Salmon Pesto Pasta (25 Minutes)

Salmon pesto pasta is a healthy, easy-to-make dish that’s loaded with good fats.  Use jarred pesto or fresh basil to make your own for the creamy sauce.

Need another quick salmon dinner? Try sheet pan everything bagel salmon or herb crusted salmon with garlic dill potatoes and carrots.

Salmon Pesto Pasta Recipe

Perfectly cooked, flaky salmon with a crispy crust gets tossed in a creamy pesto sauce with tender asparagus for the most delicious easy meal. This salmon pesto pasta is a great way to add salmon to your weeknight routine, without it getting boring.

Keep reading for some tips to cook salmon perfectly and to keep this salmon pasta gluten and dairy free too. I've got a step by step video tutorial in the recipe card so you can follow along!

Love salmon for dinner? This quick and easy salmon rice bowl features a sweet and savory honey garlic sauce. Or enjoy teriyaki glazed salmon for an Asian-inspired meal.

For a lighter option, enjoy this salmon arugula salad with the best tahini balsamic glaze.

Ingredient Notes

Here are the simple ingredients for this easy salmon pasta. Most are pantry staples and easy (and affordable ingredients) to find in grocery stores. Jump down to the recipe card for exact measurements.

• Short cut pasta: we used a gluten free penne (our favorite brand is Jovial), but any short cut pasta like rotini works.
• Salmon filets: I prefer 4 (4 ounce) salmon filets, but a whole piece of fish will work. Just cut them into fillets yourself before cooking.
• Avocado oil or butter: both of these oils/fats have a higher smoke point than an olive oil, so I recommend using one of these to get a good sear on the salmon.
• Kosher salt: I always recommend cooking with kosher salt!
• Dry white wine: a great wine for cooking is pinot grigio, but any dry wine works. The alcohol cooks off in the recipe, but you can always use the water from cooking the pasta instead.
• Basil Pesto: Use up excess basil and make homemade pesto with pine nuts if you can! We love this vegan pesto, but Trader Joes makes a great dairy-free pesto too. If you aren't dairy free, a traditional store-bought pesto is great.
• Cream: you can either use heavy cream or coconut cream to keep it dairy free. This helps emulsify the pesto to coat the pasta well.
• Lemon juice: this helps balance out the fat in the dish with some acid. 
• Asparagus: this ingredient is 100% necessary, but I always like adding greens to dishes whenever I can because it feels like a complete meal to me. You can swap this out for fresh spinach too.
• Toppings: parmesan cheese or basil and fresh cracked pepper.

How to Make Salmon Pesto Pasta

Boil the pasta

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions in a large pot of water with salt. Most pasta takes 10-15 minutes to make. Be sure to cook it to al dente because we're tossing it with the sauce so it will cook a bit more. Reserve a few cups of the pasta water (if you aren't using wine), then drain the pasta.

Cook the salmon

2. While the pasta is cooking, allow the salmon to rest at room temp for 15-20 minutes. This tempers the salmon (brings the temperature up) so cold salmon doesn’t reduce the heat in the pan.  You can skip this step if you’re short on time, but it helps the salmon cook evenly.
3. Add the oil or butter to a deep skillet over medium-high heat.  Season the flesh side of the salmon with kosher salt. 
4. Add the salmon flesh-side-down and sear for 3-4 minutes, without moving.  Flip the salmon over, turn the heat down to medium, and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the internal temperature of the salmon reaches about 125°-130°F and the salmon begins to flake.  Transfer the cooked salmon to a clean plate.

Make the pesto sauce

5. Add the white wine or pasta cooking water to the pan where the salmon was is cooked, scraping any brown bits off the bottom of the pan.
6. Add the pesto and allow it to simmer over medium heat for 1-2 minutes then whisk in the cream and lemon juice and simmer for 5-6 minutes to thicken.

Cook the asparagus and serve

7. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss gently to coat the pasta with the sauce.
8. Top the pasta with the raw asparagus then close the lid or cover the pan with a plate for 3-4 minutes to steam the asparagus over medium heat. Open the lid occasionally and stir quickly to avoid any burning on the bottom of the pan then remove the lid and toss to combine well.
9. Remove any skin from the salmon and use a knife or fork to break up the salmon into chunks then top the pasta with the salmon and toss gently to coat the salmon with the creamy pesto sauce. 
10. Serve with parmesan cheese, fresh basil, and red pepper flakes if desired.

Video: Watch How to Make Salmon Pesto Pasta

Expert Recipe Tips

• Buy wild-caught salmon whenever possible! 
• Try not to lift the salmon up to check it while it's searing to keep the crispy golden crust on the outside.
• Use an instant read thermometer to know when your fish is done. Insert it into the thickest part of the salmon.
• Continue to whisk the pesto while you pour in the cream soo the sauce doesn't split! 

