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This Cajun salmon pasta recipe is fast and flavorful. Cajun spices, sun-dried tomatoes, cream, and garlic make this dish irresistible!
Try my Tomato Spinach Salmon Pasta or Salmon Tacos next.
It’s no secret that I love salmon pasta. This one has a slightly spicy (but not too spicy) twist, and it’s just as easy to make as my popular creamy garlic salmon pasta or my creamy tomato salmon pasta.
This is a quick recipe that takes about as long to cook the sauce as it takes to boil the water for the pasta.
This recipe is written for two people, but it’s easily doubled if needed.
I used spaghetti in this recipe, but any pasta is fine.
How to make Cajun salmon pasta
- Coat salmon in salt & pepper and flour;
- Sear the salmon on both sides in a hot skillet for 2 minutes/side;
- Take the fish out of the pan and set aside;
- Add the Dijon mustard, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes to the pan, followed by the cream, Cajun seasoning, and lemon juice;
- Add the salmon back into the pan and cook for a few more minutes. I also like to add some fresh basil (not necessary but very tasty).
Recipe tip: I bought one piece of fresh salmon that weighed around 1/2 a pound. Anything around there works, really. You can buy either skin-on or skin-off salmon. The skin is fine to eat, but some people don’t like to. If you buy a piece with the skin on but don’t want to eat it, I suggest peeling the skin off on the step where you’ve taken the salmon out of the pan… it should come off easily.
Love Cajun flavors? You may also like my Cajun shrimp pasta, homemade remoulade sauce, my Cajun sausage pasta, or my one pot Cajun chicken pasta.
Questions about this recipe? Let me know in the comments below.
More salmon pasta recipes to try:
Cajun Salmon Pasta
Ingredients
- 4 ounces uncooked pasta
- 1/2 pound fresh salmon
- Flour for dredging
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3/4 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- Fresh basil, torn to taste (optional)
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese to taste (optional)
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil a large, salted pot of water for the pasta. Cook it al dente according to package directions. When the pasta is about 10 minutes away from being done, start the sauce.
- Lightly season the salmon with salt & pepper and then coat it in flour.
- Add the oil and butter to a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the salmon for 2 minutes/side.
- Take the fish out of the pan and set it aside. Reduce the stove's heat to medium.
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and Dijon mustard to the pan. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Add the cream, lemon juice, and Cajun seasoning to the pan. Stir until the sauce is smooth.
- Add the salmon back into the pan and break it up using your spoon. Let it cook for a few more minutes until it's cooked through and the sauce has thickened up a bit. Add some fresh basil in the last minute or two of cooking if using.
- Drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce. Serve with freshly grated parmesan if desired.
Notes
- I used sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil and drained the oil before adding them to the pan.
- You can stretch this to 4 people if you double the pasta and serve the dish with a side.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Hi Natasha! I first had this dish at a friends house and went nuts over it! I asked for the recipe and made it myself. It was just as amazing. I shared some with my mom who about lost her mind it was so delicious! (We both love salmon and pasta).
Thank you for sharing this. I will be making it often, doubling it and sharing it with many people, I’m sure.
I wanted to add that I increased the recipe to make 4 servings. I also used 2 Tbs of Cajun Seasoning, about 6 huge garlic gloves and doubled if not tripled the amount of lemon. Boy did this pack a flavorful punch! Amazing baseline recipe to build off of.
I’m thrilled to hear that!! 😀
The people giving this a 5 star rating should not have access to the internet. Very bland. I think the concept is actually pretty good, but it definitely needs more acid and spice (i.e crushed red pepper sautéed at with garlic step and/or more cajun). Everyone has different tastes, and I appreciate the published author took the time to post this, but it’s not for me as written.
You’re definitely free to tweak the spices as you like, Perry. I’d say the people giving a 1-star review to a small business because something they made in their own kitchen isn’t quite to their taste is the type of person who shouldn’t have access to the internet.
Couldn’t agree with you more, Natasha! And I made this dish . . . best dish I’ve ever made with salmon! Thank you!
I’m so pleased you enjoyed it, Dave! 😀
This was my best dish of 2023 to date. I didn’t follow it to a tee, used 16oz of half and half, a full tub of parmesan, and asparagus instead of spinach. I also added roasted tomatoes instead of bell peppers. Overall I was very happy with the results. Thanks for sharing!!
Wonderful!!
This was a huge hit with my family. I will be making this for years to come.
That makes me so happy, Holly!
My hubby won’t eat heavy cream. Can we use half and half?
You could try, but be aware the sauce could curdle/separate since it’s lower fat (half and half is 50% milk and 50% cream), so be careful not to cook it over too high of a heat. Also, the sauce may end up a bit thinner.
When using half and half, add potato starch to the half and half PRIOR TO adding it to the pan with a bit of salt…. The weight of the starch will thicken as you cook it and lessen the separation.
Do you have nutrition information for this. Would appreciate it.
Hi! Just added it for you. Please keep in mind (especially if you need the info for health reasons) that with most online recipes it’s simply an estimate and actual ingredients can vary (and whether you accurately weight them out) makes a big difference.