Pasta with Smoked Salmon

4.73 from 11 votes

Luxurious pasta in creamy sauce with smoked salmon and capers that comes together in 20 minutes. Perfect for a date night!

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: British

Keyword: pasta with smoked salmon

Servings:

Set a large pot of water over medium heat and bring to a boil, add salt once boiled. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions.
While the pasta is cooking, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large pan, then add minced garlic and cook briefly over low heat for 10-20 seconds, then add creme fraiche, lemon zest and capers, heat through. Make sure the heat is set to low to keep the sauce smooth, otherwise creme fraiche might separate. Add the pasta water from the boiling pot and stir to combine.
Add the smoked salmon cut into strips and cook for a couple of minutes until the salmon turns from bright orange to opaque.
Drain the pasta, while reserving 1/2 cup of water. Add the pasta directly to the pan with the sauce and toss gently to combine. Add a splash of water if the sauce is too dry until it reaches desired consistency. Taste the pasta and add salt only if necessary. It will depend on the saltiness of your smoked salmon.
Serve sprinkled with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped chives.

You can substitute the creme fraîche with the same amount of heavy cream and 1 tbsp of fresh lemon juice.
I used creme fraîche in this recipe because the tangy taste adds a different dimension of flavour to the pasta. But if creme fraîche is unavailable use heavy cream and 1 tbsp of fresh lemon juice.
I used penne but other short shapes will do just as well. Choose one that has a hollow centre or scoop to pick up the creamy sauce and bring more flavour to each mouthful.
The cold smoked salmon used in this recipe is smoked at a lower temperature than hot smoked salmon. This process gives the salmon a smoother texture with less smokey flavour.
Don’t forget to reserve some of the pasta water before draining because you will want to add it to the sauce later. Pasta water holds onto salt and starch and can add flavour and creaminess to the sauce, and is the best way to thin it out a bit if needed.