This Pan Seared Salmon with Creamy Lemon Pasta is a perfect date night dinner. Easy to make and ready in 15 minutes, this crispy salmon and pasta is delicious and beautiful.
Learn how to cook a salmon fillet in the skillet so you get a gorgeous crispy exterior and tender juicy interior. Perfect for serving with the easy, creamy lemon sauce and pasta.
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How to sear salmon
Pan-seared salmon is very simple to prepare. With these tips, you'll be pan searing salmon like a pro!
- Make sure you remove the salmon from the refrigerator in advance. Around 15 minutes should be enough, this is to help to ensure the salmon doesn't stick to the pan.
- Rub the salmon with a little olive oil and season with salt. Oiling the fish rather than the pan means you can use a higher heat under your pan without the worry that your oil will get too hot and start to smoke or worse set on fire.
- Once you have oiled the salmon use a non-stick skillet or frying pan to ensure that your salmon crisps up nicely and doesn't stick to the pan.
- You want to cook the salmon over medium-high heat. This will give you the crispy exterior without overcooking the inside.
- Cook the salmon presentation side down. This means you are going to start cooking the top of the salmon first. By doing this you can get a beautiful crisp golden crust and then flip and continue cooking for as long as you need to get a soft succulent interior.
- Cook the salmon for 3 minutes on the presentation side then carefully flip and cook for a further 2 minutes on the other side, then if your fillet is extra large give each of the sides a minute to crisp up. This will give you a crisp exterior and a soft interior. If you like a firmer finish, then check the recipe notes for additional timings.
How to make a lemon cream sauce for pasta
The simple creamy sauce is a mixture of white wine and cream, spiked with plenty of lemon juice (and zest) and finished with parsley.
To make the sauce a shallot is cooked gently in butter and then the pan is deglazed with white wine. If you don't have white wine or can't drink it, then you can replace that with fish stock or vegetable stock. (I have a great recipe for shrimp stock that would be great here too!)
Once the wine has reduced then lemon juice is added and finally the heavy cream. Once this has come to a simmer the sauce gets a final seasoning in the form of plenty of black pepper, lemon zest, and fresh parsley.
You want to use either freshly milled black pepper, or store bought cracked pepper. It really makes so much difference. The pre-ground pepper powdery pepper will add a sawdust texture to your beautiful creamy sauce.
Serving Suggestions
Sides: This Pan Seared Salmon with Creamy Lemon Pasta would be perfect served with some roasted asparagus or broccoli. Alternatively serve this with a fresh green salad and made with a lemon mustard dressing.
Dessert: To balance the creamy main course serve a fresh dessert based around fruit. If strawberries are in season then a simple bowl of strawberries, drizzled with a little balsamic syrup would make a perfect end to the meal. Alternatively, a crisp lemon or apple sorbet would finish the meal well.
Wine: Lemon sauces can cause problems with so many wines, the acidity of the lemon works to soften and mellow the wine. However here the cream helps to overcome that. So try pairing this with a Sémillon. Or buck convention and opt for a red! Salmon is such a rich fish that it can take a low-tannin red like a Valpolicella.
Enjoy x
For more delicious pasta ideas why not try:
- Garlic Butter Pasta with Garlic Chicken
- Shrimp Chorizo Pasta
- Pasta with Chicken Broth and Butter
- Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta
- Roasted Cauliflower Pasta with Creamy Garlic Sauce
- Creamy Pepper Steak Pasta
- Black Truffle Pasta
- See ALL 45+ Pasta Recipes
And for more ways to enjoy salmon why not try:
- Pan Seared Salmon with Lemon Risotto
- Pan Seared Salmon with Creamy Smashed Potatoes
- Seared Salmon with Peas and Chorizo
- Smoky Blackened Salmon Soft Tacos
- Grilled Salmon with Strawberry Salsa (The Crumbly Kitchen)
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Pan Seared Salmon with Creamy Lemon Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 oz spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 salmon fillets (skin on or off)
- salt and fresh ground black pepper - see note 1
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 shallot - finely chopped - see note 2
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ cup dry white wine - see note 3
- ½ cup heavy cream - see note 4
- 1 lemon - see note 5
- 3 tablespoon coarsely chopped parsley
- Lemon wedges - to serve
Instructions
Cook the Pasta
- Bring a large pot of water to boil and then the salt.
- Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente. (around 1 minute less than the packet suggests)
- When the pasta is cooked, reserve 2 cups of the cooking water and then drain.
Whilst the pasta is boiling cook the salmon and sauce
- Season the top of the salmon fillets evenly with salt.
- Rub the salmon fillets with olive oil and then place a large nonstick frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add salmon, presentation side down. Sauté for 3 minutes and then flip and cook for a further 2 minutes. Then flip the salmon onto each side and sear for a minute. (see note 6)
- Transfer salmon to a warmed plate. (You can tent with foil, but this will stop the salmon from being as crispy.)
- Add the chopped shallot to the skillet/frying pan and add in the butter
- Gently fry the shallot until softened.
- Add the minced garlic to the pan and stir for 30 seconds until aromatic (don't let the garlic burn)
- Add the wine to the pan and scrape any browned bits off of the bottom of the pan.
- Cook the wine for about a minute (it will start to evaporate pretty quick) then stir in the zest of the lemon and the juice of half the lemon. (see note 5)
- Pour in the heavy cream (See note 5) and heat through.
- Add the parsley and season generously with salt and black pepper. Taste your sauce, it should taste good. If not, add more salt and more lemon juice.
- Add the pasta and ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water to the sauce and stir over low heat.
- Gently toss the pasta about until everything is well coated and the pasta is cooked to your liking. You can add more cooking water if the sauce starts to thicken too much.
- Serve with the seared salmon on the side, a garnish of parsley and some lemon wedges.
Notes
- You want to use either freshly milled black pepper, or store bought cracked pepper. It really makes so much difference. The pre-ground pepper powdery pepper will add a sawdust texture to your beautiful creamy sauce.
- If you can't get shallot then use half a small onion.
- If you don't have white wine or can't drink it, then you can replace that with fish stock or vegetable stock. (I have a great recipe for shrimp stock that would be great here too!)
- Heavy cream or thickened cream is perfect here. I find that single cream and half and half will split due to the lemon juice. Whipping cream could be used, but add the lemon slowly and mix well.
- You will need all of the zest of the lemon, but unless you have a very small lemon, you will probably only need the juice from half of it.
- If you prefer your salmon firm, cook for an additional 2 minutes on the underside.
Carol says
The recipe is for 2 servings. If I triple the amounts will this work for 6 people?
Claire McEwen says
Hi Carol,
Yes that would be exactly what to do.
If you want to make it easier, you can click on the servings number and change it to 6. That will scale the recipe amounts automatically for you.
Hope that helps 🙂
Cx
Natalie says
My kids loved your pasta with salmon for dinner yesterday. Having two fussy eaters can be frustrating sometimes. Thank you for this recipe!
Claire McEwen says
Oh this makes me smile so much.
So happy you all enjoyed it.
Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment 🙂
Cx
Julie says
I followed these directions and ended with the most delish seared salmon. The pasta to go with it was dreamy too. What a great dinner idea.
Claire McEwen says
Oh I am so happy you enjoyed it, it is one of my favs 🙂
Cx
Janine Johnson says
Lots of ingredients and recipe instruction commentary yet it was awful! I followed it to the letter and was so disappointed in the lack of flavor. I threw out the pasta and ate the salmon with my own tartar sauce (I like it with dill pickles). I wouldn't recommend this recipe to anyone!
Claire McEwen says
It is such a favourite in our house and with the lemon, shallot and garlic we find it has plenty of flavor.
Did you salt the pasta water? It needs plenty of salt, otherwise it drains flavor from the sauce.
Undersalting pasta water will always ruin a pasta recipe.
Sorry you didn't enjoy it.
Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment.
Cx
Akmac says
I’ve made this a few times now and it’s always a big hit. I agree with some other comments above that the lemon really cuts nicely through the richness of the salmon. I did add a little bit of garlic because I tend to add garlic to almost everything and sometimes I sprinkle on some fresh parm once it’s plated. We had a couple friends over for it and they said it was better than something they would get at a nice restaurant. Absolutely delicious and very simple recipe.
Claire McEwen says
Oh I am so pleased you and your friends loved it!
Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment 🙂
Cx
Teresa says
This looks and sounds delicious. I plan to make it tomorrow. I love salmon and actually eat it several times a week. One question/comment. I always buy my salmon with the skin because it is one of the few fish where the skin is good for you. I notice your recipe says to cook the top side (non skinned side) first. I like my skin to be crispy. Would it make a difference if I cook the salmon skin side down first?
Claire McEwen says
Hi Teresa,
It won't make any difference at all 🙂
I love the crispy skin on salmon but so many readers seem to prefer it skinless that it has become my default now.
But definitely, use skin on and cook it skin side down first and finish on the top side.
Hope that helps
Cx
Catharine says
Amazing recipe ! A nice change to our normal Sunday lunch Pasta
We loved all of the lemony flavours and the tiny chopped onion was a nice change to the usual garlic fest ! Always love adding a fish to our meals 🙂
Sean Delaney says
Made this recipe and it came out great. Used Angel Hair pasta, with broccoli side vegetable and it paired wonderfully. Key was that pasta water added at the end. Will definitely be making this again, great summer dish.
SConger says
I made both the salmon and the pasta. Pasta was 7-star, the BEST!. The salmon was not completely cooked even though the pan was heated to a very hot temp before I put the salmon in the pan and did exactly 3/2 min as recommended. What was cooked was brilliant but the thick end was sushi and not edible at that meal. Otherwise, great recipe. Thank you! TX cook.
Jack says
When I made this, it was pretty tasty. The lemon and the wine were just a little too prominent, so eating the pasta by itself wasn't the greatest. However, it paired exquisitely with the salmon, and as long as you eat the two together, it will still be pretty dang tasty.
Dawn says
This is amazing!!! On a low carb diet, I made this with konjac pasta. Delicious! Thank you for the recipe!
Kim says
This recipe was really good. I actually served my pasta with some asparagus and it worked quite well with the salmon 😁. The only thing I had in mind was that there was a bit to much lemon
in the sauce. It made the sauce a wee bit sour but in the end it complimented the salmon perfectly.
Claire McEwen says
It has a heavy lemon taste but I find that cuts through the richness of the salmon so I am glad you found the pasta complimented the salmon.
Asparagus sounds like a great accompaniment 🙂
Cx
Ms. Dawson says
Tried this tonight as a side to a salmon I bought pre-seasoned. I used champagne instead of white wine (that's what I had on hand) and added some stock and capers as well. It was delicious!
Jane says
I made this recipe following all the directions and the half and half curdled and the entire sauce was ruined. Very upsetting 🙁
Claire McEwen says
Hi Jane,
The recipe calls for heavy cream rather than half and half, because of the higher fat content heavy cream doesn't curdle when you add lemon juice, it just thickens up (perfect for this sauce)
If you do want to make this with half and half then you'll want to just use lemon zest without the juice, however the sauce will be thinner.
Hope that helps Cx
CAROL G MCMANUS says
Actually, in your cooking directions you do say to add "the half and half", (not the heavy cream.) Perhaps this could be corrected.
Claire McEwen says
Thank you Carol, I have updated the instructions 🙂
Cx
JG says
Actually, in the directions of you read it again it tells you that single cream or half and half will split due to lemon juice!!
Someone’s we don’t see what’s actually written. No mistake in recipe
Jacqueline says
Awesome!
Claire McEwen says
Thank you 😀
Sharon says
Can't wait to try this one
Claire McEwen says
I'm thinking you are going to love this one 😀