Make the BEST, Quick & Easy Salmon Pasta Dish with ricotta, arugula, and fresh lemon in 30 minutes! Pasta with salmon never tasted so good!
If you know me, you know I get a lot of the inspiration for new recipes when other people cook for me, whether at a restaurant or at a friend's house. This simple recipe is no different! 😍
I got inspiration for this creamy salmon pasta recipe when I was traveled to Amsterdam a few weeks ago. I ordered something with poached salmon because it sounded super fancy, and it was delicious.
And let's be real. Restaurants have to keep things simple to be able to serve a variety of foods in a short amount of time. So, I did a little research and taught myself how to make poached salmon. I'm not even exaggerating when I say it takes less than 10 minutes! 🙌
Then I decided to add poached salmon to a pasta dish because I'm always trying to find new and delicious ways to get us to eat more seafood. So, I served it for a weeknight dinner and... my whole family LOVED it!
I was surprised because we don't usually like dishes with ricotta cheese. But this was different!
And please don't let the idea of poaching salmon intimidate you. I'm new to cooking it this way as well. In my opinion, if you can cook pasta, you can poach salmon. Now, let me show you how easy this salmon pasta dish is to make!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy Recipe You cook the pasta to al dente in one pot while you poach the salmon in a skillet. Then you just mix everything together. This salmon pasta dish might not seem easy the first time you make it, but once you get the hang of it, you'll see just how easy it is!
- 30-Minute Meal If you poach the salmon while the pasta cooks and gather the rest of the ingredients while the salmon and pasta are cooking, you'll have dinner ready in 30 minutes from start to finish. This is a great recipe for busy weeknights!
- Meal Prep Poached salmon is excellent for meal prepping. If you keep the seasonings simple, poached flaky salmon can be added to everything from a fresh green salad to avocado toast and creamy pasta dishes.
- Kid Approved This salmon pasta dish has a mild flavor and slightly creamy texture. I will be the first to admit that I expected my kids (and husband, lol;) to complain when I served this creamy salmon pasta recipe. Thankfully I was wrong. Even my teenage daughter stated, "this is actually good!" and ate the leftovers the next day! 🙌
Dietitian Tip
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that Americans of all ages eat more seafood. Even though I'm a dietitian, it's not always easy to get my family to eat seafood. Even if I were to make it, it doesn't mean they'll eat it. Just saying 😉
Still, I'd love for this recipe to serve as a reminder that sometimes it's not what you serve, but how you serve it. Or not what you make, but how you make it.
For instance, if your family doesn't like pan-seared salmon, try serving cedar plank or pan seared salmon. You can even make salmon in an air fryer.
And if they don't like salmon served as the main dish along with a few sides, try adding it to a pasta dish like this.
Recipe Variations
This is a simple recipe created to show you how easy it is to make a delicious creamy pasta dish with salmon. Still, there are so many ways to change it up. Let me know if you try a variation!
- Fresh Herbs If you keep fresh herbs on hand, add fresh parsley, fresh basil, or fresh dill for even more flavor.
- Cherry Tomatoes Stir in cherry tomatoes (whole or cut in half) when you mix in the arugula for more color, flavor, and texture.
- Red Pepper When my cousin in Holland makes this pasta dish, she sautés a diced hot pepper to add for some spice. A dash or two of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes would also add a touch of spice.
- More Garlic If you really like garlic and have a few extra minutes, sauté a few fresh minced garlic cloves in extra-virgin olive oil in the large pot after you drain the pasta. Or, add more garlic powder.
- Leftover Salmon Feel free to use up leftover roasted, grilled, pesto salmon, or pan seared salmon instead of poached salmon. Now that I think about it, canned wild salmon would also work as a substitute in this seafood pasta dish.
Ingredient Notes
Here are a few highlights of the key ingredients for making this easy salmon pasta dish. For the complete list of ingredients, scroll down to the recipe card.
- Salmon Filets Salmon is an excellent source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids (also known as heart healthy fats) that help brain, heart, eye, and even mental health. I like to use wild caught salmon filets. Defrosted (from frozen) or fresh salmon filets works best.
- Pasta I use Barilla Protein Plus spaghetti pasta because it looks and tastes just like regular spaghetti pasta but has more protein, fiber, and is made with a variety of wholesome ingredients. If you prefer thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta, use that instead.
- Lemon Use fresh lemon juice and lemon zest. Using fresh lemon in recipes is an easy way to enhance the flavor without taking a lot of time.
- Cheese Ricotta cheese and parmesan cheese along with reserved poaching liquid are used instead of heavy cream or cream sauce to give this salmon pasta recipe a creamy texture. My family usually doesn't like ricotta cheese, but we do in this recipe.
- Arugula Baby arugula is a leafy green and is packaged like baby spinach. It can be found in the produce section of the grocery store. Baby spinach can be used in place of arugula.
How to Poach Salmon for This Pasta Dish
Poaching salmon saves so much time, so let me show you how it's done!
- Add broth or water to a large skillet. Bring the water or broth to a simmer (I set the heat level on my stovetop to just over medium heat.), then add the salmon skin side down.
- Cook the salmon for about 6-8 minutes, or until the internal temperature of an inserted digital food thermometer reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the salmon and reserve the poaching liquid. Flake the salmon with a fork.
How to Make This Salmon Pasta Dish
In summary, you poach the salmon (it's so easy!) while the pasta cooks. Stir in the rest of the ingredients then top with the cooked salmon. For the complete recipe, scroll down to the recipe card.
