• Home
  • About me
  • WORK WITH ME
  • Recipes
  • PRIVACY POLICY

Supergolden Bakes

Sweet, savoury and everything in between

menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About me
  • WORK WITH ME
  • Recipes
  • PRIVACY POLICY
×

Creamy Salmon Chorizo Pasta

April 30, 2019 by Lucy Parissi 1 Comment

645 shares
Jump to Recipe
Close up of bowl of creamy salmon pasta
Salmon chorizo pasta collage pin

Are you looking for an easy salmon pasta recipe? This Creamy Salmon Chorizo Pasta is delicious and ready in 20 minutes.

For more seafood pasta recipes, check out my Creamy Tuscan shrimp linguine. 

Creamy salmon chorizo pasta in a bowl garnished with chives

Necessity is the mother of invention, at least where this salmon pasta recipe is concerned… It came about when I was a) starving and b) in dire need of a grocery store visit.

My husband’s favourite quick pasta dish is a sort of creamy salmon carbonara (I use the term loosely) made with fresh or smoked salmon, bacon and cream. He makes this often and always piles WAY TOO MUCH on my plate, not that I ever complain.

One day I set out to make his salmon pasta but realised that I didn’t have any bacon… but a sneaky pack of fresh chorizo sausages was hiding innocently at the back of the fridge. ‘This will do in a pinch’ I thought and so this recipe was born.

I think the chorizo adds an unexpected and welcome spice to the mild sauce – I wouldn’t normally think of pairing it with cream but it certainly mixes things up a bit.

Salmon & chorizo pasta ingredients

  • Salmon fillets – skinless if you can find them. You can also used smoked salmon fillets. These are cooked briefly then flaked before being added to the creamy sauce.

Flaking salmon fillets

  • Soft cooking chorizo sausage – not the dry type that can be eaten without cooking. Remove the casing and cut into small cubes before cooking in this pasta recipe. 

Soft cooking chorizo

  • Double cream (=heavy cream). You can also use single (=pouring) cream, your sauce will be a little less thick.
  • Minced garlic – I used microplane to finely grate the garlic cloves.
  • Your favourite pasta: I used pappardelle, but you can use linguine, fettuccine, penne, rigatoni etc. 
  • Lemon zest, fresh chives and pinch dried chilli flakes to garnish.

How to make Creamy Salmon Chorizo Pasta

Step 1. Bring a pot of water to the boil and add 1 tsp salt. Cook your pasta using pack instructions until al dente. Reserve a little of the pasta water before draining. 

cooking pasta in a pot

Step 2. While the pasta is bubbling away, pat the salmon with paper towels and season with plenty of salt and pepper.

Salmon fillets on a plate

Step 3. Heat a splash of olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat until it starts to simmer. Add the salmon skin-side down – you should hear a sizzle. Cook for 2 minutes.

Step 4. Lower the heat slightly and flip your fish over to cook for a couple of minutes on the other side. Press down lightly with a slotted spatula. You don’t have to cook the salmon all the way through as it will cook further in the sauce. Set the salmon aside

Searing salmon fillets in a pan

Step 5. Add the chopped chorizo and pan fry until it starts to colour and crisp up. It will also release some of its spicy oil which will flavour the dish. 

Close up of chorizo frying in a pan

Step 6. Lower the heat and stir in the garlic. Flake the salmon and add into the sauce, cooking for a minute to heat through. Pour in the cream and stir to combine. 

Adding cream to a pan of creamy salmon chorizo sauce

Step 8. Stir a little of the reserved pasta water and add the pasta directly into the sauce, tossing with tongs to combine. 

Adding pappardelle to pot of creamy salmon and chorizo sauce

Step 9. Add the zest of a lemon and plenty of finely chopped chives. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Sprinkle with a pinch of dried chilli flakes and serve.

