This recipe for salmon pasta (without cream) is one of my favorite quick pasta dinners for spring and summer. Flaked salmon, roasted cherry tomatoes, and penne pasta are tossed in a lemon-garlic butter sauce that tastes rich without relying on heavy cream. It's simple, comes together in about 30 minutes, and works perfectly for an easy weeknight dinner.
I almost always keep frozen salmon in my freezer, which makes this recipe especially convenient. I love that I can pull everything together without much planning ahead. Plus, the salmon cooks in the oven while the pasta boils and the sauce comes together. It's so efficient!
Instead of a heavy cream sauce, this pasta recipe uses a simple combination of butter, garlic, lemon juice, white wine, and starchy pasta water. The roasted cherry tomatoes add a surprisingly rich flavor as they burst open in the finished dish.
If you like easy salmon dinners, make sure to also check out my pesto crusted salmon, air fryer frozen salmon, and when you're in the mood for something indulgent, my creamy salmon pasta (made WITH heavy cream!).
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Key Ingredient Notes
- Frozen salmon - There's no need to thaw your salmon in advance. They get cooked straight from frozen.
- Cherry tomatoes - When roasted, cherry tomatoes soften, and their flavor intensifies. They burst open as they're mixed into the salmon and pasta, adding fresh tomato juice to the sauce. You can substitute them with grape tomatoes, but unfortunately, other tomato varieties won't work here.
- Penne pasta - I like penne for this recipe because it holds onto the lemon butter sauce really well, but other short pasta shapes work too.
- Garlic and lemon - These are the main flavors in the sauce. Fresh garlic and fresh lemon juice make a huge difference here.
- Butter - I know 6 tablespoons may seem like a lot, but once it's mixed into the pasta and salmon, you'll see that it's the perfect amount.
- White wine - A splash of white wine adds acidity and flavor to the sauce. I don't recommend skipping it!
*A detailed ingredient list can be found in the recipe card below.
Recipe Variations
- Add spinach or arugula at the end for extra greens.
- Sprinkle on a pinch of red pepper flakes for a touch of heat.
- Swap the salmon for cod or haddock.
- Finish with fresh basil or fresh parsley, and a generous helping of shredded parmesan.
Step-by-Step Instruction with Photos
- Cook your pasta according to package instructions, drain, and set aside. Don't forget to save a cup of starchy pasta water!
- Place the salmon and tomatoes on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake at 450°F for 20-25 minutes (until done).
- Meanwhile, make the lemon-garlic butter sauce. Start by sautéing the onions and garlic in melted butter until soft and fragrant.
- Add the white wine and continue cooking at a strong simmer for about a minute.
- Add the Dijon, reserved pasta water, and pepper, and continue cooking for another minute or so.
- Lastly, stir in the fresh lemon juice.
- Use a fork to flake apart the cooked salmon. It should easily separate from the skin and flake into small pieces.
- Mix the flaked salmon into the lemon garlic sauce. This really helps the salmon absorb the flavors of that delicious butter sauce!
- Combine the lemon butter sauce and salmon with the cooked pasta. Then, gently stir in the roasted cherry tomatoes.
- I like to top my salmon pasta with a healthy dose of grated Parmesan cheese right before serving! Enjoy!
Helpful Tips
- Salt your pasta water: It infuses your pasta with flavor, and the reserved water adds a bit of saltiness to the sauce.
- Add salt to taste: I don't add extra salt to the lemon butter sauce because we're using salted butter, salt-and-pepper-seasoned salmon, and salty pasta water. You can taste the sauce once it's finished and add a pinch more salt if desired.
- Prevent blue garlic: Fresh garlic can sometimes turn blue when it reacts with lemon juice. To help prevent this, make sure the garlic is fully cooked before adding the lemon juice, and wait to add the lemon juice until the very end of the sauce-making step.
- Watch the tomatoes: If the cherry tomatoes finish cooking before the salmon, simply remove them from the pan and set them aside until the salmon is done.
- Salmon cooking times may vary: Thicker salmon filets can take longer to cook, especially when starting from frozen. Continue cooking them until they reach an internal temperature of at least 145°F and flake easily with a fork.
Reader FAQs
Can I use fresh salmon instead of frozen?
