Last Updated on December 29, 2025
An Easy Pasta Recipe for a Quick Supper
This creamy salmon pasta dish with peas is one I make for a quick supper, either just for myself or if I have friends or family staying and don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen. I generally use fresh salmon – often the trimmings from larger portions – but I’ve been known to make the same dish with smoked salmon and even with the tinned variety. Here I’ve made the dish with frozen peas but if you happen to have fresh peas or baby broad beans that will be even better. I’ve also made it with asparagus and with tenderstem broccoli. It’s a dish you can vary to your heart’s content!
Creamy salmon pasta is one of those supper dishes I learnt from somewhere years ago and then just kept making again and again. I have no idea where I first found the recipe, but I can remember making it for my parents at least 15 years ago. It’s quite economical because one salmon fillet is plenty for two people. And, it takes no longer than the time your (dried) pasta needs to cook.
You’ll need about 80 grams of salmon per person along with 70 grams of dried pasta, about 70 grams of whatever green vegetable you are using, some olive oil, a half glass of dry white wine, a lemon and a couple of tablespoons of creme fraiche (the low-fat variety if you are counting calories).
I’ve used linguine for my creamy salmon pasta – a classic Italian choice for fish-based pasta dishes. But you could use tagliatelle or fusilli if you prefer. Look out for good quality bronze-cut pasta because the rougher texture will help the sauce cling to the pasta.
This dish does benefit from fresh herbs. I’ve used a mix of dill, chives and parsley – soft herbs that I grow myself during the summer and freeze to use through the winter. You could use fennel fronds if you like and chervil will work well instead of the parsley. If you don’t have chives, I’d suggest finely dicing a shallot and softening it in the oil before you cook your salmon.
A small lemon (zest and juice) will improve this dish considerably, but if for some reason you don’t have one, then feel free to use a teaspoon of capers to add a little acidity.
Creamy Salmon Pasta with Peas and Dill
Ingredients
- 160 grams Salmon Fillet
- 140 grams Good Quality Linguine dry weight
- 2 teaspoons Olive Oil
- 70 grams Green Peas,
- 70 millilitres Creme Fraiche
- 40 millilitres Dry White Wine
- 3-4 Sprigs Fresh Herbs
- 1 Small Lemon Zested and Juiced
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Season the salmon well with salt and pepper
- Heat a little oil in a nonstick pan and cook the salmon on both sides for 2 minutes. Now add in the wine and lemon juice and continue to cook gently until the fish is opaque and cooked through
- Meanwhile put the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water and cook according to the package instructions.
- Once the salmon is cooked, remove it from the pan and flake it using a fork.
- Drain the pasta reserving a couple of tablespoons of the cooking water
- In the pan you used to cook the fish, over a very low heat stir through the creme fraiche, peas, herbs and remaining lemon zest together with the reserved pasta cooking water. Once it is warmed through add the salmon flakes
- Stir the fish mixture into the pasta
- Taste and adjust the seasoning, then plate up, garnishing with a few sprigs of herbs.
Nutrition
You can vary this recipe by using smoked salmon or different vegetables. And if you want to cut the calories then you can use half-fat creme fraiche and by swapping out some of the pasta for extra vegetables. You can also make a ridiculously rich version by substituting double cream for the crème fraiche! And, you can even eat it cold, if there’s any left! For a poshed-up version try using black squid ink pasta (very dramatic and perfect for a dinner party starter).
This recipe doesn’t freeze well, but it’s so easy to make you probably don’t need to do so.
delish
This recipe is sounding yummy…it would be nice if you could add standard measurements for us that are old and just learning 😉😁
LOL – I’m not exactly a spring chicken here! I thought I had the measurements conversion option set but it seems to have switched off. I’ll investigate!