Description
This Healthier Smoked Salmon Linguine is a quick and elegant pasta dish combining silky cold-smoked salmon with a garlicky cream sauce and bright lemon notes. Ready in under 35 minutes, it offers restaurant-quality flavor using simple ingredients perfect for busy weeknight dinners or last-minute entertaining.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pasta:
- 1 lb linguine
For the Garlic Cream Sauce:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tsp salt
- 4 tbsp salted butter (preferably Kerrygold)
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 6–8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
For the Final Dish:
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 lb cold-smoked salmon (lox), preferably Nova or Scottish style
- 3–4 tbsp reserved pasta water
- 2 tbsp capers, drained
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add linguine and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water before draining the pasta. Set pasta aside.
- Prepare the Cream Sauce: In a large saucepan or skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to brown the garlic. Pour in the heavy cream and bring it to a gentle boil.
- Thicken the Sauce: Add lemon juice and 3-4 tablespoons of reserved pasta water to the boiling cream. Allow the mixture to come to a boil once more; the sauce will thicken slightly. Stir in salt to taste, then remove the pan from heat to avoid splitting.
- Combine Pasta with Sauce: Add the cooked linguine to the cream sauce, tossing thoroughly to coat the pasta evenly with the sauce.
- Add Smoked Salmon and Capers: Using a fork, break smoked salmon into smaller pieces. Add the salmon and capers to the pasta in the pan, gently tossing together to combine without overcooking the salmon.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired. Serve the creamy smoked salmon linguine hot and enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Use cold-smoked salmon (lox) for the best silky texture; avoid hot-smoked or canned varieties unless substituting.
- Reserve some pasta water, as the starch helps create a creamy, silky sauce that clings to the pasta.
- Do not overcook the pasta; al dente works best since it will continue to cook slightly in the sauce.
- Add smoked salmon at the end to avoid toughening or overcooking it.
- If you don’t have capers, chopped green olives or pickled jalapeños provide a nice briny alternative.
- This dish pairs beautifully with light salads or steamed vegetables to balance richness.
- Store leftovers in airtight containers in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat gently with cream or milk to loosen sauce.
- For a make-ahead option, prepare pasta and sauce separately and combine with salmon just before serving.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: smoked salmon linguine, creamy pasta, quick dinner, easy pasta recipe, garlic cream sauce, capers, healthy salmon pasta, weeknight dinner, Italian pasta
