Salmon Linguine

There’s no need to pay top dollar at a restaurant for a delicious seafood pasta dish when you can make an excellent version at home in less than 30 minutes! Our salmon linguine recipe features salmon, broccoli, capers and garlic in a luscious cream sauce that’s simply delightful… and simple to make. All of the ingredients are easy to find at a local supermarket, if not in your own kitchen. Invite your friends or family over for dinner and watch their expressions as they dig into this restaurant-quality dish.

Ingredients for Salmon Linguine

• Linguine: Linguine is the perfect pasta for such a dish as the flat noodles have lots of surface for the sauce to cling to.
• Broccoli: Cut the broccoli into bite-sized florets for this recipe. Broccoli adds loads of vitamin C to the dish.
• Butter: The butter is used to saute the garlic and adds richness to the creamy pasta sauce.
• Garlic: Minced garlic gives the dish umami and contributes to the flavor of the cream sauce.
• Heavy whipping cream: The cream is the base for the creamy sauce.
• Lemon juice: Lemon juice helps thicken the sauce when it reacts with the cream. It also adds a bright note to the flavor.
• Salmon: Flake the cooked salmon ahead of time as this creates small bits perfect for a pasta dish.
• Parmesan cheese: This cheese adds a tangy flavor and cheesy aroma to the dish.
• Basil: Use fresh basil if you have it and dried basil if not. Fun fact: It takes 3 times as much fresh basil as dried basil in this type of dish because the oils that contribute flavor are more concentrated in dried herbs.
• Capers: Drain the liquid from the capers before adding them to the pasta dish. Capers are tangy pops of flavor that are delicious with salmon and in many pasta dishes.
• Lemon zest: Grated lemon zest adds a bright citrusy note as a final touch to the pasta. This guide describes how to easily zest a lemon.

Directions 

Step 1: Cook the linguine and broccoli

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Cook the linguine according to the directions on the package. Add the broccoli during the last five minutes of cooking.

Step 2: Make the sauce

Sarah Tramonte for Taste of Home

Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic to the pan, cook and stir for one minute. Stir in the cream and the lemon juice and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer it uncovered for two to three minutes or until the liquid slightly thickens, stirring constantly.

Step 3: Finish preparing the dish

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Add the salmon, salt and pepper and heat the fish through. Drain the linguine and broccoli and add them to the skillet. Stir in the cheese, basil, capers and lemon zest.

Sarah Tramonte for Taste of Home

Recipe Variations

• Add mushrooms: Saute sliced mushrooms along with the garlic for a salmon and mushroom linguine.
• Add more garlic: Add a couple more minced garlic cloves to increase the garlic flavor in the sauce. Yum!
• Add dill: Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried dill (or a tablespoon or more if using fresh) in place of the basil for a slightly different flavor profile in the sauce.
• Pass the peas: Replace the broccoli with peas or use both for added flavor and texture.

How to Store Salmon Linguine

Store the salmon linguine in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It’ll keep for three days.

Can you make salmon linguine ahead of time?

Sure! Feel free to make the sauce up to a day or two ahead of time and keep it in the fridge once it cools. Reheat the sauce when you cook the pasta and broccoli. Then add the salmon, pasta and other ingredients to the warm sauce as directed.

Salmon Linguine   Tips

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Could I make this with chicken instead?

Absolutely! This dish will taste just as delish with poultry in it instead of fish. Shred the cooked chicken with forks or cut it into small cubes. Leftover turkey breast may be used in similar fashion.

What can I use in place of heavy whipping cream?

If you can’t find heavy whipping cream, use heavy cream instead; it’s the same thing and has the same amount of milkfat. If you can’t find a heavy version of any cream, use whipping cream which has slightly less milkfat and fewer calories. Check out our guide to pasta shapes for even more ideas.

What other types of pasta could I use?

Though this is called salmon linguine, there’s no reason the dish has to be made with linguine. Feel free to use rotini corkscrew pasta, which has loads of surface area to grab the cream sauce. Penne has ridges to catch the sauce and spaghetti may also be used if that’s what you have on hand; it’ll taste the same.