Creamy Smoked Salmon Spinach Pasta with Lemon

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Make this easy creamy Salmon Spinach Pasta in less than 15 minutes. With hot smoked salmon and lots of lemon flavor it's a super easy yet elegant weeknight dinner with little prep and just a few simple steps.

I’m not sure when I first made this creamy salmon pasta, but I seriously can’t remember a time when it wasn’t one of my go-to recipes. This is one of those dishes I make over and over again, and it's probably my favorite salmon recipe.

Jump to:

• Why you will love this recipe
• What you need to make it
• How to make it
• Tips & tricks
• Recipe FAQ
• More 15-minute dinners
• Recipe
• Reviews

Why you will love this recipe

• It's quick and all done in under 15 minutes
• It's easy to make with little prep and a few simple steps
• Delicious and loaded with flavor from lemon & hot smoked salmon
• It's a super creamy sauce - but a pretty light dish thanks to all that lemon
• A bit healthier thanks to a good dose of spinach
• A high sauce to pasta ratio so you get more sauce with less pasta
• Quick & easy enough for a weeknight - and a perfect recipe for a dinner party or date night!

What you need to make it

Ingredient notes & substitutions

• Pasta - you can use fresh or dried pasta, but fresh pasta is quicker. I prefer tagliatelle as it goes well with the sauce.
• Hot smoked salmon can be swapped for cold smoked salmon or any leftover salmon (pan seared or oven baked). (If you're looking for a recipe with pan seared salmon I also recommend trying out this salmon pasta recipe).
• Cream and crème fraîche can be switched for each other
• Cream - you can use full fat or half and half, or half milk and half heavy cream. You can even use only milk if that's all you have, but then you really should use crème fraîche as well.
• Spinach - either large leaves or baby spinach
• White wine can be added for an even more elegant dish
• Add dill for a tasty twist

How to make it

Aside from the steps below, you also need to cook pasta. If you're using dry pasta you should add it to the water just as you start making the salmon spinach sauce. If using fresh pasta, add it to the water when adding the salmon to the sauce.

1. Add cream to a large skillet or frying pan
2. Add crème fraîche
3. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring often
4. Add spinach

5. Simmer until the salmon is wilted, stirring often
6. Add half of the lemon juice, then simmer for 1 minute before adding the rest
7. Add lemon zest
8. Add black pepper, then mix well and taste test, and simmer for 2 minutes

9. Add hot smoked salmon
10. Mix well and simmer for 1 minute
11. Add cooked pasta and pasta water
12. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes, then taste test and add a pinch of salt if needed. Serve immediately!

Tips & tricks

• Vary the amount of lemon juice to suit your taste - with the full amount stated in the recipe this dish tastes a lot of lemon and is high in acidity
• Add your lemon juice in portions to minimize the risk of the cream curdling
• Salt your pasta water a lot - it should taste like the sea
• Let the sauce simmer for a few minutes after adding the salmon before adding the pasta, to allow the salmon to break apart and melt into the sauce
• Cook the pasta 1 minute less than package directions - it will finish cooking in the sauce and end up perfectly al dente
• Don't add any salt before mixing in your pasta & pasta water - you shouldn't need any, if your pasta water was salty enough
• Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container, and consume within 4 days
• Freeze leftovers to keep them for up to 3 months
• Reheat leftovers in the microwave in 1 minute increments, or add a bit of milk or cream and simmer for 2 minutes in a sauce pan on the stove

Recipe FAQ

More 15-minute dinners

Love quick & easy recipes, like this Salmon Spinach Pasta? Then add these delicious options to your weekly menu as well!

• Spanish Chicken Stew with Lemon & Rosemary
• Thai Curry Fried Rice with Broccoli & Mushrooms
• Spicy Sausage Pasta
• Larb Gai (Spicy Thai Minced Chicken Salad)
• Burrata Caprese with Spinach & Cashews
• Buffalo Chicken Pasta
• Tortellini Carbonara

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