This smoked salmon pasta is an elegant yet easy dish that comes together in about 20 minutes — perfect for a date night or a quick, special weeknight meal.
As a child I always looked forward to smoked salmon when guests were coming over. These days I don’t eat it often, but it’s a lovely ingredient for a simple pasta that tastes fancy. The sauce in this recipe is built from white wine, chicken broth, butter, garlic, lemon, dill and a touch of cream — flavorful without being heavy.
What kind of smoked salmon to buy
I recommend the thinly sliced, cured cold-smoked variety (often found in the refrigerated or frozen seafood section). It’s similar to lox used on bagels, though lox is usually unsmoked. Smoked salmon is not fully cooked when purchased, so if you add it to the warm sauce it will gently change texture and color but remain tender. If you prefer it completely uncooked, toss the pasta with the sauce, plate it, and top each serving with the smoked salmon just before serving.
How to make smoked salmon pasta
- Melt the olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the minced garlic and cook briefly until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in chicken broth, dry white wine, lemon juice and dill. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by about half (around 4–5 minutes).
- Pour in the cream and cook for another minute to warm and slightly thicken the sauce.
- Remove the pan from the heat, stir in torn pieces of smoked salmon, then toss with drained pasta. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Pro tip: If you’d rather not cook with wine, replace the wine with an equal amount of extra chicken broth. Capers can be a nice addition if you like their briny flavor — add them to taste.
I used fusilli in the photos, but this sauce works well with any pasta shape you have on hand. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan and a sprinkle of chopped parsley if desired.
Will you give this smoked salmon pasta a try?
Easy Smoked Salmon Pasta
This smoked salmon pasta is simple to make yet feels special. Ready in about 20 minutes — ideal for a quick romantic dinner.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces uncooked pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup dry white wine (or extra chicken broth)
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon dried dill (or use fresh; increase amount if fresh)
- 1/4 cup heavy or whipping cream
- 3.5 ounces smoked salmon, torn into small pieces
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- For serving (optional): freshly grated Parmesan, chopped parsley
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente according to package directions. Begin the sauce when the water is nearly boiling.
- In a skillet over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil and butter. Once the butter melts, add the minced garlic and cook about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the chicken broth, white wine, lemon juice and dill. Simmer until the liquid reduces by half, about 4–5 minutes.
- Stir in the cream and cook for 1–2 minutes to warm and slightly thicken the sauce.
- Remove the skillet from the heat, fold in the torn smoked salmon (the residual heat will gently change its texture). Season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce. Serve immediately with Parmesan and parsley if desired.
Notes
- I used thinly sliced cold smoked salmon commonly found in grocery seafood sections.
- If substituting fresh dill, try doubling the amount since fresh herbs are less concentrated than dried.
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