Creamy Salmon Fettuccine

Creamy Salmon Fettuccine

This is the kind of pasta that feels calm but confident. Creamy without being heavy, rich without being dull, and brightened up with lemon, capers, and dill so every bite feels fresh rather than flat. Flaked roasted salmon brings substance and elegance, while the sauce stays light enough that the whole thing doesn’t tip into restaurant-leftover territory.

Creamy salmon pasta can easily go wrong. Too rich, too bland, too fishy, or just… beige. This version avoids all of that. The creaminess comes from cream cheese rather than cream, the sauce is loosened with stock and pasta water, and sharp ingredients like lemon, chilli, and capers keep everything awake.

It’s comforting, but it’s clean comfort. The kind you actually want to eat.

Why roasted salmon changes the whole dish

Cooking the salmon separately might feel like an extra step, but it’s what makes this pasta work.

Roasting the salmon keeps it tender and juicy without breaking it apart too early. You get clean flakes that fold through the pasta gently instead of dissolving into the sauce. It also means the salmon stays distinct, which matters in a creamy dish like this. You want to taste it, not just know it’s there.

Baking it skin-side down on paper keeps things simple and hands-off. No pan smell, no sticking, no overhandling. Once it’s cooked, it flakes easily and slides straight into the pasta at the end.

This is one of those small decisions that makes the finished dish feel intentional rather than thrown together.

The sauce is creamy, but it’s built on sharpness

This sauce works because it doesn’t rely on fat alone.

Cream cheese gives you body and richness, but it also has a slight tang, which pairs beautifully with lemon and capers. Vegetable stock lightens everything and stops the sauce from becoming too dense. Parmesan adds savoury depth rather than just saltiness.

Then you’ve got the sharp elements doing their job properly. Capers cut through the cream. Lemon juice lifts the whole dish. Chilli adds a gentle warmth that stops the sauce feeling one-note.

Nothing here is accidental. Every ingredient is balancing something else.

Shallots over onions, and why it matters

Shallots are a small detail, but they make a difference.

They’re sweeter and more delicate than onions, which means they soften into the sauce without dominating it. In a dish like this, where the salmon and lemon are meant to shine, that matters.

You want background sweetness, not onion flavour front and centre. Cooking them gently until soft gives the sauce a rounded base without heaviness.

Capers are non-negotiable

Capers might not be everyone’s first thought in creamy pasta, but they’re essential here.

They add salt, acidity, and a slight briny hit that works beautifully with salmon. Without them, the sauce leans too soft and too rich. With them, it feels balanced and complete.

Chop them or leave them whole, either works. What matters is that they’re there, cutting through the cream and waking everything up.

This is not a “swimming” pasta

The goal here is a sauce that clings, not one that pools at the bottom of the bowl.

That’s why pasta water matters. A splash at the right moment loosens the sauce and helps it emulsify, giving you that glossy finish that coats the fettuccine properly. It also helps the sauce stretch without adding more cream or cheese.

If your pasta looks dry, it needs water. If it looks heavy, it needs lemon. Adjusting those two things fixes almost everything.

Creamy Salmon Fettuccine Recipe

Ingredients

200 g fettuccine
2 salmon fillets

2 shallots, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red chilli, finely diced
40 g capers

200 ml vegetable stock
100 g cream cheese
40 g parmesan, grated

2 lemons
15 g dill, chopped

Salt and black pepper
Oil, for cooking

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Place the salmon fillets skin-side down on a sheet of baking paper. Season with salt and black pepper, then bake for about 10 minutes, until just cooked and easily flaking. Set aside to rest.

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to the boil and cook the fettuccine according to the packet instructions. Before draining, reserve a mug of the pasta water.

While the pasta cooks, heat a drizzle of oil in a large frying pan over medium to high heat. Add the finely diced shallots and cook for a few minutes until soft and translucent.

Add the garlic, red chilli, and capers. Cook for about a minute until fragrant, stirring so the garlic doesn’t burn.

Pour in the vegetable stock and bring it to the boil, then reduce to a simmer.

Add the cooked pasta directly to the pan and toss it through the sauce base.

Add the cream cheese, grated parmesan, and the juice of half a lemon. Toss well until the cream cheese melts and forms a smooth, creamy sauce. Add a splash of pasta water if needed to loosen everything up.

Flake the roasted salmon into large pieces and gently fold it through the pasta along with the chopped dill. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice if needed.

Serve immediately, finished with lemon zest over the top.

What the finished dish should look like

The pasta should be coated in a creamy sauce that clings to the fettuccine without drowning it. The salmon should be in soft flakes, not broken down. You should see flecks of dill, capers dotted through the sauce, and a light sheen rather than thickness.

If it looks tight, add pasta water. If it tastes flat, add lemon. If it feels heavy, you’ve gone too far with cheese.

How this fits into real life cooking

This is a great “in-between” dinner.

It’s nicer than a quick midweek throw-together, but not so involved that it feels like a project. It works for a quiet night in, but it’s also impressive enough to serve to someone else without stress.

It’s also flexible. You can prep the salmon ahead, use leftover cooked salmon, or swap dill for parsley if that’s what you’ve got. The structure stays solid.

Serving suggestions

This pasta doesn’t need much on the side.

A simple green salad with a sharp dressing works well. Steamed greens are fine if you want something warm. Bread is optional but always welcome for mopping up the last bits of sauce.

Finish with extra lemon zest at the table, it makes a bigger difference than you think.

Storage and leftovers

This pasta is best eaten fresh, but leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to a day.

Reheat gently with a splash of water or stock to loosen the sauce. Avoid high heat, the salmon will dry out.

Freezing isn’t recommended, the texture suffers.