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This lemon spinach salmon pasta recipe is easy and fresh! It’s an elegant 30-minute meal with pan-fried salmon and features a bright white wine sauce with herbs.
You may also like my Tomato Spinach Salmon Pasta or Lemon Dill Salmon Pasta next.
Why you’ll love it
In this creamy salmon pasta recipe, we’ve got all the building blocks to make a winning (and fast) meal. It has an irresistible sauce with freshly squeezed lemon juice, garlic, and Italian herbs. Then it’s finished off with spinach, real cream, and dusting of parmesan!
Lemon and spinach really brighten it up and add freshness to this dish. It’s such a good combo. Don’t forget that pan searing salmon is actually easy peasy, so that means this cozy salmon pasta is a fabulous choice both for company or any old night of the week!
What you’ll need
- Pasta – rigatoni is what’s pictured, but anything goes
- Salmon – use either skin-on or skin-off fresh salmon
- Butter – for pan frying
- Garlic – aromatic goodness
- Italian seasoning – a versatile herb blend in one jar
- Wine – use a dry white wine you’d enjoy drinking (not cooking wine). My faves are pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc.
- Lemon juice – plus the zest for lots of lemony flavor
- Heavy cream – it adds that luxe texture and richness
- Cornstarch – to thicken the sauce
- Parmesan – grate your own! It melts and tastes better.
- Spinach – for your greens
Pro tip
As written, the cooking time in this recipe is designed for 1″ thick salmon. It will need adjusting for anything thinner/thicker. Keep in mind that you can always visually see salmon cooking as the color changes from a deep pink to a lighter pink, so use that as a guide too.
How to make lemon spinach salmon pasta
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Boil the pasta. Meanwhile, season the fish with salt & pepper. Heat up the butter. Cook the salmon on both sides until it’s mostly cooked, then transfer to a plate. Reduce the heat, and add the garlic, Italian seasoning, wine, and lemon juice and zest to the skillet.
After letting it bubble for half a minute, stir in the cream. Make a cornstarch slurry, then add it to the pan. Let it bubble, then return the salmon to the skillet and add in the parmesan. Break up the salmon with a spoon, and let it cook through.
Stir in the spinach until wilted. Add some hot pasta water if the sauce gets too thick. Drain the cooked pasta, and add it to the skillet. Toss with the sauce. Taste, and season with extra salt & pepper if needed. Top with extra parmesan.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- Make washing your hands easier when dealing with seafood using this touchless automatic soap dispenser.
- Here’s my cast iron skillet for that really good sear.
- Grate your own cheese from a block with a Microplane. It’s the best tool for zesting the lemon as well!
Substitutions and variations
- You could throw in some chopped fresh dill if you happen to have some! It’s a wonderful classic pairing with salmon.
- While the white wine makes the sauce really special, you can sub it for chicken broth if needed.
What to serve with this salmon pasta
- Crusty bread is always a good choice to round out the meal. Serve it with olive oil/balsamic vinegar in dipping bowls to get extra fancy-schmancy.
- Pair your favorite mixed greens with a generous drizzle of my Green Goddess Dressing or Olive Garden Salad Dressing to amp up the fresh factor even more. I also will never say no to these Easy Homemade Croutons (Garlic & Parmesan) on top of a salad.
Leftovers and storage
- I like to eat salmon within 2 days personally, but you can store leftovers of this pasta for a little longer than that in the fridge in an airtight container.
- Reheat slowly on the stove over a low heat. Add a splash of cream to revive the sauce if needed.
- I don’t recommend freezing this one.
More easy seafood recipes
If you made this creamy lemon salmon pasta with spinach, I want to hear from you in the comments below! Or tag me on Instagram with any S&L recipes you made.
Lemon Spinach Salmon Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked pasta I use rigatoni
- 1 pound fresh salmon see note
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- Juice and zest of 1/2 medium lemon (about 1 tbsp juice)
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese + extra for serving
- 2 cups (packed) fresh baby spinach
Instructions
- Boil a salted pot of water and cook the pasta al dente according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, season the salmon with salt & pepper.
- Add butter to a skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the salmon and cook it for 2 minutes/side, then take the fish out of the pan and transfer it to a plate (do not fully cook the salmon).
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, wine, and lemon juice/zest to the skillet and let it bubble for about 30 seconds.
- Stir in the cream.
- In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 1 teaspoon of cold water and stir it into the skillet.
- Once the sauce starts to bubble a bit, add the salmon and parmesan to the sauce. Break the fish up with your spoon into bite-size pieces. Cook for a few minutes until the salmon is cooked through and the sauce has thickened up more.
- Stir in the spinach and let it wilt.
- If the sauce gets too thick, reserve some of the hot pasta water and add it to the sauce.
- Once the pasta is cooked, drain it, add it to the skillet, and toss it with the sauce. Season with more salt & pepper as needed. Serve with extra grated parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
- If you buy skin-on salmon, you can easily peel the skin off before adding it back to the skillet in step 7. Cooking times are for a 1″ thick piece of salmon. If your varies a lot, you may need to adjust cooking time a bit.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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