Salmon Pesto Pasta FAQs

Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions

• Make-ahead: make homemade pesto and chop the asparagus in advance to save time. You could also sear the salmon in advance and keep it in the fridge overnight. It will warm back up when it's tossed with the pasta.
• To store: store any leftovers in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. I don't recommend freezing this dish because of the cream in the sauce. To reheat, pour the pasta back in a skillet and warm over medium heat.

Dietary Modifications

• Gluten-free: use gluten-free short-cut pasta. You can find this at any local grocery store. Our favorite brand is Jovial, but all of the options are great.
• Dairy-free: to keep this entire recipe dairy free use a dairy-free store-bought pesto or homemade vegan pesto. You'll also use coconut cream instead of heavy cream and omit any parmesan cheese on top.

If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. You can also tag me on Instagram so I can see it!

More salmon recipes

• Blackened salmon
• Tahini Ginger Salmon with Sesame Asparagus (sheet pan)
• One Pan Everything Bagel Salmon
• Teriyaki Glazed Salmon

Salmon Pesto Pasta

Salmon pesto pasta is a healthy, easy-to-make dish that’s loaded with good fats. Use jarred pesto or fresh basil to make your own for the creamy sauce.

4.80 from 5 votes

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Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Italian

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 508kcal

Author: Molly Thompson

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Ingredients

• 12 ounces short cut pasta (I used Gluten Free penne)
• 1 lb fresh salmon filets set out at room temp for 20 minutes
• 2 tablespoons of avocado oil or butter
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅓ cup pasta cooking water or dry white wine
• ½ cup pesto I used my dairy free homemade pesto or use your favorite store bought
• ¼ cup coconut cream or heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 lb asparagus woody ends trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
• parmesan cheese or basil for topping

Instructions

Cook the pasta

• If you haven’t already, allow the salmon to rest at room temp for about 20 minutes. This tempers the salmon so cold salmon from the fridge doesn’t reduce the heat in the pan. You can skip this step if you’re short on time, but it helps the salmon cook evenly.
• Cook pasta according to package directions.

Sear the salmon

• Season the flesh side of the salmon with kosher salt and pepper. If the skin is already removed you can season both sides.
• Add the oil or butter to a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Allow it to get hot until the oil is rippling. You’ll know it’s ready when a splash of water dances and sizzles on the surface of the pan.
• Add the salmon, flesh-side down, and sear for 5 minutes, without moving. You can check occasionally to see if it’s browning. Flip the salmon over and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until the internal temperature of the salmon reaches about 125°F and the salmon begins to flake. Cook time may vary based on thickness of your salmon. Transfer the cooked salmon to a clean plate. The salmon will continue to cook slightly after removing it from the heat and will cook a bit more in the pasta.

Make the sauce

• Pour ⅓ cup of the pasta cooking water or dry white wine to the pan where the salmon is cooked, scraping any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Stir in the pesto and allow it to simmer over medium heat then add the cream and lemon juice and stir to combine. Simmer the sauce over medium-low heat to warm and thicken for 5-6 minutes.
• While it’s simmering, remove any skin from the salmon and use a spoon or fork to break up the salmon into chunks.
• Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss gently to coat the pasta with the sauce. Top the pasta with the raw asparagus then close the lid or cover the pan with a plate for 3-4 minutes to steam the asparagus over medium heat. Open the lid and stir to combine.
• Top the pasta with the cooked salmon and toss gently to coat the salmon with the creamy pesto sauce. Serve
• Toss well to combine before serving with parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

Notes

• Make-ahead: make homemade pesto and chop the asparagus in advance to save time. You could also sear the salmon in advance and keep it in the fridge overnight. It will warm back up when it's tossed with the pasta.
• To store: store any leftovers in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. I don't recommend freezing this dish because of the cream in the sauce. To reheat, pour the pasta back in a skillet and warm over medium heat.

• Gluten-free: use a gluten free short cut pasta. You can find this at any local grocery store. Our favorite brand is Jovial, but all of the options are great.
• Dairy-free: to keep this entire recipe dairy free use a dairy free store bought pesto or a homemade vegan pesto. You'll also use coconut cream instead of heavy cream and omit any parmesan cheese on top.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 508kcal | Carbohydrates: 29.5g | Protein: 32.3g | Fat: 26.6g | Cholesterol: 57.9mg | Sodium: 712mg | Fiber: 4.5g | Sugar: 3.3g

Did you make this recipe?Mention @What_MollyMade or tag #whatmollymade!