Creamy Smoked Salmon Pasta – Ready in 20 Minutes!
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Smoked salmon pasta is a creamy pasta recipe that is easy to make and absolutely delicious. It’s made with staple ingredients, and there are many options for substitutions, so you can make this pasta with what you have on hand. In just 20 minutes, you can have a tasty and cozy dinner on the table.
This smoked salmon pasta is a recipe I’ve been making for years, and it’s one I come back to again and again. Chances are, you already have most of the ingredients on hand—and if you’re missing a thing or two, I’ve included plenty of easy substitutions so you can still make it tonight.
It’s packed with big, bold flavor from smoked salmon, artichoke hearts, capers, and a little fresh dill, all tossed in a lightly creamy sauce. Spinach and tomatoes add a fresh veggie boost, and the whole dish comes together in just 20 minutes. It’s the kind of dinner that feels a little special but is effortless enough for a busy night.
Smoked salmon pasta recipe ingredients
This smoked salmon pasta recipe combines familiar ingredients with a few special guests, using easy-to-find ingredients to make something special. Gather these items:
- Pasta: My favorite is linguine, but any kind will work!
- Smoked salmon: I like to use hot-smoked salmon, often sold under the name BBQ salmon (as opposed to using salmon lox).
- Artichoke hearts: Cut them in half if they’re on the larger side.
- Fresh dill: You can substitute dried dill in a pinch.
- Other ingredients: Olive oil, an onion, garlic cloves, cherry tomatoes, sour cream or plain yogurt, lemon juice, capers, chili flakes, salt, and pepper.
Recipe substitutions and variations
- Smoked salmon – lox, cooked fresh salmon, or canned salmon
- Fresh spinach – kale, steamed asparagus or broccoli, frozen spinach, or peas
- Sour cream – yogurt, cream cheese, or whipping cream.
- Fresh lemon juice – lime juice or bottled in a pinch
- Capers – olives
The tomatoes and artichoke hearts are tougher to substitute, but you can omit them if you don’t have any on hand.
What kind of smoked salmon to use?
There are two kinds of smoked salmon. Lox, which is cold smoked or cured salmon. And hot or BBQ smoked salmon, which is what we prefer in this recipe. You can see a picture of it above. The flavor is ideal for smoked salmon pasta.
You’ll find it sold in the fresh seafood department. It goes by the names Hot Smoked Salmon, BBQ Salmon Tips, or BBQ Chum.
It also freezes very well so pick up extra to have some on hand the next time you get a smoked salmon pasta craving.
Storing leftovers
If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, this is what you need to know:
- Storage: Let it cool to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container. Pop it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Pop it in a warm skillet, adding a splash of water, cream, milk, or broth to loosen the sauce. Stir it gently until it’s warmed up.
- Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing this recipe – cream-based sauces can become grainy after being frozen and reheated.
Smoked Salmon and Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 ounces pasta (I like linguine but any pasta will work)
- 5 ounces baby spinach
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion (minced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 10 ounces smoked salmon (see notes)
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
- 1 cup canned artichoke hearts (cut in half if large)
- ⅔ cup sour cream or plain yogurt
- ¼ cup lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
- 2 tablespoons capers
- A pinch of chili flakes
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill (or 1 teaspoon dried)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water then drain the pasta and put it back into the pot. Place the spinach on top of the pasta.10 ounces pasta, 5 ounces baby spinach
- While the pasta cooks, begin making the sauce. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes, until it is transparent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 medium onion, 3 cloves garlic
- Break the smoked salmon into pieces and add it to the pan along with the cherry tomatoes, artichoke hearts, sour cream, lemon juice, capers, chili flakes, and ½ cup of the pasta water. Bring the pan to a boil and stir until everything is creamy and mixed together. Season to taste with salt and pepper then mix in the dill.10 ounces smoked salmon, 2 cups cherry tomatoes, 1 cup canned artichoke hearts, ⅔ cup sour cream or plain yogurt, ¼ cup lemon juice, 2 tablespoons capers, A pinch of chili flakes, Salt and pepper, 1 tablespoon fresh dill
- Pour the smoked salmon sauce into the pasta pot and mix everything together. If needed, add a splash more pasta water to loosen the pasta.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
Honestly didn’t enjoy it. To be honest it’s just got too much sour and saltiness for my liking. Not saying it’s a bad dish, just wasn’t for me. Made it exactly as the recipe states and used sour cream. May try to add or adjust some things on another attempt to maybe enjoy it more.
I had the same issue. I replaced the sour cream with mascarpone cheese and the subtle sweetness balanced the dish really well.
This was great! Since I have a lot of swiss chard in the garden, I replace spinach with that. This is a keeper.
This was so delicious, even without the artichokes.
Simple, easy and delicious! Don’t listen to the nay sayers, sour cream works perfect and adds that extra tang. I used kale instead of spinach and sun dried tomatoes instead of cherry. Plus I smoked the salmon the Traeger but this was so simple and fast I’ll be using it a lot more now!
Delicious! Since I was out of spinach, I substituted asparagus, and it was great. I might cut back on the salmon just a bit, but it was a great combo of ingredients. Thanks!
This recipe sounds super delicious and I would like to make it tomorrow but I only have fresh frozen salmon on hand. Can you suggest the best way to pre cook the salmon to use it in this recipe?
My favorite way to cook salmon is to bake it. You can check out this recipe: https://www.theendlessmeal.com/8-minute-baked-salmon/
Once it’s cooked, you can flake it and use it in the pasta. Should be tasty!
delicious
Delicious. Linger over it with a nice bottle of white or Prosecco. Had to substitute arugula for spinach and it was delish! Used hickory smoked salmon from Heinens in Bay Village oh
Really enjoyed it 👍
Delicious! I had a big piece of smoked salmon leftover from Christmas appetizers, and wanted a salmon and pasta side dish for New Year’s Eve. This was super easy and very tasty- it was not tart at all as another reviewer thought. It was a light creamy sauce with fresh flavors from the dill, tomatoes, and spinach. I used the recipe as written- no substitutions needed. The smoked salmon I had was from the Polish deli so it broke into chunks which I might add a little later next time as they kind of fell apart as the sauce cooked. Also will use the whole pound of pasta next time, and full can of artichokes, and up the other ingredients a little.
This recipe made an amazing meal. Premium Foods hot smoked maple glazed salmon from Costco worked incredibly well. We had no spinach so went without the green. I used whole fat Greek yogurt (home-made in the Instant Pot). The combination of yogurt, lemon juice and capers with the artichokes, mixed cherry tomatoes, dill and salmon gave a flavour mix to die for.
This will be a showcase meal for guests in my repertoire!
We enjoyed this recipe very much tonight. To the salmon I added broccoli, red onion, frozen edamame beans that have been waiting to be added to something like this, spring onions, sliced gherkin and sun dried tomatoes. It’s early Spring here in NZ so tomatoes are expensive, plus we are in Lockdown, and grocery shopping is a bit more fraught. Didn’t use artichokes, don’t have those lying around in the fridge. But they do sound yummy! Threw heaps of dried dill in at the end, and used lemon and yoghurt ,which gave it a great tang and didn’t separate. Added about two cups of pasta water, then made up a paste out of dried milk powder, cornflour and cold water, and thickened the whole lot. Will definitely cook it again.
So easy to do and the combination of flavors is heavenly.
Way too sour with yogurt and lemon. Added some fresh basil and Parmesan which helped a little. Will not make this again
So delicious! I had no artichoke so I put in some sun dried tomatoes. Amazing flavours!
This was amazing. The only difference is I used gluten free pasta. Even the husband liked it. I will definitely make this again and again.