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This salmon pesto pasta recipe comes together fast and makes an elegant meal that’s great for a quick weeknight dinner. You can either use jarred or homemade pesto!
Love pesto? Try my Creamy Pesto Shrimp Gnocchi or Chicken Pesto Pasta next.
Why you’ll love it
Basil pesto and salmon go so well together, and the buttery pesto pasta sauce with a hint of lemon is easy yet impressive. I also think cream makes pretty much any sauce taste better, and it adds something special while mellowing out the pesto flavor a touch.
This salmon pasta with pesto is fabulously easy and ready in only 30 minutes. One lovely reader said that it should be on a restaurant menu! Flaky salmon with pasta is always a good idea and one that everyone will enjoy.
What you’ll need
- Pasta – I chose penne to capture the tasty sauce, but feel free to use any kind of pasta for this recipe
- Salmon – we’re using about a pound of fresh salmon
- Garlic powder – along with salt & pepper, it’s to season the fish directly
- Flour – for dredging to get that perfect crust on the salmon
- Olive oil and butter – for pan frying and the base of the sauce
- Chicken broth – for more savory depth
- Pesto – I like using my Easy Homemade Pesto, but a jarred variety works! Use a brand you love since the pesto flavor really shines in this recipe. I like DeLallo.
- Heavy cream – a hint of luxuriousness
- Lemon juice – for balance and a little acidity
Pro tips
- You can buy salmon with the skin on or already removed. If you bought salmon with the skin on and don’t want to eat it, you can simply peel it off after you’ve done the searing step.
- Some jarred pestos can already be quite lemony, so keep that in mind. You may not need to add the extra lemon juice to the recipe.
How to make salmon pesto pasta
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Cook the pasta al dente. Meanwhile, season the salmon with salt & pepper and dredge in flour. In a skillet, pan fry the salmon in oil and butter until golden on both sides. Transfer the salmon to a plate and pour out the fat from the skillet, but don’t wipe it out. Add the broth and pesto.
Cook for about half a minute, scraping up the browned bits. Pour in the cream and lemon juice, letting it bubble for a minute. Return the salmon, and break it up with your spoon. Gently cook until the sauce has reduced and the fish is cooked. Toss with the drained pasta, and add a dusting of parm if using.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- This is my favorite skillet for pan frying fish.
- I use this cooking spoon since it won’t scratch cookware.
- These are the handy angled measuring cups I use.
Substitutions and variations
- I don’t recommend subbing the cream for anything else like half-and-half or milk because the acid in the sauce is likely to make it curdle. Coconut milk will make it too oily, so just leave the cream out if need be (you can always add more pesto to the sauce if you want).
- Swap out the chicken broth for dry white wine (e.g., sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio) for a special twist.
- If you’re looking to add some extra veggies to this pesto salmon pasta, chopped asparagus would be a nice addition. You could sear some for 5 minutes or so (until it’s tender crisp) after you’ve seared the salmon, then add it back into the pan at the same time as the salmon.
What to serve with pesto salmon pasta
- All it really needs is a slice of fresh crusty bread, a dinner roll, or garlic knots!
- Or pair it with a salad for a fresh complement. Try my Super Simple Parmesan Arugula Salad, or go all out with a Caesar salad with my 10-Minute Caesar Dressing. Want a totally different salad option? Try this Strawberry and Spinach Salad with mango dressing.
Leftovers and storage
- Store leftover salmon pasta in an airtight container for 2-3 days in the fridge.
- Reheat over a gentle heat so the fish doesn’t dry out. You might need to add another splash of cream when reheating.
- I don’t recommend freezing this one.
More salmon pasta recipes you’ll love
Will you give this creamy salmon pesto pasta recipe a try? Questions? Leave me a comment below. If you made this recipe, tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram so I can see it!
Salmon Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked pasta
- 1 pound fresh salmon
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Flour for dredging
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/3 cup chicken broth or dry white wine
- 1/3 cup pesto (click for my recipe or use your fav jarred variety)
- 1/4 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice see note
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese optional
Instructions
- Boil a salted pot of water for your pasta and cook it al dente according to package directions.
