This flavorful salmon pea pasta is packed with protein and ready in under 30 minutes! Fresh lemon, creamy pesto, and pops of sweet peas equal bliss!
I am partial to a meal that gets fast on the table! Salmon is always my option when I just cannot wait to put my feet up on a weeknight. But I still want to turn weeknight dinner into a delightful restaurant worthy meal – hence this gorgeous salmon and pea pasta with creamy pesto sauce. Succulent salmon and bright green peas 💚💚💚 come together in a rich and creamy pesto sauce, making this a beautifully satisfying meal.
What you’ll love about this recipe
The beauty of this recipe is that you can adjust the amount of pesto and cream, zestiness 🍋 or 🧄 garlickiness (ermmm… is this a word?) or add a pop of color and extra nutrition with asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, or spinach.
- Quick and Easy: On the table in under 30 minutes!
- Flavorful: Simple ingredients come together to create a vibrant and delicious dish.
- Customizable: Make it your own with protein and veggie variations.
- Healthy option and yummy: Peas add a pop of freshness and essential vitamins and minerals.
- Creaminess: Fusilli bucati’s corkscrew shape perfectly cradle the creamy sauce.
Watch how to make recipe name
Ingredients you’ll need
- Salmon skin on fillets – please, please buy wild caught or research your fish sourcing, sustainability is a great concern when it comes to fish, but so are farming practices. I used sockeye salmon for this recipe, but often I buy keta salmon (it’s less fatty, so be mindful not to dry it too much when cooking.)
- Peas – I use frozen petit pois peas, but fresh garden peas work great too.
- Pasta – I used fusilli bucati, their corkscrew shape makes for a wonderful pesto carrier 😋!
- Pesto – I use my favorite brand of pesto and about half a cup of Genovese pesto, but feel free to make your own, here’s a homemade Genovese pesto recipe I love.
- Sour cream (optional) – you CAN make this salmon pea pasta without cream too!
- Olive oil – always extra virgin for me
- Basil – freshly torn leaves to garnish, right at the end. But if you make your own pesto, use a large bunch.
- Lemon (zest, and juice is optional)
- Garlic
- Salt and pepper to taste
How to make salmon pea pasta (step-by-step)
Time needed: 30 minutes
Turn weeknight dinner into a delightful feast with this vibrant salmon and pea pasta with creamy pesto sauce.
- Cook the Pasta:
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions, reserving about 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Prep the Salmon:
While the pasta is cooking, pat the salmon dry and season with salt and pepper, grated garlic, and lemon zest. Brush the fillets lightly with a little olive oil.
- Cook the salmon
Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sear salmon skin-side down for 4-5 minutes, or until crispy. Flip and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove the salmon fillets from the pan and set aside.
- Make the creamy sauce
In the same pan used for the salmon, add the remaining lemon zest and garlic and saute gently for a minute or so, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the reserved pasta water, a good dollop of pesto and the frozen peas. Simmer gently for a few minutes, add the sour cream if using and take it off the heat to avoid boiling the cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Combine and serve
Tumble the cooked pasta in the sauce and give it a good but gentle mix, to coat the pasta well with the creamy sauce. Flake the cooked salmon (use your hands) and add it back to the pan with the peas and cooked pasta. Toss everything together gently until well combined. Serve immediately garnished with fresh basil leaves. Squeeze a little lemon juice if you fancy, but it doesn’t need it.
Pro Tips
- Taste the pasta water for saltiness.
- Don’t overcook the salmon! It will become dry and flaky.
- Hold onto some pasta water before draining. It will help make a wonderfully silky smooth sauce.
- Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings according to your preference.
- Don’t boil the cream, just stir it through the sauce and remove from the heat to avoid it splitting.
- Don’t cook the peas in the sauce for too long, you want them vibrantly green.
Nutritional benefits
Peas are little nutritional powerhouses! They make this dish such a wholesome nourishing option. They’re a good source of fiber, vitamin K, and manganese. Feed those friendly gut bacteria happy!
Servings
This recipe yields 2-3 portions, enough for a small family. There was a little leftover, enough to for Dave’s lunch the next day.
What to serve with salmon pea pasta
I really like this pasta the way it is, and I often had the leftovers as a salmon pea pasta salad for lunch the next day. But here’s some pairing to match:
- A green salad with a light vinaigrette.
- Golden garlic bread.
- Roasted vegetables.
variations and substitutions
- VEGETARIAN: If you want this recipe vegetarian, skip the salmon and adding more peas or roasted vegetables (grilled asparagus is my favorite, check out how I make it in my potato asparagus salad!)
- VEGAN: For a vegan option, skip the sour cream or add a vegan alternative.
- Don’t have fusilli bucati? Penne, rigatoni, or rotini would work well too. Even tagliatelle!
- Salmon: Swap the salmon with trout, or other protein like cooked shrimp, chicken, or tofu. Our son makes a mean prawn (shrimp) and peas pasta.
- Use a different pesto flavor like sun-dried tomato or roasted red pepper.
- Make it in a salmon pea pasta bake with more sauce and grated cheese on top! (tut-tut some say no pairing fish and cheese!)
The humble peas have done it again, my lovelies! Paired with luxurious salmon and a creamy pesto sauce, you get a salmon pea pasta meal nothing short of restaurant worthy!
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recipe FAQ
Absolutely! Fresh peas will add a touch of sweetness to the dish. Cook them for 2-3 minutes in salted boiling water before adding them to the sauce.
The cooked pasta and sauce can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container. But I am not recommending it, since the dish won’t be as fresh and luxurious, especially that the texture of the salmon will be different after thawing.
I don’t see why not. Follow the equipment instructions for perfectly juicy salmon.
Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or eat cold as a pasta salad.
Salmon pea pasta
Equipment
- 1 drying pan
- 1 medium pot for cooking pasta
Ingredients
- 2 salmon fillets skin-on
- 1 lemon
- 1 large garlic clove minced
- 250 g pasta fusilli bucati used here
- ½ cup Genovese pesto
- 1 cup frozen peas or approximately 100 g
- 2 heaped tbsp Sour cream optional
- 2 tbsp Olive oil for cooking the salmon
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
Cook the Pasta:
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions, reserving about 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
Prepare the Salmon:
- While the pasta is cooking, pat the salmon dry and season with salt and pepper, grated garlic, and lemon zest. Brush the fillets lightly with a little olive oil.
Cook the salmon
- Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sear salmon skin-side down for 4-5 minutes, or until crispy. Flip and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove the salmon fillets from the pan and set aside.
Make the Sauce:
- In the same pan used for the salmon, add the remaining lemon zest and garlic and saute gently for a minute or so, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the reserved pasta water, a good dollop of pesto and the frozen peas. Simmer gently for a few minutes, add the sour cream if using and take it off the heat to avoid boiling the cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Combine & Serve:
- Tumble the cooked pasta in the sauce and give it a good but gentle mix, to coat the pasta well with the creamy sauce. Flake the cooked salmon (use your hands) and add it back to the pan with the peas and cooked pasta. Toss everything together gently until well combined. Serve immediately garnished with fresh basil leaves.
Video
Notes
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