Creamy Whisky Pasta with Smoked Salmon

This creamy whisky pasta with smoked salmon has an unmistakable flavour that will definitely impress that special someone in your life. Whether you're making it for Burns Night or Valentine's Day, you are guaranteed to get lots of compliments on this whisky pasta sauce.

You don't have to be a whisky lover to fall in love with the flavours of this creamy smoked salmon pasta sauce. Whisky and smoked salmon are a match made in heaven, and they pair fantastically well in this easy pasta recipe that's perfect for date night or if you're looking for some new Burns Night menu ideas.

The whisky flavour is ever so subtle in this sauce, but you can definitely still feel there's something special going on. Besides whisky and salmon, the sauce also has wholegrain mustard in it, which really elevates the flavours to a whole new level.

This might be the best pasta I've ever made, and I'm not saying that lightly. The creamy mustard sauce blends perfectly with the smoked salmon and the whisky accent is the detail that ties everything together.

What kind of whisky should you use in this pasta?

A smoky whisky works great in this recipe because even though you won't be able to feel the alcohol in the pasta, some of the smokiness will infuse into it, and the end result will surprise you.

You can use any type of Scotch whisky, though, and the results are going to be fabulous. The key here is not to pour too much of it in the pan, even if doing so might be tempting. You're just looking for a very subtle effect here, not to get tipsy on a bowl of pasta.

Extra tips for the perfect whisky pasta

• Don't replace the wholegrain mustard with Dijon or any other type of mustard. The seeds that you get in the wholegrain one will largely remain intact, as you may see in the pictures, and their flavour pairs perfectly with the smoked salmon.
• This is a not a recipe that you make when you're counting calories, but if you want to reduce its impact on your waistline a bit, you can use single cream (half and half) instead of double (heavy) cream. Just make sure you cook it a bit more that you would do with double cream to give it a chance to thicken.
• Try not to shred the smoked salmon in pieces that are too small because you want to have some meatier bites in the pasts to enjoy the flavour at its fullest. There's a video in the recipe card if you want to see how I'm doing it. While on the salmon topic, use a good quality one if possible. I typically use Scottish oak smoked salmon for this pasta.

Loved this creamy whisky pasta with smoked salmon recipe? Then have a look at some of my other salmon recipes:

Creamy Lemon Salmon and Dill Pasta

Smoked Salmon Pizza with Brie and Arugula

Easy Smoked Salmon Tagliatelle

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