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!
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Why you’ll love this Creamy Lemon Pasta
Level of difficulty: Easy.
Flavor: Bright lemon is accented by zingy fresh arugula and rich smoked salmon.
Time: It will take you approximately 20 minutes to make this creamy salmon pasta recipe.
Creamy Salmon Pasta Ingredients
- Water – for cooking the pasta. Some of the pasta water is reserved for the sauce as well.
- Whole Wheat Linguine (or long pasta of choice, see “Pasta Options for This Cream Salmon Pasta Recipe” section for alternatives).
- Salted Butter
- Minced Garlic
- Fresh Lemons – juice and zest will be used.
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Smoked Salmon
- Salt
- Pepper
- Chives
- Fresh Arugula
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Helpful Equipment
- Wooden Spoon
- Large Stock Pot
- Large, High-Rim Skillet / Sauté Pan
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Liquid Measuring Cup
- Citrus Juicer -OR – Lemon Squeezer
- Handheld Zester
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 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? You May Also Enjoy
Creamy Lemon 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!