Today I want to share with you this incredibly easy salmon pasta, with a light and fresh lemon and tomato sauce and no heavy cream!
Usually, salmon pasta sauce is made with cream to make it, well, creamy. But I always find it too heavy and I want to be able to enjoy salmon pasta more often, without worrying about the extra calories of cream!
This pasta recipe has no heavy cream nor butter, and the sauce is thickened with the starch of the pasta water! Every pasta recipe usually benefits from what I like to call the risotto method. Usually you use this method for the entire cooking time, like I do with my Italian pasta and beans, but you can also use it almost at the end of the cooking time. Basically, for the last 2-3 minutes of the pasta cooking time, you will cook it in the sauce with some of the cooking water. The starch that’s in the pasta water will create an emulsified and creamier sauce.
SO, HOW DO YOU MAKE THIS?
Just put a big pot of salted water on medium-high heat and let it come to a boil. In a medium frying pan or skillet heat up some olive oil and sautée some chopped red onion or garlic, if you prefer. You can use smoked salmon or regular fresh salmon, just keep in mind that if you use regular you will likely have to add more salt. Add the salmon and break it up with a wooden spoon or spatula. I like to also add a splash of white wine and I let it simmer for 2 minutes or until most of the alcohol has evaporated.
Add the tomato sauce and simmer for 7-8 minutes while the pasta is cooking. Put the pasta into the boiling water and take it out about 2 minutes before it is al dente, reserving about a cup of the cooking water. Because there’s salt in the water, I don’t usually add any more in the sauce, but you can adjust it at the end. Over medium-low heat, put the pasta into the sauce and start adding 1/2 cup of the cooking water while stirring constantly to emulsify the sauce. Once the liquid has absorbed add the other 1/2 of the water and do the same thing. Finish with the zest and juice of one lemon and garnish with some more lemon zest and fresh parsley!
Easy Lemon and Tomato Salmon Pasta
Easy salmon pasta with a light and fresh lemon and tomato sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 a small red onion, finely diced (or garlic)
- 200g/7oz smoked or regular salmon
- 1/3 cup white wine
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 cup pasta cooking water
- 350g/12.3oz short pasta
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 lemon (zest + juice)
Instructions
- Put a big pot of salted water on medium-high heat and let come to a boil while you prepare the sauce.
- In a medium frying pan or skillet heat up some olive oil and sautée the red onion. Add the salmon and break it up with a wooden spoon or spatula. Add a splash of white wine and let simmer for 2 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and simmer for 7-8 while the pasta is cooking.
- Put the pasta into the boiling water. Take it out about 2 minutes before it is al dente. Reserve one cup of the cooking water. Because there's salt in the water I don't usually add any more salt in the sauce, but you can taste and adjust it at the end. You might need more salt if using regular salmon instead of smoked.
- Over medium-low heat, put the pasta into the sauce and start adding 1/2 cup of the cooking water while stirring constantly to emulsify the sauce. Once the liquid has absorbed add the other 1/2 of the water and do the same thing. Finish with the zest and juice of one lemon and garnish with some more lemon zest and fresh parsley.
