Pasta tossed with a creamy parmesan sauce and flakes of salmon. Alfredo pasta made the real proper restaurant way, you only need 1/2 cup of cream to serve 3. It’s simple, it’s magic, it’s the way real Italian pastas are made. No need to drown this salmon pasta in cream!
I’ve written before about the “proper” way to make pastas. The way Italian Nonna’s do. The way real Italian restaurants do.
It’s not about using loads and loads of sauce. The magic step that makes all the difference between a decent pasta and a really great one is tossing the pasta gently with the sauce and some of the pasta cooking water, just before serving.
What this does is activate the starch in the water and it mingles with the oil in the sauce, so it becomes glossy and luscious and coats every strand of pasta. It’s called emulsification, and it’s the real-deal-proper-way to make pasta.
Gone are the days of dumping of pile of pasta in a bowl and spooning over loads of sauce! And especially for creamy pastas, it’s an important step because that’s how to make less cream go further.
Hence you can indulge in this creamy Alfredo Salmon Pasta without using an entire tub of cream. 🙂
Cream does not make my weekly shopping basket. In fact, I very rarely cook with cream. But I had leftovers from Christmas, and used some to make a Creamy Lemon Chicken and the rest for this.
It’s been over 6 months since I shared a creamy pasta made with cream so I figure I’m due!!
I made this salmon pasta using hot smoked salmon which I purchased already smoked. I have attempted smoking my own salmon before, without success. I need to practice!!!
However, this will be really lovely made with plain cooked salmon too, and I’ve provided directions for this in the recipe. The sauce is so beautifully creamy, it really doesn’t matter whether the salmon is smoked or not. But the hot smoked salmon definitely adds an edge to the flavour!
Now, enough with the chatter. Who wants some Alfredo Salmon Pasta? – Nagi x
More ways to get your creamy pasta fix!
Fettucine Alfredo – also see One Pot Chicken Alfredo Pasta
Baked Mac and Cheese – and try the Shrimp version!
Browse all pasta recipes
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Salmon Alfredo Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 oz / 250g dried fettuccine
- 3 tbsp / 50g unsalted butter
- 1 small shallot (US) / eschallot (Australia), very finely minced (Note 1)
- ½ cup / 125 ml heavy cream (Note 2)
- ¾ cup / 185 ml freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or parmesan (Notes 3 and 4)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Good grind of black pepper
- 6-7 oz / 180 – 200g hot smoked salmon fillet , flaked (Note 5)
Garnish
- Fresh parsley (optional)
- Extra Parmigiano Reggiano
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente (still firm but just cooked through). (Note 6)
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a deep fry pan over medium high heat. (Note 7)
- Add the shallots and sauté for 2 minutes or until tender.
- Add the cream and bring to boil. Turn heat down to medium low and simmer for 3 minutes.
- Remove the fry pan from the heat and stir through the Parmigiano Reggiano, salt and pepper until the sauce is smooth.
- TAKE OUT 1/2 cup of pasta water PLUS scoop out an extra mug (extra, just in case). Then drain the pasta in a colander.
- Transfer the pasta and 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water into the fry pan with the sauce. Add salmon. Return the fry pan to the stove over medium heat. Toss very gently to coat the pasta in the sauce and allow the sauce to emulsify (Note 6) for 1 1/2 – 2 minutes, until the sauce coats the pasta – there should be no sauce pooled at the bottom of the skillet. (Note 7)
- Remove from the stove and serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmigiano Reggiano and fresh parsley, if using.
Recipe Notes:
A regular in our house, love it!
Just made this for our family expecting dissent – there is always at least one child complaining – but they all ate it and fought over leftovers – even those who claim not to like salmon! I used some honey roasted salmon I had in the freezer. It was delicious. Kept
Some back for my lunch at work tomorrow. Hubby asked where I got the recipe – Nagi of course!
Total consensus!! Love it! N x
Can you use fresh pasta
HI Sandra – yes, just follow the cooking instructions on the pasta – it will cook much faster than dried. N x
Really good, make it with fresh salmon and added a head of broccoli. 3/4 family members gave it 5 stars. The 4 year old only likes plain pasta 😉
Just made this dish using Konjac tagliatelle pasta (fits Keto diet exactly) using sockeye salmon flaked in . Amazing and so quick and easy. My partner absolutely loved it …. now wants me to become the house chef and wants to know what’s on tomorrow’s menu. [ was this a big mistake????.]
Just made this dish using Konjac tagliatelle pasta (fits Keto diet exactly) using sockeye salmon flaked in . Amazing and so quick and easy. My partner absolutely loved it …. now wants me to become the house chef and wants to know what’s on tomorrow’s menu. […was this a big mistake????…]
Hi,tried this recipe this evening. I thought for a 1st timer,it turned out pretty well.Family loved it.Thank you for sharing this recipe.
As a bloke (we’re useless at instructions and recipes) are you able to make a video for this (Alfredo Salmon Pasta)??
Pretty please?
I’ll put it on the list Stuart! N x
Curious if anyone knows if the emulsification will work with gluten-free pasta before we give it a go.
I’d love to know too Heather!! N x
I just made this. Absolutely stunning dish. Quick question – am I able to store in the fridge and reheat the next day?
Hi Michelle, I find these types of pasta are best served fresh, however if you want to store, just add a little milk to the pasta to loosen it and then reheat gently in the microwave 🙂 N x
5 stars
Thanks so much Sandra! N x
My first attempt at Alfredo and it was delicious! My kids (3 under 6yo) all enjoyed it too!
I amended it a little (because kids) and added 60g spinach (blitzed), another shallot, another salmon fillet and added a whole cup of pasta water.
Thanks sooooo much!
Followed recipe and it was delicious. Many thanks for the detailed description and clarity in the directions! This helped me to understand how to create this dish, step-by-step, and it did not disappoint. Excellent technique.
Made this with fresh salmon it was perfect. A lovely simple and fresh dinner.
Wahoo, that’s great to hear Tony! N x
This recipe is easy & the results are amazing.
My family ask for it constantly ❤️
Hi Nagi:
It’s really easy to home smoke salmon. I bought a “Cameron’s Stovetop Smoker” and the different types of fine ground wood chips. Alder is fantastic for salmon.
You only need to use ~1/2 teaspoon of the chips and this gives lots of flavor. You can smoke bay bugs, lobster tails, shrimp, ocean scallops, fish of all types, veggies of all types, chicken, beef……. the very best cooking tool I have ever purchased!!!
Nailed it again Nagi. Sublime!! Thank you
Nailed it on the emulsification! Which made it really rich despite the relatively small amount of cream and butter called for. Family loved it. Added some broccoli and peas for a veg kick. Could easily sub salmon for other proteins w/ this recipe. Thanks!
Cooked this with fresh salmon and it’s a winner. Seconds were had and sharing with my friend! Thank you.
The four stars only because I wasn’t game use all the salmon! Never having bought smoked salmon before I was too tentative. I shall do it again though properly next time. The family gave it a big thumbs up – delicious.