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This salmon Alfredo is the perfect recipe to get your family to eat more salmon on the regular.
Creamy Alfredo with Salmon
Salmon has always been an acquired taste for my family, and in order for them to enjoy its benefits, I’ve created a lot of salmon recipes over the years.
And this salmon Alfredo pasta was a hit from day 1 and it continues to get devoured. The secret is in the salmon being seasoned well and tossed with everyone’s favorite easy Alfredo sauce.
Ingredients
The stars of this incredible meal are pasta and fresh or frozen salmon fillets (you can also save some time by making salmon bites in the air fryer to add to the dish instead). For the sauce, you’ll need butter, garlic, heavy cream or half & half, milk, and Parmesan cheese.
How to Make Salmon Alfredo Pasta
Is it possible to make such an epic dinner in less than 30 minutes? Oh yes! Here’s how this salmon Alfredo becomes the most delicious family dinner:
- Cook the pasta and reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining it.
- Cook the salmon in a skillet, skin-side-up first to seal it, and then flip it. Salmon is done in about 7 minutes, when the middle no longer looks wet and the meat separates easily with a fork.
- Make Alfredo sauce in the same skillet by sautéing minced garlic in butter. Add cream, milk, and Parmesan. After 5 minutes, the sauce is almost ready!
- Combine the sauce with the cooked pasta. It will be very thick, so you'll add the reserved pasta water to thin it out. Chop the salmon coarsely and add it to the Alfredo pasta. Serve and enjoy!
How to Thin out Homemade Alfredo Sauce
I reserve about 1 cup of pasta water to thin out Alfredo sauce. Since this water has starch from the pasta, it creates a perfect velvety Alfredo texture. Always add it slowly so you have control over the consistency of the sauce.
Salmon Alfredo Recipe Variations
Another delicious way to enjoy this meal is swapping the pasta and making salmon Alfredo with penne pasta or giving it a flavor twist with this mouthwatering Cajun salmon. I also recommend trying my Frozen Shrimp Alfredo Recipe, which is super quick to make and tastes like a million bucks!
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Allow leftovers to cool, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. For reheating, add one or two tablespoons of milk, microwave, stir, and microwave again until heated through.
Salmon Alfredo (Family Friendly Recipe)
Ingredients
- 12 ounces pasta
- 2 salmon fillets, 8-12 ounces total
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream or half & half
- ½ cup milk
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- ¾ cup parmesan cheese
- Pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
Cook the pasta:
- Bring water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Once ready, reserve 1 cup of pasta water, drain, and set the pasta aside.
Prep:
- In a small dish, combine the paprika, garlic powder, and salt.
- Pat dry the salmon fillets with a paper towel and season them with the seasonings on both sides. If the skin is on, generously season the top side only; you'll cook it with the skin on and remove it after cooking.
Cook the salmon:
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the oil and place the salmon fillets in the pan. Cook for 3 minutes, skin-side-up first, to get a sear on the top side.
- Flip it over (skin-side down) and cook the salmon for 4 minutes until the meat separates easily with a fork and the middle of the salmon is no longer wet looking. Remove from the pan onto a plate. If the salmon has skin on, flip the salmon pieces over and lift it to remove it from the salmon.
Make the Alfredo sauce:
- To the large skillet with the salmon tidbits, add the butter over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the minced garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour the cream (or half & half) and milk into the pan and stir constantly while scraping the tidbits of flavor from the bottom of the pan. Add the Parmesan cheese, pinch of salt, and pepper, and combine. Reduce the heat and continue cooking the sauce for about 5 minutes.
Combine:
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the thick Alfredo sauce, and using kitchen tongs, toss to coat and combine. This will be very thick; that's ok. Slowly add the reserved pasta water and continue incorporating it into the sauce until it has thinned enough to coat all the pasta.
- Separate the salmon flakes from the cooked salmon fillets and coarsely chop them on the place. Add the chopped salmon to the cooked Alfredo pasta and toss to combine.
Serve:
- Serve the salmon Alfredo pasta sprinkled with additional Parmesan on top.
Rachel says
This alfredo was amazing!
Judith says
This was creamy perfection!