Easy Salmon Pasta without Cream

This easy Salmon Pasta without Cream is a simple and delicious recipe ready in less than 30 minutes with basic ingredients. It's the perfect quick dinner for busy weeknights!

It's also a great way to use leftover Smoked Salmon without making the pasta heavy.

Quick weeknight dinners - that's what I'm all about. And this easy salmon recipe ticks all the boxes. Easy. Flavorful. Healthy(ish). And yes, it's delicious.

Make it with leftover Smoked Salmon On A Pellet Grill, Blackened Air Fryer Salmon, or canned salmon to make it even easier! For a complete meal, serve with Panera Tomato Basil Cucumber Salad and Quick Homemade Biscuits with Water.

Easy Salmon Pasta Without Cream

I love easy and delicious weeknight dinner recipes, and this is one of my family's favorites. Like my Baked Cod With Shrimp, this recipe uses lemon to bring out the flavors.

Instead of a heavy cream sauce as I used in my Air Fryer Salmon Bites With Garlic Cream Sauce and Instant Pot Salmon Chowder, the pasta is tossed in a creamy sauce made from chicken broth, garlic, lemon, and Parmesan cheese. This is one of those recipes you'll want to keep handy in your back pocket!

Ingredients You'll Need

• Pasta of your choice. You can use any kind of pasta, but I prefer linguine, fettuccine, penne, or spaghetti. You can even use whole wheat pasta or gluten-free pasta if you prefer.
• Salmon fillets. Use fresh salmon fillets. Remove the skin with a sharp fillet knife before cooking. You can also use canned salmon - just drain it well and fold it in with the pasta at the end.
• Unsalted butter. This is used to brown the salmon. I have also used olive oil, but it didn't brown nearly as nice or have as much flavor.
• Chicken broth. Use homemade chicken broth or store-bought chicken broth.
• Garlic. Fresh garlic is best, but if you want, you can use garlic powder or garlic granules.
• Onion. Again, fresh is best, but you can use onion powder or onion flakes.
• White wine. This is optional, but adds a nice flavor. I like to use Sauvignon Blanc or a Pinot Grigio.
• Tomatoes. Use fresh cherry or grape tomatoes cut in half. You can also use sun-dried tomatoes.
• Spinach. Use fresh spinach leaves.
• Lemon juice. Fresh is best, but you can use bottled lemon juice if that's what you have.
• Fresh herbs. Use chopped fresh basil or fresh parsley.
• Parmesan cheese. Again, freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnish will give you the best flavor.

See the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for a complete list of ingredients and measurements.

Cook the salmon. While the pasta cooks, cook the salmon. Here, you have a few choices. You can either Air Fry Frozen Salmon, make Honey Glazed Smoked Salmon, or Baked Salmon with Maple Syrup. If you have a smoker, you can make Smoked Dry Brine Salmon, Pellet Grilled Salmon, or Masterbuilt Smoked Salmon.

You can also sauté the salmon, as I did in this recipe. First, remove the skin of the salmon. The first time I made it, I didn't remove the skin and had a mess to deal with.

Sprinkle the salmon fillets with salt and black pepper, and sauté in a large skillet with butter over medium-high heat. Cook the salmon for about 5 minutes per side until both sides are golden brown. The fish is fully cooked if it flakes easily with a fork and the internal temperature reaches 145F. Set the salmon aside.

Cook the aromatics. Add olive oil, onion, and garlic in the same skillet and saute for about 2-3 minutes until translucent. If using white wine, pour it into the skillet and let it simmer for a couple of minutes to deglaze the pan. The wine should be reduced by half.

Add broth and tomatoes. Add the chicken broth and the cherry tomatoes to the skillet. Let the mixture simmer for about 5 minutes until the tomatoes start to soften and release their juices. Flake the cooked fish into bite-sized pieces and add to the skillet.

Combine pasta. Add the cooked pasta as well as the fresh spinach leaves. Drizzle fresh lemon juice and chopped herbs over the pasta. Toss gently until the spinach wilts slightly and the pasta is well coated with the sauce.

Serve. Garnish the creamy pasta with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

How to Make Smoked Salmon Pasta Without Cream

This recipe works beautifully with smoked salmon, especially if you're looking for an easy way to use leftovers. Since smoked salmon is already fully cooked, you can skip the pan-searing step entirely.

Instead, flake the smoked salmon into bite-sized pieces and gently fold it into the pasta right at the end, after the sauce has come together. The residual heat is enough to warm it through without drying it out.

Hot-smoked salmon works best for this recipe and gives the pasta a rich, smoky flavor that pairs perfectly with the lemon and tomatoes. Cold-smoked salmon can also be used, but it will have a softer texture and a stronger smoke flavor.

Storage

Refrigerator: This pasta dish is best served fresh, but you can store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. I do not recommend freezing.

Reheating: To reheat, heat the pasta in a skillet over medium heat with a bit of olive oil or chicken broth until heated through. You can also heat in the microwave.