Creamy Crème Fraîche Salmon Pasta
A creamy crème fraîche pasta tossed with smoky salmon, lemon zest, and capers — a quick, elegant, and kids-approved dinner ready in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1.5 cups creme fraiche (can be substituted with heavy cream)
- 5.5 oz (ca. 150 g) smoked salmon
- ½ lemon (zest only)
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 4 cups pasta
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Before draining, reserve a cup of the pasta water. This starchy liquid is liquid gold for adjusting your sauce consistency.
- While the pasta cooks, heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the butter and let it melt completely. Add minced garlic and cook for a minute until fragrant, then add finely chopped onion, and cook for about 2-3 minutes until it starts to soften.
- Add the lemon zest, capers, and smoked salmon, cut into bite-sized pieces. Cook for just 2-3 minutes.
- Add salt, pepper, and the drained pasta directly to the pan with your salmon mixture. Toss everything together, then add the crème fraîche and a ladle of pasta cooking water, if needed, to achieve the desired thickness of the sauce. Toss and cook for 1-2 minutes, then remove from the heat.
- Sprinkle with fresh chives and grated Parmesan cheese upon serving.
Notes
- As an alternative, smoked salmon can be substituted with raw salmon or chicken.
- Creme fraiche has a higher fat content and is less prone to splitting compared to sour cream; therefore, for best results, we do not recommend replacing creme fraiche with sour cream.
