Done in 15 minutes & crazy delicious this salmon crème fraîche pasta with lemon and chives is a true weeknight winner. Made with fresh or frozen salmon, crème fraîche makes it a bit lighter - for a summery pasta you'll love having year round.
Why you will love this recipe
- One pan makes cleanup easy, and keeps all the salmon flavor in the sauce
- Super quick and the sauce is done in the time it takes you to cook the pasta
- Silky yet light thanks to the combination of crème fraîche and cream
- Loads of lemon flavor from lemon zest & lemon pepper
- So much summer flavor thanks to the combo of lemon & chives
What you need to make it
Ingredient notes
- Salmon can be either fresh or thawed from frozen
- Pasta - I like fusilli as it really "grabs" the sauce, but any kind works
- Butter - I use salted butter, add an extra pinch of salt if using unsalted
Ingredient substitutions
- Salmon filet can be switched for smoked salmon, but then don't add any salt until after tasting the finished dish
- Butter can be swapped for vegetable oil
- Shallots can be swapped for red or yellow onion, or leeks
- Cream can be substituted for milk or the same amount of crème fraîche
- Crème fraîche can be switched for the same amount of cream, but then add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice per 2 dl / 1 cup of added cream as well
How to make it
Start by cutting your salmon into bite-size cubes, zesting your lemon, and chopping your shallots and chives. Then get your pasta cooking.
- Place a pan over medium-high heat and add in the butter
- Allow to melt
- Add in the chopped shallots
- Fry for about 2 minutes, until softened
- Add in the salmon cubes
- Add lemon pepper
- Add salt
- Add ground black pepper
- Mix well
- Sear salmon until it has a nice color on all sides and is cooked almost through
- Add the crème fraîche
- Add the cream and mix well. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Add lemon zest, mix, and simmer for another minute
- Turn off the heat and mix in the chives
- Mix in the pasta
- Serve your delicious salmon crème fraîche pasta!
Tips & tricks
- Don't overcook the salmon- it continues cooking while the sauce simmers so it shouldn't be done after searing
- Skip the simmering to save time - it adds flavor but isn't necessary
- Or let it simmer for longer if you have the time - to add even more flavor
- Store leftovers for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge
- Freeze leftovers to save them for longer
Recipe FAQ
You can use both fresh salmon filets and salmon filet that's been thawed from frozen. You could also use smoked salmon instead, both cold smoked and hot smoked will be delicious in this dish - just don't add any salt until you've tasted the finished dish.
Instead of crème fraîche you can use only cream, but then add some lemon juice (1 tablespoon per 2 dl / 1 cup of added cream) as well to get some acidity in there.
No - you can also use just one or the other. But see the tip above if you are making this with just cream.
More great crème fraîche pastas
I love crème fraiche pasta sauces so it's no wonder I have several more recipes. All of them can also be made with cream instead of crème fraîche. My favorites are:
- Crème Fraîche Chicken Pasta with Feta Cheese and Basil
- Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta with Crème Fraîche
- Smoked Salmon Spinach Pasta with Crème Fraiche
- 15-minute Crème Fraîche Carbonara
Did you love this recipe? Rate it five stars!
...and let me know what you loved about it in the comments.
Recipe
Salmon Crème Fraîche Pasta
Print Pin RateIngredients
- ⅔ lb pasta cooked according to package instruction
- 2 tablespoon salted butter or unsalted + a pinch of salt
- 2 shallots finely chopped
- 1 lb salmon filet cut in cubes
- ½ tablespoon lemon pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cups crème fraîche
- ½ cups cream
- ½ lemon zest only
- 3 tablespoon chives chopped
Instructions
- Heat a pan over medium high heat and add in the butter. When melted, follow with the chopped shallots. Fry for about 2 minutes, until softened.2 tablespoon salted butter, 2 shallots
- Add in the cubed salmon and season with lemon pepper, salt and ground black pepper. Mix and fry for 2-3 minutes, until the salmon has a nice sear on all sides and is cooked almost through.1 lb salmon filet, ½ tablespoon lemon pepper, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Add in the crème fraîche and cream and mix. Simmer for 2 minutes.1 cups crème fraîche, ½ cups cream
- Add in the lemon zest, mix, and simmer for another minute.½ lemon
- Turn off the heat and mix in the chopped chives. Then mix in the cooked pasta. Mix well and serve!3 tablespoon chives, ⅔ lb pasta
Equipment (may contain affiliate links)
Video
Notes
Ingredient notes
- Salmon can be either fresh or thawed from frozen
- Pasta - I like fusilli as it really "grabs" the sauce, but any kind works
- Butter - I use salted butter, add an extra pinch of salt if using unsalted
Ingredient substitutions
- Salmon filet can be switched for smoked salmon, but then don't add any salt until after tasting the finished dish
- Butter can be swapped for vegetable oil
- Shallots can be swapped for red or yellow onion, or leeks
- Cream can be substituted for milk or the same amount of crème fraîche
- Crème fraîche can be switched for the same amount of cream, but then add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice per 2 dl / 1 cup of added cream as well
Tips & tricks
- Don't overcook the salmon- it continues cooking while the sauce simmers so it shouldn't be done after searing
- Skip the simmering to save time - it adds flavor but isn't necessary
- Or let it simmer for longer if you have the time - to add even more flavor
- Store leftovers for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge
- Freeze leftovers to save them for longer
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.
Brian
Simple and really tasty. I used red onion instead of shallots, but still delicious.
Kristin
Delicious! This dish was a big hit! Thank you!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Thank you Kristin! So happy you enjoyed it!
Anya
This salmon creme fraiche pasta was so yummy and so quick & easy to make! I made this with gluten free pasta for myself and regular pasta for my boyfriend, we both LOVED it. Also 30g+ of protein makes it an excellent healthy post workout dinner!!
Jessica Formicola
We had this pasta for dinner last night and it was incredible! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
Emmeline Kemperyd
So happy you enjoyed it, Jessica! Thanks for coming back and leaving a rating.
Chloe
Hi
Looks great! Would it be okay to swap from fresh or frozen salmon to canned salmon?.thank you
Emmeline Kemperyd
Hi Chloe, I haven't tried it myself but I think it can work! Try it and let me know how it turns out 🙂 /Emmeline
Carrie Robinson
Oooooo... now this is right up my alley! Definitely adding this to my weekly dinner rotation soon. 🙂
Emmeline Kemperyd
Sounds like a great idea!
Maria San Juan
Just when I thought that I've ran out of pasta recipes this Salmon Creme Fraiche Pasta recipe of yours just came up. I will definitely try this for dinner!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Haha, I know the feeling - sometimes I think I've made every type of pasta there is but nope - there's always new versions to discover or create!
Jordin
This pasta dish looks so delicious and easy to make! I can't wait to give this recipe a try, I know the fam is going to love it!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Let me know how it turns out, Jordin!
Beth Sachs
I love quick and easy pasta recipes like this. Such a great flavour combination.
Emmeline Kemperyd
Thank you, Beth! Same here!