Creamy lemon pasta with smoked salmon is an easy 20-minute meal that’s rich and creamy, while also feeling light thanks to zingy fresh lemon and bright and peppery arugula. Our easy to follow instructions and step-by-step photos will have you making a great dinner easily!
If you’re like my family, pasta is the thing you reach for when you don’t know what to make for dinner. I grew up eating pasta pretty frequently because it was my brother’s favorite, and it was one of the easier things to cook for myself in college when I was first on my own… it just holds a special place in my heart.
If you’ve been looking for a way to mix-up your usual pasta routine, this creamy lemon pasta with smoked salmon is an excellent choice! Smoked salmon is a delicious and versatile protein that doesn’t require much (if any) preparation to enjoy, making it a great option for a weeknight meal. And while this dish is easy enough for a weeknight, it’s also an excellent choice for a special pasta dinner to enjoy with family or friends!
If you love this quick pasta dinner, be sure to try our homemade tuna noodle casserole next!
Jump to:
- Why You’ll Love this Creamy Lemon Pasta
- Creamy Salmon Pasta Ingredients
- How to Make Creamy Lemon Pasta
- Smoked Salmon Pasta Variations
- How to Serve Lemon Salmon Pasta
- How to Store Creamy Lemon Pasta
- Love This Recipe? Try One of These Easy Pasta Recipes Next!
- Smoked Salmon Pasta
- More Ways to Enjoy Smoked Salmon
Why You’ll Love this Creamy Lemon Pasta
Ready in Just 20 Minutes. Perfect for busy weeknights when you want something special but don’t have much time to cook.
Uses Convenient Smoked Salmon. No need to cook fish from scratch since smoked salmon is already prepared and adds instant gourmet flavor.
Light Yet Satisfying. The creamy sauce feels indulgent while the lemon and arugula keep it from being too heavy, making it just right for any season.
Weeknight Easy, Date Night Elegant. Simple enough for a quick family dinner but impressive enough to serve when you want to make something special for guests.
Creamy Salmon Pasta Ingredients
- Water. Used to cook the pasta and some is reserved to help create the silky cream sauce. The starchy pasta water helps bind everything together and creates the right consistency.
- Whole Wheat Linguine. The long pasta shape works great with creamy sauces and pairs well with the salmon pieces. Whole wheat adds extra flavor and nutrition compared to regular pasta. Check out the “Pasta Options” section for alternative pasta choices.
- Salted Butter. Creates the base for the sauce and adds richness that goes well with the smoked salmon.
- Minced Garlic. Adds savory flavor that compliments both the salmon and lemon as well as adding warmth without being too strong.
- Fresh Lemons. The juice adds bright acidity that cuts through the cream and enhances the salmon’s flavor, while the zest provides intense citrus fragrance. Together they make this rich dish feel light and fresh.
- Heavy Whipping Cream. Makes the rich, creamy sauce that coats the pasta and brings all the flavors together as well as balances out the tangy lemon.
- Smoked Salmon. The star protein that’s already cooked and ready to use, making this recipe quick and easy. Its smoky, salty flavor pairs beautifully with the creamy lemon sauce.
- Salt & Pepper. Enhances all the flavors and brings out the natural taste of the salmon and lemon while adding subtle depth to the cream sauce.
- Chives. Add mild onion flavor and bright green color that complement the salmon without being overpowering. They provide a fresh herb note that brightens the rich dish.
- Fresh Arugula. Brings peppery bite and fresh green color that cuts through the richness of the cream sauce. It wilts slightly when tossed with the warm pasta, adding texture and freshness.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to Make Creamy Lemon Pasta
Cook pasta per package instructions, reserving 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large high-rimmed skillet over medium heat.
Add the minced garlic and sauté until the garlic is fragrant (about 30 seconds-1 minute).
Add the lemon juice, half of the lemon zest, salt, pepper, and salmon to the skillet and heat for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cream and ½ cup of pasta water. Simmer for 4-5 minutes until thickened slightly.
Add the chives and cooked pasta to the lemon cream sauce. Gently toss the pasta to coat it.
Toss the fresh arugula in with the pasta and serve immediately.
Smoked Salmon Pasta Variations
- Fresh chive alternatives: if you cannot find (or do not like) fresh chives, you could try sliced green onions or diced shallots. If using either of these options, sauté them with the butter prior to adding the garlic to soften them.
