Pasta recipes are the definition of comfort food to me. Whenever I’m eating pasta, I know it’ll be a good day. This recipe for Creamy Salmon and Leek Pasta has been on repeat for such a long time. It’s loaded with flaky, buttery salmon pieces, sweet and delicate leek and a velvety, smooth sauce. It’s topped with lots of Parmesan cheese, fresh parsley and a touch of smoked paprika. Another amazing recipe that involves pasta is this Garlic Alfredo Shrimp Bake.
Ingredients used in this Salmon and Leek Pasta
This recipe is prepared with basic ingredients, but salmon and leeks may not be a staple in your kitchen, so get yourself to the nearest grocery store and buy some, cause it’s worth it.
- Pasta: You know my love for tubed pasta, so this recipe has some tortiglioni pasta. Penne and rigatoni are amazing options, or even spaghetti if that’s how you roll.
- Unsalted Butter: Butter makes the sauce rich and full of flavour.
- Leek: They add sweetness and a delicate texture. I have a small obsession with leeks right now – they’re sooo good!
- Lemon Juice: It brightens the sauce and adds a little bit of tangy taste.
- White Wine: Helps deglaze the pan and it has a sweet flavour.
- Heavy Cream: Makes the sauce smooth and creamy. You could also add creme fraiche or half-and-half.
- Dijon Mustard: Adds an unexpected flavour.
- Salmon: It’s buttery, flaky and delicious, clearly the star of this dish.
I love to serve any pasta dish with lots of grated Parmesan cheese, any kind of fresh herb and a pinch of smoked paprika. In terms of fresh herbs, in this creamy salmon and leek pasta I used parsley. However, dill, tarragon and basil would be amazing options.
How to prepare Creamy Salmon and Leek Pasta
I love preparing pasta dishes because you can have a full meal ready in less than 30 minutes. And anytime you’re hungry you don’t need to spend extra time preparing something to eat. Also, the fact that you can easily scale up to your desired number of servings. These creamy salmon and leek pasta are no exception – you can have them ready in no time.
- Bring water to a boil in a large pot. While the water is heating, prepare the rest of ingredients – slice the salmon, dice the leek and grate Parmesan cheese.
- Generously season the boiling water with salt and cook pasta according to the package instructions, stirring occasionally.
- Melt butter in a large skillet, add leeks and cook for 5-7 minutes or until soft and translucent.
- Deglaze the pan with white wine and lemon juice and simmer until almost evaporated.
- Stir in heavy cream and Dijon mustard, cooking for 5 minutes to heat it through.
- Add salmon slices and cook until flaky and no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes.
- Drain the pasta and add them to the skillet and stir to coat in the sauce.
- Serve with grated Parmesan cheese, roughly chopped parsley and a little bit of smoked paprika.
Tips for cooking pasta perfectly every time
- Generously salt your water! It will help your pasta to develop so much flavour.
- Cook your pasta just until al-dente. It will finish cooking in the sauce and it will absorb some of it.
- Reserve some of the pasta water. You can use it to thin your sauce if needed and adds lots of flavour.
- Don’t rinse your pasta! You will wash away all the starches that help your sauce to cling to the pasta.
Creamy Salmon and Leek Pasta
Ingredients
- 0.4 lb tortiglioni pasta
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 large leek rinsed and diced
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ ml white wine
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- 7 oz salmon boneless, skinless and sliced
- salt
- black pepper freshly ground
- Parmesan cheese for serving
- fresh parsley roughly chopped, for serving
- smoked paprika for serving
Instructions
- Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Generously season with salt and cook pasta according to package instructions, stirring occasionaly. While the pasta is cooking, melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add leek and cook until soft, about 5-7 minutes.
- Deglaze the pan with white wine and lemon juice. Simmer until almost all the liquid evaporated, about 5-7 minutes.
- Stir in heavy cream and Dijon mustard, reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes. Season with a little bit of salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Add salmon and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally or until no longer pink.
- Drain the pasta and stir it in the sauce. Serve with Parmesan cheese, fresh parsley and a couple of twists of black pepper.