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Creamy garlic butter salmon pasta served in a bowl with fresh herbs

Creamy Garlic Butter Salmon Pasta

A quick and delicious creamy pasta dish featuring salmon and garlic butter, perfect for busy weeknights.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 650
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta and Seasoning
  • 8 oz pasta (your choice, but fettuccine works magic!) Choose your preferred type of pasta
  • Salt Salt to taste For pasta water and seasoning
  • Pepper Pepper to taste For seasoning
Main Ingredients
  • 2 fillets salmon (about 6 oz each)
  • 3 tablespoons butter Divided, for cooking
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced Fresh minced garlic for flavor
  • 1 cup heavy cream For the sauce
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese For the sauce
  • Fresh parsley Fresh parsley, for garnish Optional for presentation

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Start by boiling a large pot of salted water. Add the pasta and cook it according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining.
Cooking the Salmon
  1. In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. Season salmon fillets with salt and pepper, then place them skin-side down in the pan. Cook for about 4-5 minutes, flip, and cook for another 3-4 minutes until golden brown.
  2. Remove salmon from skillet and set aside.
Making the Sauce
  1. In the same skillet, add another tablespoon of butter and the minced garlic. Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  2. Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer.
  3. Stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted. If too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Combining
  1. Flake the salmon into large chunks and toss it back into the skillet along with the cooked pasta. Mix everything gently until the pasta is coated in the creamy sauce.
Serving
  1. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve hot.

Notes

Add extra garlic for more flavor, and feel free to toss in spinach or cherry tomatoes for added nutrition. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3 days and reheated with a splash of cream.