Easy Salmon Pesto Pasta with Pine Nuts

This easy salmon pesto pasta with pine nuts is creamy and bursting with flavour for the perfect weeknight dinner. It's ready in just 25 minutes but it definitely tastes like a treat.

I love pesto and I'm a bit addicted to salmon, so this recipe was bound to happen at some point. And don't get me started on pine nuts - they just make everything better, don't they?

This salmon pasta with pesto simply blew me away from the first try, which is something that almost never happens. It's a very creamy, moreish pasta dish with lots of flavour from the pesto and garlic and just the right amount of texture thanks to the slightly crispy salmon bits and toasted pine nuts.

If you like salmon just as much as I do, be sure to check out my delicious Creamy Lemon Salmon and Dill Pasta and this incredible Easy Salmon Thai Green Curry.

What do you need to make pesto pasta with salmon?

Fresh salmon - Salmon fillets are great for this recipe. You can buy them skinless, but if yours have the skin on, just remove it with the help of a very sharp knife. I like to cut the salmon in small cubes, so they get slightly crispy when you shallow fry them. You can also sear the fillets whole and then flake the salmon if you want.

Pesto - I use shop-bought pesto for convenience. If you want to cut down on calories a bit, you can use a low-fat version.

Double cream - Only use double (heavy) cream for this salmon and pesto pasta. If you use single cream (half and half), the sauce won't thicken properly.

Pine nuts - These are optional but highly recommended. Pine nuts enhance the flavour of the pesto, and they also add some extra texture to the pasta.

How do you make it?

It only takes 25 minutes to make this easy salmon pesto pasta. You can start on the sauce as you wait for the pasta water to boil.

Start by boiling the pasta in salted water according to the instructions on the package. You want it to be al dente.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pan and shallow fry the salmon for 4-5 minutes over medium heat, until slightly crispy. Don't overdo it, or it will be too dry. Remove the salmon from the pan and set it aside.

Add the butter to the same pan (don't discard any of the brown bits left by the salmon). When the butter has melted, add the garlic and cook for a minute until fragrant. Stir in the pesto and the double cream, add a bit of pasta water and cook for 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Stir in the salmon, then transfer the boiled pasta to the pan and toss it with the sauce. Sprinkle the pine nuts on top and season to taste.

Recipe tips and tricks

• You can use any shape of pasta for this recipe; I used rigatoni.
• To add a fresh, zesty touch, you can add the juice of half a lemon to the sauce.
• If you don't want to cook the salmon in oil, you can bake it in the oven. Brush the fillets with a bit of olive oil, put them in an ovenproof dish, and roast for 10-15 minutes until you can easily flake them with a fork.

If you enjoyed this easy salmon pesto pasta with pine nuts, have a look at some of my other salmon recipes:

Penne alla Vodka with Salmon

Easy Smoked Salmon Pasta with Philadelphia

Creamy Whisky Pasta with Smoked Salmon

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