- More veggies: if you’d like to add some additional vegetables to this smoked salmon lemon arugula pasta, here are a few suggestions:
- Increase the amount of arugula used for serving
- Add fresh spinach. I would recommend 1-2 cups, ribboned and mixed in with the lemon cream pasta sauce to wilt before the noodles are added
- Green peas would also make a nice addition to this pasta. Start by adding 1 cup of cooked green peas (this would be a great use of those frozen steamer packs!) at the same time you add the noodles to the sauce to be coated
Pasta Options
You have several options for the type of pasta to use when making smoked salmon pasta recipes:
- Whole Wheat Pasta – this is the pasta I’ve chosen to use in this recipe because I try to incorporate more whole grains into my diet. Whole wheat pasta is also higher in fiber, higher in protein, and higher in vitamins and minerals than enriched pasta.
- Regular Pasta – not into whole grain pasta? No worries! Select your favorite standard pasta and enjoy.
- Gluten Free Pasta – selecting a gluten free pasta is a great option if you’re serving this dish to someone with celiac disease.
- Chickpea or Lentil Pasta – there are more and more plant-based pastas on the market these days. Selecting a lentil or chickpea pasta can be a great way to add more plant-based protein and fiber to your diet!
There are also several shapes of pasta that work well in this recipe. I recommend choosing a long and flat “twirling” noodle for this creamy lemon pasta with smoked salmon. However, any of the following noodle shapes would work wonderfully:
- Linguine – this is the shape I use in this recipe.
- Fettuccine – a little wider long and flat noodle that would be great in this recipe.
- Spaghetti
- Bucatini
- Vermicelli
- Angel Hair
Not seeing your favorite pasta shape on this list? You can still give it a try! Just make sure to review the cooking time recommended on your pasta’s packaging to ensure you do not overcook it.
Possible Dietary Restrictions?
This smoked salmon pasta recipe can be modified easily to be gluten free.
- To make these into a gluten free pasta recipe by selecting a pasta that is certified to be gluten free. There is a wide variety of gluten free pasta options now, making this an easy substitution!
Because this specific pasta recipe showcases smoked salmon and relies on butter and heavy cream for the sauce, I am not outlining ways to make this vegan or dairy free as it would just be a different recipe. If you did want to make this into a vegetarian lemon arugula pasta, you could just skip the salmon.
How to Serve Lemon Salmon Pasta
This creamy pasta dish is delicious served alongside vegetables to lighten up your meal. A simple green salad, steamed broccoli, roasted asparagus, or sauteed greens like spinach, kale, or collards are all great options.
Having some kind of bread is always a nice pairing with pasta too. Try garlic bread, garlic knots, breadsticks, or a simple slice of crusty bread!
How to Store Creamy Lemon Pasta
Store fully cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When ready to enjoy, microwave individual servings. Adding 1-2 tablespoons of milk, cream, or even water can help loosen up the sauce when reheating, giving you the best texture for your cream-based sauce.
Love This Recipe? Try One of These Easy Pasta Recipes Next!
Smoked Salmon Pasta
Ingredients
- Water, for boiling pasta + reserving pasta water
- 1 lb linguine*
- 3 tablespoon salted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium lemons, juiced & zested
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 oz smoked salmon, cut into bite-sized pieces
- ¾ C heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoon minced fresh chives
- 2 large handfuls of fresh arugula
Instructions
- Cook pasta per package instructions, reserving 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large high-rimmed skillet over medium heat.
- Add the minced garlic and sauté until the garlic is fragrant (about 30 seconds-1 minute).
- Add the lemon juice, half of the lemon zest, salt, pepper, and salmon to the skillet and heat for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cream and ½ cup of pasta water. Simmer for 4-5 minutes until thickened slightly.
- Add the chives and cooked pasta to the lemon cream sauce. Gently toss the pasta to coat it.
- Toss the fresh arugula in with the pasta and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Whole Wheat Pasta – this is the pasta I’ve chosen to use in this recipe because I try to incorporate more whole grains into my diet. Whole wheat pasta is also higher in fiber, higher in protein, and higher in vitamins and minerals than enriched pasta.
- Regular Pasta – not into whole grain pasta? No worries! Select your favorite standard pasta and enjoy.
- Gluten Free Pasta – selecting a gluten free pasta is a great option if you’re serving this dish to someone with celiac disease.
- Chickpea or Lentil Pasta – there are more and more plant-based pastas on the market these days. Selecting a lentil or chickpea pasta can be a great way to add more plant-based protein and fiber to your diet!
- Linguine – this is the shape I use in this recipe
- Fettuccine – a little wider long and flat noodle that would be great in this recipe
- Spaghetti
- Bucatini
- Vermicelli
- Angel Hair
Ana says
This is so delicious and easy to make! I forgot to add the rest of the lemon zest, but it was perfectly lemony for us. I added spinach instead of arugula and it worked well. Thanks for the recipe!
ourlovelanguageisfood says
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe Ana! Spinach is a great alternative for the arugula too. Thanks for giving this recipe a try!