Creamy Salmon Chorizo Pasta

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. 

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.

• 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. 

• 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. 

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

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

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. 

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. 

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

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.

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!

If you love chorizo you should check these out

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