Description
This Lemon Dill Salmon Pasta is a fresh, flavorful, and creamy dish that combines tender salmon with zesty lemon and fragrant dill, tossed with perfectly cooked pasta. Quick and elegant, it’s an ideal weeknight dinner that impresses with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 oz (225g) pasta (penne, fettuccine, or spaghetti)
Salmon
- 2 salmon fillets (approximately 6 oz each), skin removed
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- ½ cup (120ml) low-sodium chicken broth or reserved pasta water
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1½ tablespoons chopped fresh dill (or 1½ teaspoons dried dill)
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ cup (50g) grated Parmesan cheese
Garnish
- Extra lemon wedges
- Fresh dill
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water for the sauce.
- Cook the salmon: In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Season the salmon fillets with salt and black pepper. Cook the salmon for 3–4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove from the skillet and gently flake into chunks with a fork.
- Start the sauce: In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
- Add liquids: Pour in the heavy cream and the low-sodium chicken broth or reserved pasta water. Stir and let the mixture simmer for 3–4 minutes, allowing it to slightly thicken.
- Flavor it up: Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, chopped dill, and optional red pepper flakes. Let the sauce simmer gently for an additional 2 minutes to develop flavors.
- Combine: Add the cooked pasta and grated Parmesan cheese to the sauce. Toss gently to coat the pasta evenly, adding more reserved pasta water if the sauce needs loosening.
- Add salmon: Gently fold the flaked salmon into the pasta and sauce mixture. Cook for another minute just to warm the salmon through without breaking it up further.
- Serve: Plate the pasta and garnish with extra fresh dill and lemon wedges. Serve immediately while warm and enjoy your elegant and creamy Lemon Dill Salmon Pasta.
Notes
- Use fresh dill for the best flavor as it pairs beautifully with lemon and salmon.
- Do not overcook the salmon; cook it just until it flakes easily for tender texture.
- Zest the lemon before juicing to maximize citrus flavor.
- Reserve some pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed without diluting the flavor.
- Add Parmesan at the end so it melts smoothly into the sauce without clumping.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keywords: lemon dill salmon pasta, creamy salmon pasta, lemon salmon pasta recipe, easy dinner seafood pasta, Mediterranean salmon dish
