Description
A quick and easy one-pan pasta dish featuring tender salmon fillets in a creamy dill sauce, ready in 30 minutes with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 salmon fillets (about 12 oz / 340g), skin on or off
- 8 oz (225g) short pasta like penne or fusilli
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 medium shallot, finely diced (about 70g)
- 2 cups (480ml) low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream, full-fat
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup (25g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Optional: 2 cups baby spinach
- Optional: 1 tablespoon capers
Instructions
- Finely dice the shallot and mince the garlic. Chop the fresh dill and grate the Parmesan. Zest and juice the lemon. Pat salmon dry and season both sides lightly with salt and pepper.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Place salmon fillets skin-side down and cook for 3-4 minutes without moving. Flip and cook another 2 minutes. Remove salmon and set aside.
- Lower heat to medium and add remaining tablespoon olive oil. Sauté shallot until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in broth and bring to a gentle boil. Add pasta in a single layer, pressing down so mostly submerged. Cover and cook 7-8 minutes, stirring halfway to prevent sticking.
- Stir in heavy cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, and fresh dill. Nestle salmon back into the pan, spooning sauce over fillets. Cover and cook 2-3 minutes until salmon is opaque and flakes easily.
- Remove lid, sprinkle Parmesan over pasta, and stir gently to combine. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If using, toss in baby spinach or capers and stir until spinach wilts.
- Serve immediately, garnished with extra dill or lemon wedges if desired.
Notes
[‘Do not overcook salmon in initial sear; it will finish cooking in the sauce.’, ‘Use low-sodium broth to control salt levels.’, ‘Fresh dill is essential for bright flavor; avoid dried dill.’, ‘Cover pan when cooking pasta to trap steam and cook evenly.’, ‘Prep ingredients while salmon cooks to save time.’, ‘If sauce is too thin, add more Parmesan or simmer uncovered briefly.’, ‘Use freshly grated Parmesan for best sauce texture.’]
- Prep Time: 7 minutes
- Cook Time: 23 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approxima
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 350
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 28
Keywords: one-pan, creamy, dill, salmon, pasta, quick dinner, easy recipe, weeknight meal, healthy seafood