Creamy salmon chorizo pasta in a bowl overhead

Tips and tricks

  • How much pasta per person? I think 400g (14oz) is just right for four servings as this is quite a rich sauce. You could make more if you like.
  • You should always add salt in your pasta water – I have specified only a teaspoon here but the recommendations are even more!
  • Replace the chorizo with smoked bacon lardons – the result will be much milder but no less delicious.
  • Why use reserved pasta water? As the pasta cooks it releases some of its starch. The salty starchy water is great for adding to pasta sauces, adding silkiness and flavour.
  • For an even speedier recipe, you could replace the salmon fillets with canned salmon.
  • Traditionally Italian chefs avoid adding cheese to any seafood pasta. This recipe is not remotely Italian (the use of Spanish chorizo gives that game away) and I always feel adding grated cheese is a personal preference. So go ahead and reach for the Parmesan if you like!

Close up of bowl of creamy salmon pasta

If you love chorizo you should check these out

  • Chicken, chorizo, olive and chickpea stew
  • Linguine in spicy chorizo tomato sauce
  • Savoury chorizo churros

Creamy Salmon Chorizo Pasta

Lucy Parissi | Supergolden Bakes
This creamy salmon and chorizo pasta is here to rescue your weeknight dinners! Great tasting with a spicy kick from the chorizo and ready in 20 minutes.
4.60 from 5 votes
Print Rate
Course: Main
Cuisine: Continental
Keyword: Chorizo pasta, Creamy salmon pasta, Salmon pasta
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 815kcal

Ingredients

For the pasta

  • 400 g (14oz) dried pasta
  • 1 tsp salt

For the pasta sauce

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 salmon fillets skinless if possible
  • 2 soft chorizo sausages casings removed, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves grated or minced
  • 250 ml (1 cup) double cream
  • 3 tbsp reserved pasta water
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped chives to serve
  • 1 lemon, zest only to serve
  • salt and pepper to season
  • grated Parmesan (optional)
  • pinch dried chilli flakes to serve

Instructions

  • Bring a pot of water to the boil and add 1 tsp salt. Cook your pasta using pack instructions until al dente. Reserve one ladleful of the pasta water before draining. 
  • While the pasta is bubbling away, pat the salmon with paper towels and season with plenty of salt and pepper.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large pan until it starts to simmer. Add the salmon skin-side down – you should hear a sizzle. Cook for 2 minutes.
  • Lower the heat slightly and flip your fish over to cook for a couple of minutes on the other side. Press down lightly with a slotted spatula. You don’t have to cook the salmon all the way through as it will cook further in the sauce. Set the salmon aside.
  • Add the chopped chorizo and pan fry until it starts to colour and crisp up. It will also release some of its spicy oil which will flavour the dish. 
  • Lower the heat and stir in the garlic. Pour in the cream and stir to combine.
  • Flake the salmon and add into the sauce, cooking for a minute to heat through.
  • Stir 2-3 tablespoons of the pasta water and add the pasta directly into the sauce, tossing with tongs to combine. 
  • Add the zest of a lemon and plenty of finely chopped chives. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Sprinkle with a pinch of dried chilli flakes and serve.

Notes

  • You can replace the chorizo with 200g (7oz) smoked bacon lardons – the result will be much milder but no less delicious.
  • You could replace the salmon fillets with canned salmon for an even speedier recipe.

Nutritional Info

Calories: 815kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 165mg | Sodium: 1342mg | Potassium: 686mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1255IU | Vitamin C: 12.2mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 2.5mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @supergolden88 or tag #supergoldenbakes!
« Easy Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
Beergarita (a.k.a.Bad idea) – the perfect summer cocktail »
Subscribe to get the all the latest tasty goodness delivered to your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder now to confirm your subscription.

Comments

  1. Paula says

    March 07, 2022 at 1:01 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe. I add sliced courgettes and fry gently with some onion .

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




HEY, NICE TO MEET YOU!

Picture of Lucy ParissiHi, I am Lucy Parissi, the recipe developer, food  photographer and author behind Supergolden Bakes. If you are looking for easy sweet and savoury recipes that are packed with flavour you have come to the right place!  READ MORE

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter

Air Fryer Recipes

Air Fryer Bluberry Muffins
air fryer corned beef brisket
Air Fryer Gammon with redcurrant glaze on a plater with slice cut
Slices of air fryer banana bread, stacked, on a patterned plate
Air Fryer Brownies, stacked
Individual toad in the hole cooked in an air fryer served wutg nash

More Posts from this Category

As Seen In…

Collage of brand logos, including Cosmopolitan, BuzzFeed, Chowhound, MSN, Elle, and Redbook