toss, adding more water if the sauce is tight.
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Fold in the salmon, salt, pepper and parsley and warm for 1 minute.
Worth Knowing
- Add the salmon last and fold gently so it keeps its flakes.
- Keep the heat low once the cream cheese goes in, so it does not split.
- Taste before adding salt; tinned salmon is salty.
Some Background
Cream cheese is the cheap cheat for a creamy sauce. Stirred into hot pasta water with a squeeze of lemon, it turns smooth and glossy in seconds, with no cooking and no flour.
Tinned salmon goes in at the end, in big flakes. It is already cooked, so it needs only a minute to warm through, and stirring too hard turns it to mush.
Peas go into the pasta pot for the last 2 minutes. They need no separate pan.
Add the pasta water slowly. The sauce is thick at first and loosens with each spoonful. Stop when it coats the pasta in a thin glossy layer. Lemon zest and juice give the dish its edge. Cream cheese sauces are quick because they need no reduction, only warmth and a little pasta water. Keep a close watch on the heat, since boiling will split the sauce and leave it grainy.
What to Put Next to It
Green salad · Garlic bread · Steamed broccoli
Quick Answers
How long does Salmon Pasta take to make?
About 20 minutes in total — 5 minutes of preparation and 15 minutes of cooking. The recipe serves 4.
What are the key tips for making Salmon Pasta?
Add the salmon last and fold gently so it keeps its flakes. Keep the heat low once the cream cheese goes in, so it does not split. Taste before adding salt; tinned salmon is salty.
What should I serve with Salmon Pasta?
Green salad; Garlic bread; Steamed broccoli.
How should Salmon Pasta be stored?
Keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat with a splash of milk.
Is Salmon Pasta suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is no added sugar. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in Salmon Pasta?
About 541 kcal per serving, with 23 g protein, 74 g carbohydrate and 17 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
What's in a Serving
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
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Written and tested by Turab
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