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This easy creamy lemon and tomato salmon pasta recipe is a fresh yet decadent meal! It’s ready in only 20 minutes, but the tomato and parmesan cream sauce feels special.
You may also like my Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken or Tomato Spinach Shrimp Pasta next.
Why you’ll love it
This tomato salmon pasta is comforting yet light and fresh, and it’s an impressive yet easy meal. One lovely reader said that she imagined herself “sitting somewhere on the Amalfi coast” eating this delicious seafood pasta! It has a kiss of lemon and in-season tomatoes.
This salmon and tomato pasta is so quick and low effort with a handful of everyday ingredients, yet the flavors end up tasting more complex than you’d guess. There’s plenty of garlic, parmesan, and a not-so-secret ingredient (Dijon) to amp up the savory taste.
What you’ll need
- Pasta – I like a longer shape like spaghetti
- Salmon – we’re using a fresh salmon filet
- Italian seasoning – it’s an all-purpose blend of fragrant dried herbs that comes in a single jar
- Olive oil and butter – for pan frying and the base of the sauce
- Parmesan – grate your own so that it melts better into the sauce
- Tomatoes – use what looks best in the produce aisle
- Heavy cream – real cream makes the sauce texture and flavor luxurious!
- Lemon – we’re using lemon juice and lemon zest for brightness
- Garlic – another punch of savory goodness
- Dijon mustard – this is my go-to flavor enhancer to really build layers of deliciousness. You don’t taste it specifically.
Pro tip
You can buy salmon with the skin on or already taken off. If you bought salmon with the skin on and don’t want to eat it, you can simply peel it off after you’ve done the searing step.
How to make tomato salmon pasta
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Cook the pasta until al dente. Meanwhile, season the salmon with the Italian seasoning and salt & pepper. Heat up the oil and butter in a skillet, and sear the salmon for a few minutes on both sides. Transfer to a plate.
Add the tomatoes, heavy cream, lemon juice and zest, garlic, and Dijon. Mix well until combined, simmering for a couple of minutes. Stir in the parmesan. Return the salmon to the skillet, and break it apart with a spoon.
Continue to simmer until the fish is fully cooked through. Give it a taste, and season with extra salt & pepper if needed. Toss with the drained pasta, and top with fresh parsley if using.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- I love my Microplane zester/grater to zest the lemon and grate parmesan cheese, and this cute lemon saver keeps lemon fresh for longer.
- My trusty cast iron skillet is perfect for pan searing fish.
- A garlic press makes it super quick to mince garlic. You don’t even need to peel the cloves first.
Substitutions and variations
- Substituting the heavy cream for something lower fat like half-and-half will likely curdle the sauce due to the acidity of the tomatoes and lemon, and it may not thicken as intended either.
- I use spaghetti for this salmon pasta, but feel free to sub with any pasta you choose!
What to serve with tomato salmon pasta
- A slice of fresh bread like sourdough or French baguette is a great pairing along with a light salad. Try my simple Parmesan Arugula Salad, or give this Homemade Italian Dressing a go.
- If you do want to go all out, make my Extra Cheesy Garlic Bread!
Leftovers and storage
- I like this one best fresh, but you can store leftovers of this creamy salmon pasta for 2-3 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
- If possible, boil up fresh pasta for leftovers. Reheat the sauce over a low heat until warmed through.
- I don’t recommend freezing it.
If you made this fresh tomato and salmon pasta recipe, please leave a star rating and review below! You can also tag me on Instagram if you made this pasta or any S&L meal.
Creamy Lemon and Fresh Tomato Salmon Pasta
Ingredients
- 4 ounces uncooked spaghetti (or other pasta)
- 1/2 pound fresh salmon
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning or to taste
- Salt & pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 medium tomatoes chopped
- 3/4 cup heavy/whipping cream
- Juice and zest of 1/2 medium lemon (about 1 tbsp juice)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Boil a salted pot of water and cook the pasta al dente according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, sprinkle both sides of the salmon with Italian seasoning and salt & pepper, to taste.
- Add oil and butter to a skillet on medium heat. Sear salmon for 3 minutes/side. Remove the salmon from the pan and set aside.
- Add the tomato, cream, lemon juice and zest, garlic, and Dijon mustard. Stir until smooth and cook for 2 minutes, then stir in the parmesan.
- Add the salmon back into the pan, and use a spoon to break it up into smaller pieces. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Cook for another 4-5 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through. Season with more salt and pepper if needed.
- Once the pasta is cooked, toss it with the sauce. Serve with parsley and some extra grated parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
- I don’t recommend subbing the cream with half-and-half or milk because the sauce is likely to curdle due to the amount of citrus in this recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Just made this for dinner (added a little red pepper flakes), enjoyed a white wine while cooking, and the family loved it. The kids aren’t into seafood so much, the wife hates seafood, but I love it and since I’m cooking it’s my choice and it was a hit. The wife ate a whole serving. The kids had seconds and raved about it, it reminded them of the beach. Served with toasted fresh baguette slices and olive oil for dipping blended with Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes on the side. Enjoying the rest of that white wine now.
I am so glad it worked out so well!! Your comment made me laugh haha. 🙂
Just made this with penne pasta and it tasted really good considering I’m not the biggest fish or seafood lover. Thank you for sharing your delicious recipes. Think I will try the Cajun salmon pasta next!
Wonderful – so happy you liked it, Tenika! 🙂
Hi
Can I substitute heavy cream for sour cream and also add prawns?
Sounds delicious!
Deborah
Hi! I think that could work, but it will be more tart/sour if you’re ok with that. Can’t go wrong with prawns!
This dish was delicious! Make sure to have a little extra lemon juice.
So glad you liked it!
Very easy recipe to make. I was surprised at how good it tasted! I added asparagus, spinach, diced red pepper and sliced mushrooms to the sauce and added more tomatoes and lemon. I sprinkled the Parmesan and parsley on top of dish and voila! This version came out great! With your base recipe, one can experiment adding different ingredients and it will still come out good! Thanks for the recipe. Will try it with shrimp next time.
So happy you enjoyed it! Your adaptations sound delish.
Omg soooooo good!!!
So happy you liked it!
Just made this for the first time. Wanted a quick meal this evening and this certainly didn’t disappoint. Very tasty indeed. Forgot to add the parmesan, have only just realised but it was very good even without. I had some baby plum tomatoes so halved these and also added some sugar snaps to the spaghetti once it was almost finished cooking. Will definitely be making it again.
That’s great!! so happy it worked out, Sandra!
This was delicious! I’m not the best cook so thankful it is a simple recipe to make but would impress if entertaining. Thank you.
I’m so happy the recipe was easy to follow, Nadine… that is what I am for! Thanks for coming back and letting me know. 🙂
Hi, what other Herb can bè used?
Hi Laurie! Italian seasoning is a mix of herbs, so I’d probably either leave it out or use whatever herb blend you have in your pantry. Changing it to just one herb will change the taste of the dish, and I haven’t tested it with anything else. Herbs de Provence would work too if you have a jar of that.
THANKS for your salmon n pasta recipe, followed it to the T! But added some cherry tomatoes from my garden and used penne pasta!!! Used some baguette bread from yesterday n sprinkled cheese on it( put in oven) my Son loved it!
Fed up cooking same old, same old n stumbled on you’re recipe on internet.
Will certainly log on to you for lovely, refreshing ideas!x
Excellent, I’m so happy it worked out 🙂