Salmon Pesto Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce
By Isabella Quinn
Choose fresh salmon with firm, moist-looking flesh for this salmon pesto pasta; it flakes into the sauce and gives the dish a tender, rich centerpiece. Golden-seared salmon and penne are coated in a buttery pesto cream sauce, with lemon juice lending a light, bright note.
Penne is the stated choice because its tubes catch the sauce, though the recipe permits another pasta shape. Garlic powder, salt, pepper, and a flour coating season and crust the fish before olive oil and butter pan-fry it. Chicken broth, pesto, heavy cream, and lemon juice build the sauce; choose a pesto you enjoy because its basil flavor remains prominent. The cream softens pesto's edge.
After the salmon leaves the skillet, keep the browned bits rather than wiping the pan; broth and pesto loosen them into the sauce. A brief bubble after cream and lemon signals the sauce is coming together, then gentle cooking thickens it around flaked fish. The key mistake is rushing this stage over excessive heat, which can dry the salmon instead of keeping it tender without a harsh boil.
Serve immediately with freshly grated Parmesan if desired, plus crusty bread, dinner rolls, garlic knots, or a salad from the suggested pairings. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container; warm them gently and add a splash of cream if the sauce has tightened for a second meal.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Fresh salmon stays at the center of the dish, while a light flour coating creates the golden exterior that stands up to the creamy sauce.
- Penne's hollow shape holds the pesto, broth, and cream mixture, so each forkful carries sauce rather than leaving most of it behind.
- Using a pesto you already like matters because its basil character remains pronounced after it is combined with chicken broth, cream, and lemon.
- A pound of salmon goes far across four servings because it is flaked through the pasta instead of being kept as separate whole portions.
- Olive oil and butter give the salmon its pan-fried color, and the browned bits left behind supply savory depth to the sauce.
- The optional freshly grated Parmesan lets the pesto, lemon, and salmon remain distinct while adding a savory finish only for those who want it.
Ingredients
- •8 oz uncooked pasta
- •1 lb fresh salmon
- •0.25 tsp garlic powder
- •salt (to taste)
- •pepper (to taste)
- •flour (for dredging)
- •1 tbsp olive oil
- •1 tbsp butter
- •0.33 cup chicken broth or dry white wine
- •0.33 cup pesto (homemade or jarred)
- •0.25 cup heavy or whipping cream
- •0.5 tsp lemon juice (see note)
- •freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Boil a salted pot of water for the pasta and cook it al dente according to package directions.
- 2
Sprinkle the salmon with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- 3
Coat the salmon in flour on all sides.
- 4
Heat the olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- 5
Cook the salmon for about 3 minutes per side until lightly golden.
- 6
Take the skillet off the heat.
- 7
Transfer the salmon to a plate and set aside.
- 8
Pour the fat out of the skillet, leaving the browned bits stuck to the bottom.
- 9
Add the chicken broth and pesto, then return the skillet to the burner.
- 10
Cook for about 30 seconds while scraping up the browned bits from the skillet.
- 11
Add the cream and lemon juice, then let the sauce bubble for about 1 minute.
- 12
Return the salmon to the skillet and break it into pieces with a spoon.
- 13
Reduce the heat and gently cook for another 3-5 minutes until the salmon is cooked through and the sauce thickens.
- 14
Drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce.
- 15
Serve immediately with freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
567
Protein
32g
Fat
28g
Carbs
46g
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