This Creme Fraiche Salmon Pasta takes only 30 minutes to make, it's creamy, rich, and flavorful. The salmon is roasted with lemon zest and flaked into the pasta. This dish is simple, easy, yet restaurant worthy. It will easily become your new weeknight staple!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ready in 30 minutes - The cooking time will depend on how big your piece of salmon is but even bigger pieces will roast in 12-17 minutes. This makes it the perfect recipe to make on a weeknight when you want something restaurant-worthy but also quick!
- Perfectly creamy - Creme fraiche makes the sauce super creamy and rich while adding the slightest bit of tang. It's the perfect ingredient for pasta sauces and it really shines in this recipe.
- Flaky lemony salmon - The salmon gets roasted in the oven with garlic, onion, and lemon zest until it's cooked through and perfectly tender. The lemon flavor goes really well with the creamy sauce.
Crème fraîche is French for "fresh cream". It is a version of sour cream with a higher fat content. It is less sour than sour cream with a richer, almost buttery taste. It's great for cooking because it's less prone to curdling due to its higher fat content.
Ingredients Notes
- Salmon - Any salmon works here. I usually go with pink salmon because it's the most widely available. You can also use sockeye salmon but you'll need to adjust the cooking time because it's thinner and cooks very quickly.
- Pasta - You can use any pasta shape you prefer. Long, flat pasta shapes are my go-tos here. Pappardelle, tagliatelle, and fettuccine are all great here. Even bucatini which is basically hollow spaghetti that soaks up sauces really well.
- Creme fraiche - This makes the sauce super creamy and velvety. You can also use regular cream if you don't have creme fraiche.
- Capers - Capers add saltiness and a lemony tang similar to olives but a little more floral. You can omit them but I highly recommend adding some. If yours are bigger, chop them up roughly.
- Lemon - The recipe calls for both lemon zest and lemon juice so use organic lemons if possible. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is recommended but you can use bottled lemon juice and dried lemon zest if you're out of lemons.
- Shallot - Shallots are milder than yellow and red onion and work really well in this recipe but any one of the three will work.
- Fresh herbs - You can add fresh or dried herbs to the sauce but fresh herbs are preferred for a stronger, more fresh flavor. I use a mix of parsley and dill.
- Cooking oil - I always recommend quality pure avocado oil but you can use any cooking oil you prefer. Just make sure it has a high smoke point.
- Seasoning - Garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
Variations and Substitutions
- Different protein - If you're not a fan of salmon, you can make this pasta with roasted fish, chicken, or shrimp. You could also sear some scallops and serve them on top.
- Make it dairy-free - you can use vegan cream for cooking or vegan sour cream instead of creme fraiche. You can also use vegan milk but you might have to add tapioca to thicken the sauce. Don't use more than ½ teaspoon of tapioca starch here and always mix it first with a splash of water.
- More spice - If you like spicy foods, feel free to add crushed red pepper flakes, chili garlic sauce (I add this to anything and everything), or your favorite hot sauce to the creme fraiche sauce.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prep Time
- Preheat your oven to 400F (200C). Prepare a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the parchment paper with a little bit of avocado oil. This will prevent the salmon from sticking to it.
- Rinse the salmon with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Pull out any bones if there are any left.
Roast The Salmon
- Place the salmon skin down on your prepared baking sheet and season with garlic powder, sea salt, pepper, and lemon zest. Try to work the seasoning and lemon zest into the salmon. You can season the salmon skin too but I usually don’t in this case because the skin doesn’t crisp up much and I don’t add it to the pasta.
- Drizzle the salmon with avocado oil lightly on both sides.
- Roast the salmon for 12-17 minutes until lightly golden. The cooking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of your salmon. It’s done when it flakes easily using a fork. Be careful not to overcook it.
Make The Sauce
- Cook the pappardelle according to package directions. While the pasta's cooking, prepare the sauce.
- Sautee shallots in a large skillet with avocado oil over medium-high heat for a few minutes until slightly golden.
- Add the creme fraiche, capers, fresh herbs, sea salt, pepper, and lemon zest.
- Lower the heat to medium and bring the sauce to a soft simmer stirring often to mix everything well. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain and rinse your pasta.
Finishing touches
- Add lemon juice and a good splash of the pasta water to the sauce and stir. Add the pasta and gently toss to coat using two forks or tongs. Add more pasta water as needed.
- Flake the salmon and add it to the pasta. Alternatively, you can serve it on top.
Serving
Serve the pasta with more freshly ground pepper, fresh herbs, and flakes of parmesan. You can serve it on its own or with a side of simple salad.
Storing
As with any hot pasta dish, it's best served right away while it's still creamy and hot. The longer the pasta sits in the sauce, the more it will soak it up. That being said, this pasta is actually delicious as leftovers! You'll have to add water or more creme fraiche to make it saucier again and the pasta may fall apart a little while you're warming it up but it's still going to be delicious.
FAQs
Yes! Canned salmon will be dryer than roasted salmon (unless you find a can with oil) but it can definitely be used!
