Creamy Lemon Pasta with Smoked Salmon

close up of a white plate filled high with smoked salmon pasta, with a fork twirling a big bite of pasta.

5 from 8 votes

Creamy lemon pasta with smoked salmon is an easy 20-minute meal that is easy enough to make on a weeknight! This smoked salmon lemon pasta is rich and creamy, while also feeling light thanks to zingy fresh lemon and bright and peppery arugula.

Prep Time8

Cook Time12

Total Time20

Course: Mains

Cuisine: American

Servings: Servings

Calories: 733kcal

Author: Meredith

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.

Notes

*Pasta options for this creamy salmon pasta recipe:

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

Nutrition