- Sprinkle the salmon with the garlic powder and some salt & pepper. Coat it in flour on all sides.
- In a skillet, heat the oil and butter over medium-high heat. Cook the salmon for about 3 minutes/side until lightly golden.
- Take the pan off the heat. Remove the salmon to a plate and set aside. Pour the fat out of the skillet, but leave the nice browned bits that are stuck on the bottom of the pan (don't wipe the pan out).
- Add the chicken broth and pesto and return the pan to the burner. Cook for about 30 seconds while scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add in the cream and lemon juice and let the sauce bubble for about a minute. Add the salmon back in and break it into pieces with your spoon. Reduce the heat and let it gently cook for another 3-5 minutes or so until the salmon is cooked through and the sauce thickens up a bit more.
- Drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce. Serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
- I don’t recommend subbing the cream for milk or half-and-half because the sauce won’t be the same, and they are likely to curdle. You can leave it out if you need to.
- Some jarred pestos already have lemon in it, so if yours is particularly lemony, you may want to skip it.
- If you have skin-on salmon and don’t want to eat it, you can easily peel it off after you transfer it to a plate (step 4).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I’ve made this recipe 5 times in the past few weeks since I discovered it. We’ve had it with salmon, pork sausages, steak, shrimp and chicken, and it was absolutely delicious every time. Want to try paneer some time too. I’ve been adding baby spinach and brocolli which is great. This one is a go to for my family now. Thanks!
I love those ideas!! So happy it’s a new favorite, Carly! 🙂
Just made this. YUM 😋 it was delicious and my hubby gave 9.5 out of 10 cos I didn’t have Parmesan 🤣
Definitely be making this again. I did add onion n mushroom 👍
Haha I’m so glad it was a hit!
This was delicious!! I added asparagus and our family devoured this dish. Thank you!
That’s great!! Thanks for your review, Rochelle!
This is easily one of the most delicious recipes ive ever made! <3 I also added some lemon zest at the end. CHEFS KISS!
I’m thrilled you enjoyed it, Holly!! 😀 Love the lemon zest idea!
A weeknight rotation in my house. I’ve made this several times and my whole family loves it. I even double the sauce and noodles sometimes to ensure leftovers. Also, so easy to add veg to. We’ve tried and loved spinach, asparagus, and broccoli so far.
That’s so nice to hear, Jordan!! Thanks for taking the time to write me a review. 😀
I used leftover cooked salmon fillets, 2% milk and light sour cream, equal amounts. I just heated up the pesto, milk and sour cream very slowly after adding it cold in a pan. No curdling, delicious!
Glad it worked out!
Could you sub mahi mahi for salmon?
Sure!
It was amazing with mahi mahi! And so easy to make with great directions!
That’s wonderful to hear, Adam!!
Made this tonight—and honestly, salmon and pesto are a match made in heaven. I substituted carrot noodles at the last minute (hubby and I both need to monitor our carb intake—we aren’t as young as we once were), and what a yummy surprise. Other than that, I followed the recipe to a tee. This goes on regular rotation! Tasted far more decadent than it actually was.
Excellent!! I’m so happy you two enjoyed it. 😀
Hello may I ask how come the finished pasta looks a lot “drier” than the second last picture? Is it because of the cream? New to cooking 🙂
Hi Timothy! So, I believe that the only difference between the finished photos and the one of the salmon in the pan is that it’s been tossed with pasta and plated. Exact same ingredients (like the cream was already in the shot with the pan, if I recall correctly). The sauce will coat the pasta, and so there’s less to collect at the bottom of the pan/bowl/etc. In general, cream does make sauces thicker, though.
This was delicious !!!! I added asparagus and actually melted a little cream cheese instead of heavy whipping cream and that also worked great! Perfect simple recipe 🙂
Yay!! Glad you enjoyed it and were able to tweak it.