You can add it to sauces, garnish soups with it, spoon it over roasted vegetables, or add to anything you'd add sour cream to like baked potatoes.
Add it to salads, serve with roasted veggies, or with eggs for breakfast.
Swap the creme fraiche for vegan cream or vegan cream cheese. You can also use non-dairy milk but you might have to add some tapioca to thicken the sauce (make sure to mix the tapioca with water first).
Similar Pasta Recipes
Salmon and shrimp are my favorite seafood and fish to cook with, whether it's for dinner, lunch, or even breakfast! If you're a big fan of salmon, shrimp, and pasta too, definitely give the three recipes below a try! To see all the latest pasta recipes, head over to the Pasta Recipes category.
📖 Recipe
Creme Fraiche Salmon Pasta
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 1x
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
This Creme Fraiche Salmon Pasta is easy to make, creamy, and flavorful. Creamy pappardelle topped with tender lemony roasted salmon.
Ingredients
- ½ tsp avocado oil
- 1-1.5 lb salmon (4-5 oz per serving)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp sea salt (plus extra)
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1-2 tablespoon avocado oil
- 350g pappardelle (or other pasta)
- 1-2 shallots (2 if they're smaller)
- ½ cup creme fraiche
- 2 tbsp capers
- 1 tbsp each finely chopped parsley, chives, and dill (plus more for serving)
- ¼ tsp each sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (½ lemon, plus more for serving)
- Parmesan cheese (for serving, optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F (200C). Prepare a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the parchment paper with a little bit of avocado oil. This will prevent the salmon from sticking to it.
- Rinse the salmon with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Pull out any bones if there are any left.
- Place the salmon skin down on your prepared baking sheet and season with garlic powder, sea salt, pepper, and lemon zest. Try to work the seasoning and lemon zest into the salmon. You can season the salmon skin too but I usually don’t in this case because it doesn’t crisp up much and I don’t add it to the pasta.
- Drizzle with avocado oil lightly on both sides.
- Roast the salmon for 12-17 minutes until lightly golden. The cooking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of your salmon. It’s done when it flakes easily using a fork. Be careful not to overcook it.
- Cook the pappardelle according to package directions.
- While it’s cooking, prepare the sauce.
- Sautee shallots in a large skillet with avocado oil over medium-high heat for a few minutes until slightly golden.
- Add the creme fraiche, capers, fresh herbs, sea salt, pepper, and lemon zest.
- Lower the heat to medium and bring the sauce to a soft simmer stirring often to mix everything well. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain and rinse your pasta.
- Add lemon juice and a good splash of the pasta water to the sauce and stir. Add the pasta and gently toss to coat using two forks or tongs. Add more pasta water as needed.
- Flake the salmon and add it to the pasta. Alternatively, you can serve it on top.
- Serve sprinkled with more fresh herbs, black pepper, parmesan (if using), and a lemon wedge.
Notes
Storing: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. If you're storing the pasta separately from the salmon, it can last for up to 3 days. Fish should generally be eaten within 1-2 days but the pasta can last longer.
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Gloria says
Love the combination of salmon and pasta. Thus was a winner with the whole family. Will be making it again.
Amanda says
Such a wonderful pasta! I'm a huge salmon fan, and the creme fraiche adds such a nice richness. This is definitely going on the rotation.
Kathryn says
This salmon pasta was a hit! We loved the creaminess and protein from the salmon, such a great combo! Will be making again soon!
Elaine says
I think that salmon AND pasta is the perfect combo in so many ways... Definitely my favorite pasta to make over the busy weekdays!
Nicole says
I'm always on the lookout for salmon recipes to add to our menu plan. All these flavours go so well together - loving the lemon and dill in this so much!
Tristin says
This was such a simple dinner recipe, but I felt so fancy eating it! Definitely making it again.
Erin says
This was so fresh and way lighter than I thought it'd be! It was the perfect dinner. Even my son loved it!
Nancy says
Can’t always afford salmon but wonder about using a good canned albacore tuna. What does anyone think to do to get more fish into family? Or canned salmon since you are flaking a bigger piece.?
Kristen says
It should be fine to use canned salmon. I do it all the time in recipes.
Veronika | thehealthfulideas says
Definitely! Canned salmon or even canned tuna would work great. You can also search for "canned salmon pasta", it's another pasta dish I shared with canned salmon.
Dennis says
What a delicious way to serve salmon! My kids loved this dish!
Kathy B says
Excited to try this tonight, I love all of these flavors! I am assuming from the photos the shallot is sautéed then you add the crème ingredients to the skillet with them, the shallot’s aren’t in the recipe instructions.
Veronika | thehealthfulideas says
Yes! Sorry about the confusion, I've updated the post and the recipe card to include the shallots.
Kristen says
This was delicious. I used Chinese chives ends and added onion powder instead of shallots. I also used gemelli pasta as I had some boiled already. I think canned salmon would also be a good sub if anyone doesn’t have fresh or frozen fillets.