- Bring one pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta once it's cooked al dente. Return the pasta to the pot. Reduce heat.
- Once the salmon is done cooking, add the reserved poaching liquid to the cooked pasta. Stir in the ricotta cheese, arugula, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, salt, and one-half cup of parmesan cheese.
- Once the skin is removed and salmon is flaked with a fork, add the cooked salmon and the remaining parmesan cheese. Carefully stir until the salmon is evenly distributed in the pasta dish.
Helpful Tips
- Poach the salmon while the pasta cooks to save time.
- Do not overcook the salmon.
- This is a creamy but not too creamy pasta dish. This is made without cream or a creamy pasta sauce. The ricotta cheese, parmesan, and poaching liquid come together to give just the right amount of creaminess.
- This recipe makes a lot. You should use at least a five-and-a-half-quart Dutch oven or pot to make this dish.
- Cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of the salmon filets. Thicker filets will take longer to cook. Very thin filets may only take 5 minutes to cook.
- I have also made this using frozen salmon filets and it worked well. Frozen salmon filets will take a little longer to cook.
- If you are used to cooked greens in recipes, you may want to add more arugula. When I first made this recipe, I said, "I think it could use more arugula next time." The rest of my family said, no, don't add more or else it will taste like a salad." Hey, at least they are honest. 😉
- I like to add a pinch or two of salt and black pepper to the salmon filets when I poach them in water.
- When I use chicken broth instead of water to poach salmon, I don't add salt to the salmon.
Questions You May Have
Let the leftovers cool to room temperature before storing. Place leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. I do not suggest freezing leftovers.
Salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork. Some say it's best to remove salmon from heat when it reaches 130-135 degrees Fahrenheit, while the FDA advises cooking seafood to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
My digital food thermometer recently broke, so I used the 'flake with a fork' method to tell when it was done and it worked beautifully.
I've been serving this salmon pasta dish on busy weeknights, so I've kept the sides simple. Slice of sourdough bread, applesauce or sliced apples. a simple side salad, or air fried broccoli parmesan.
Or if you have the time and ingredients, serve Tuscan kale salad as a side. Lemon and garlic will especially stand out with this combination.
More Dinner Recipes
- Easy Mashed Red Skinned Potatoes
- 5-Minute Pistachio Pesto
- 5-Minute Hummus Veggie Wrap
- Easy Orzo with Broccoli
Did you make this easy Salmon Pasta Dish and love it? Please let me know by leaving a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below. A 5-star rating is the best compliment!
Remember to follow me on Pinterest and Instagram for more easy recipes with nutrition tips from a dietitian!
📖 Recipe
Easy Salmon Pasta Dish
Equipment
- 1 Large skillet with a lid
- 1 strainer
- 1 citrus zester
Ingredients
Creamy Pasta with Arugula and Lemon
- 14.5 ounces spaghetti 14.5-16 ounces. I like to use Barilla + Protein spaghetti pasta
- 12 ounces ricotta cheese 1½ cups
- 3 ounces baby arugula 2 large handfuls. Can use baby spinach instead.
- 1 lemon zest and juice of one lemon
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt table salt or sea salt
- ¾ cup parmesan cheese shredded. divided.
Poached Salmon
- 1½ cups broth or water
- 1 pound salmon 4, 4-ounce filets
Instructions
- Poach the salmon: Add broth or water to a large skillet and bring it to a simmer. Once the water is simmering, place the salmon filets skin side down in the broth or water and cover the skillet with a lid.1½ cups broth or water
- Simmer salmon in the broth for about 6-8 minutes. The salmon is finished cooking as soon as the internal temperature of an inserted digital food thermometer reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit or when salmon flakes easily with a fork.
- Remove salmon from the broth and place on a plate. Reserve the poaching liquid (you will be adding this to the cooked pasta).
- Use tongs and a fork to remove the skin and flake the salmon. Set aside.
Pasta with Arugula and Lemon
- While the salmon cooks, cook pasta in a large pot. Cook the pasta to al dente, according to the package instructions.14.5 ounces spaghetti
- Drain the pasta and return it to the pot it was cooking in. Place the pot back on the stove and reduce the heat to low.
- Stir in the ricotta cheese, arugula, garlic powder, and salt.12 ounces ricotta cheese, 3 ounces baby arugula, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Once the salmon is done cooking, add the poaching liquid to the cooked pasta.
- Stir in ½ cup of the shredded parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and lemon juice, garlic, and salt.1 lemon, ¾ cup parmesan cheese
- Add the cooked salmon pieces and the rest of the parmesan cheese. Carefully stir to combine.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- This is a creamy but not too creamy pasta dish. This is made without cream or a creamy pasta sauce. The ricotta cheese, parmesan, and poaching liquid come together to give just the right amount of creaminess.
- Feel free to use roasted, pan-seared, canned, or air fried salmon instead of poached salmon.
- Do not overcook the salmon.
- Frozen salmon filets will take longer to cook.
- Poach the salmon while the pasta cooks to save time.
- When I use chicken broth instead of water to poach salmon, I don't add salt to the salmon.
- I like to add a pinch or two of salt and black pepper to the salmon filets when I poach them in water.
- If you are used to cooked greens in recipes, you may want to add more arugula. When I first made this recipe, I said, "I think it could use more arugula next time." The rest of my family said, no, don't add more or else it will taste like a salad."
- Cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of the salmon filets. Thicker filets will take longer to cook. Very thin filets may only take 5 minutes to cook.
- This recipe makes a lot. You should use at least a five-and-a-half-quart Dutch oven or pot to make this dish.
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