An easy hot smoked salmon and prawn pasta recipe smothered in a rich and creamy creme fraiche sauce flavoured with Parmesan, lemon, and dill.
Using hot smoked salmon and ready-cooked king prawns means it's on the table in just 15 minutes!
When you want a creamy seafood pasta dish but don't want to use cream, this is the recipe for you!
The lighter creme fraiche sauce pairs so well with the smoky salmon and juicy sweet prawns. It's a flavour match made in heaven!
Best of all it's quick and easy to make, so it's perfect for busy weeknights when you don't have a lot of time to cook.
👩🍳 Love creamy pasta recipes? Try my creamy baked tortellini!
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✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!
- A quick and easy creamy seafood pasta recipe that both adults and kids love!
- The creamy sauce is made with creme fraiche (no cream!).
- The recipe can easily be doubled to feed a crowd.
- Easily adaptable - add more veggies, swap the fresh herbs, and you could even add more seafood!
- Leftovers can be served cold as a pasta salad the next day. Great for lunchboxes!
🛒 Ingredient notes
- Pasta - 300g of your favourite pasta. I've used penne pasta but you could also use long pasta such as tagliatelle or linguine.
- Olive Oil - use a mild oil for frying the garlic.
- Garlic - 2 cloves finely chopped or minced.
- Creme Fraiche - full-fat is best as it won't split when heated.
- Parmesan - finely grated to add flavour to the sauce. Swap for Grana Padano or Pecorino.
- Lemon - juice of half a lemon helps cut through the creaminess of the sauce.
- Dill - fresh dill, finely chopped pairs so well with seafood and fish.
- Spinach - baby spinach wilts quickly in the hot sauce and adds nutrition.
- Sea Salt and Black Pepper - for seasoning.
- Prawns - ready-cooked king prawns or tiger prawns have the best flavour.
- Salmon - I like using hot smoked salmon fillets but swap for regular smoked salmon if you prefer.
🔪 Instructions
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta to al dente. Reserve a cup of pasta cooking water then drain the pasta and set aside.
Two: Heat the oil in a frying pan or shallow casserole and gently cook the garlic on a low heat for a few minutes to soften.
Three: Stir in the creme fraiche then add the grated Parmesan, chopped dill, lemon juice, baby spinach leaves, salt, and pepper.
Four: Add the ready-cooked king prawns and flake in the hot smoked salmon fillets. Mix with a wooden spoon to combine.
Five: Finally, add the cooked pasta and as much pasta cooking water as you need to make a silky glossy pasta sauce.
💭 Expert tips
- Generously salt the pasta cooking water. An Italian once told me it should be as salty as the Mediterranean!
- Cook the pasta to al dente. It should still have a little bit of a bite and not be too soft or soggy. Remember, it will continue to cook once you add it to the sauce.
- Don't forget to reserve the cup of pasta cooking water. Adding some of the starchy pasta water to the sauce will help it emulsify.
🍴 Serving suggestions
Serve the creamy salmon and prawn pasta in big bowls with fresh crusty bread or homemade focaccia on the side.
Garnish with extra dill and grated Parmesan.
📖 Variations
- Swap the creme fraiche for double cream.
- Add a splash of white wine or vermouth and let it cook off before adding the creme fraiche.
- Swap the baby spinach for cherry tomatoes.
- Make a salmon and prawn pasta bake. Simply spoon the pasta into a baking dish, top with grated mozzarella and Parmesan and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes until golden and bubbling.
- Garnish with chilli flakes (for a bit of heat) and chopped spring onions.
- Use raw prawns instead of ready-cooked king prawns. Add them to the pan at the same time as the garlic and cook them until they turn pink.
- Swap regular pasta for wholewheat pasta or fresh pasta. You could even use homemade pasta!
🥡 Storage
Store: Leftovers should be placed in an airtight container and stored in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Reheat: Microwave on high until piping hot. The pasta can also be eaten cold as a pasta salad.
Freeze: Not recommended.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can swap the hot smoked salmon fillets for smoked salmon or fresh salmon. If using fresh salmon, cook it in the microwave first and remove the skin before flaking it into the pasta.
The dish is best cooked fresh and eaten as soon as it is made. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge.
Yes! Replace ordinary pasta with gluten-free pasta.
😋 More creamy pasta recipes
- Creamy Sausage Pasta
- Creamy Sweet Potato Pasta
- Creamy Bacon Mac and Cheese
- Creamy Garlic Mushroom Pasta
- Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
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Recipe
Easy Salmon and Prawn Pasta
Ingredients
- 300 g Pasta
- 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
- 2 Garlic Cloves peeled and finely chopped
- 4 tablespoon Creme Fraiche
- 2 tablespoon Dill chopped
- ½ Lemon juice only
- 50 g Baby Spinach
- 3 tablespoon Parmesan grated
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 250 g Cooked King Prawns
- 2 Hot Smoked Salmon Fillets flaked
Instructions
- Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta to al dente. Reserve a cup of pasta cooking water then drain the pasta and set aside.300 g Pasta
- Heat the oil in a frying pan or shallow casserole and gently cook the garlic on a low heat for a few minutes to soften.1 teaspoon Olive Oil, 2 Garlic Cloves
- Stir in the creme fraiche then add the grated Parmesan, chopped dill, lemon juice, baby spinach leaves, salt, and pepper.4 tablespoon Creme Fraiche, 2 tablespoon Dill, ½ Lemon, 50 g Baby Spinach, 3 tablespoon Parmesan, ½ teaspoon Salt, ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- Add the ready-cooked king prawns and flake in the hot smoked salmon fillets. Mix with a wooden spoon to combine.250 g Cooked King Prawns, 2 Hot Smoked Salmon Fillets
- Finally, add the cooked pasta and as much pasta cooking water as you need to make a silky glossy pasta sauce.
Notes
- Generously salt the pasta cooking water. An Italian once told me it should be as salty as the Mediterranean!
- Cook the pasta to al dente. It should still have a little bit of a bite and not be too soft or soggy. Remember, it will continue to cook once you add it to the sauce.
- Don't forget to reserve the cup of pasta cooking water. Adding some of the starchy pasta water to the sauce will help it emulsify.
- Swap the creme fraiche for double cream.
- Add a splash of white wine or vermouth and let it cook off before adding the creme fraiche.
- Swap the baby spinach for cherry tomatoes.
- Make a salmon and prawn pasta bake. Simply spoon the pasta into a baking dish, top with grated mozzarella and Parmesan and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes until golden and bubbling.
- Garnish with chilli flakes (for a bit of heat) and chopped spring onions.
Kathleen
I'm loving the rich and creamy crème fraiche sauce. It goes perfectly with the seafood and makes this pasta dish pop!
Sheila
Thanks for a delicious and quick gourmet recipe — even for busy weeknights! We loved it.
Aimee Mars
This salmon is so easy! It is both flavorful and delectable. 5 stars from me!
Kristine
Loved this recipe! So easy and so fulfilling. I'll make this again, thanks!