Yes, you can use fresh salmon as long as you adjust your baking time and temperature accordingly. I usually cook fresh salmon at 400°F for about 20 minutes.
Can I make this salmon pasta (without cream) recipe without wine?
Yes, you can substitute the wine with chicken broth if absolutely needed.
What other vegetables pair well with salmon pasta?
Spinach, asparagus, peas, and zucchini all complement the lemony flavors in this salmon pasta recipe.
More Recipes to Try
If you tried this recipe for salmon pasta (no cream) or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and tell me how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Lemon Garlic Salmon Pasta (without Cream)
This recipe for salmon pasta (without cream) is one of my favorite quick pasta dinners for spring and summer. Flaked salmon, roasted cherry tomatoes, and penne pasta are tossed in a simple lemon-garlic butter sauce that tastes rich without relying on heavy cream. It's simple, comes together in about 30 minutes, and works perfectly for an easy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces dry penne pasta
- 16 ounces frozen salmon filets
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- ½ cup yellow onion diced
- 3 large garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons dry white wine
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup reserved pasta water
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- Kosher salt and extra black pepper to taste
- Optional ingredients: Fresh parsley, fresh basil, freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450°F.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the penne pasta according to package instructions. Before draining, reserve ¼ cup of the starchy pasta water. Then drain the remaining water and set the pasta aside.
- Place the frozen salmon and fresh cherry tomatoes on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and season generously with kosher salt and black pepper.
- Roast at 450°F for 20-25 minutes. If the tomatoes cook faster than the salmon, carefully remove them from the pan and set them aside. I like to start checking on the tomatoes around the 15-minute mark. Continue roasting the salmon until it flakes easily with a fork and reaches an internal temperature of at least 145°F. The salmon should be opaque and cooked through.
- While the pasta, salmon, and cherry tomatoes cook, prepare the butter garlic sauce. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic, then sauté for about 3 minutes, until the onion is soft and the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the white wine and continue cooking the sauce at a strong simmer for about 1 minute.
- Add the Dijon mustard, reserved pasta water, and ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper. Stir and cook for another minute.
- Stir in the fresh lemon juice and remove the sauce from the heat.
- Once the salmon is fully cooked (and has reached an internal temperature of at least 145°F), use a fork to gently flake it into bite-sized pieces. Add the flaked salmon to the butter-garlic sauce and stir to coat so it can soak up some of the rich, buttery flavors.
- Pour the sauce and salmon mixture over the cooked pasta and toss until well combined. Finally, gently fold in the roasted cherry tomatoes.
- I like to finish the pasta with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of fresh parsley or fresh basil. Serve right away while the pasta is warm.
Nutrition
Notes
- Salt your pasta water: It infuses your pasta with flavor, and the reserved water adds a bit of saltiness to the sauce.
- Add salt to taste: I don't add extra salt to the lemon butter sauce because we're using salted butter, salt-and-pepper-seasoned salmon, and salty pasta water. You can taste the sauce once it's finished and add a pinch more salt if desired.
- Prevent blue garlic: Fresh garlic can sometimes turn blue when it reacts with lemon juice. To help prevent this, make sure the garlic is fully cooked before adding the lemon juice, and wait to add the lemon juice until the very end of the sauce-making step.
- Salmon cooking times may vary: Thicker salmon filets can take longer to cook, especially when starting from frozen. Continue cooking them until they reach an internal temperature of at least 145°F and flake easily with a fork
- The nutrition information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice.
Anonymous says
I made this for dinner tonight. My husband and I both loved it. It's flavoursome yet light. I will be looking to make it again.
Katie says
I'm so happy you both loved it! Thank you for leaving a review!
Anonymous says
Can you make this without butter?
Katie says
That's a good question! I've never tried it that way, so I can't say for sure how it would turn out. You could try substituting the butter with olive oil, avocado oil, or a non-dairy butter substitute. I've tried a few non-dairy butters and I really liked the Earth Balance brand. You'd probably have to add some more salt if you subbed the butter with an oil. Also, you may want to start with half the oil, then add more as needed, because butter and olive oil aren't always a 1:1 substitute.
Nicole says
I made this salmon pasta and it's SO good! I loved how quick and easy it was to make. And it's super flavorful. Can't wait to make it again.
Katie says
I'm so glad you liked it Nicole! THANK YOU for leaving a review! 🙂