Creamy Tuscan Salmon and Pasta

This creamy Tuscan salmon and pasta has a delicious, garlicky cream sauce with sun dried tomatoes, fresh spinach, and savory parmesan cheese. This 20 minute meal makes for an fantastic, easy weekday dinner!

Salmon is placed on top of the pasta and topped with parmesan cheese and fresh chopped parsley.

Salmon with spinach and tomatoes

If you like salmon recipes, check out my one-pan baked parmesan crusted salmon with vegetables, bourbon-glazed salmon, or honey sriracha salmon.

Salmon is such a fabulous protein to cook for busy week nights. It cooks quickly, is mild in flavor, and there are countless recipes to prepare it! Personally, I really dig this baked salmon with cranberry relish. It’s made with fall produce but still has summertime freshness!

This creamy Tuscan salmon is all my family is talking about right now! It’s made effortlessly in 20 minutes. I’m talking prep time AND cook time! It’s such an easy meal with little prep work, easy cleanup, and guaranteed to satisfy the whole family. A bold claim, Sherry. I know!

This dish starts with pan searing salmon filets, then building an easy cream sauce that includes a good handful of parmesan cheese. The sun dried tomatoes and spinach add a delicious fresh layer of flavor! Toss this cream sauce with the pasta, top with the salmon, and you have yourself a five star dinner, my friend!

I really love this salmon dinner. It’s creamy, garlicky, buttery, and just so simple to put together. Creamy garlic Tuscan salmon is about to be your new favorite, too!

The creamy Tuscan salmon and pasta ingredients are displayed individually on a baking sheet.

Tuscan creamy garlic salmon ingredients

  • Salted butter– Butter is melted to pan sear the salmon in, which is then used to build the flavor and base of the cream sauce. MMM. pan drippings.. so delish!
  • Seasoning– Paprika, basil, and red pepper flakes give this Tuscan salmon a truly authentic Italian flavor.
  • Salmon– Smaller salmon filets are used for this recipe to keep the cooking time down to a minimum!
  • Garlic- Fresh raw garlic is finely chopped and sautèd before building the cream sauce.
  • Parmesan cheese– Grated parmesan cheese helps thicken the cream sauce so it clings better to the pasta.
  • Sun-dried tomatoes– You can use herb sun-dried tomatoes or just regular ones, but this ingredient turns the cream sauce a beautiful color and adds a delicate flavor.
  • Spinach– Fresh spinach is added to the cream sauce in the last few minutes of simmering because it wilts quickly.
  • Fettuccine pasta– This kind of pasta is a wider, longer noodle that the parmesan cream sauce just clings to! YUM!
Salmon is plated on top of the fettuccine pasta then topped with shredded parmesan cheese and parsley.

Chef’s tips

How to buy good quality salmon

Using a good quality salmon will not only provide more nutrients in your meal, add more flavor, and create better consumer habbits.

Whenever you have the oppertunity, always select wild caught salmon over farm raised salmon. Farm raised salmon is more prone to disease, pollution, and parasites. The farming conditions range in quality and the nutrient value is different than that of wild caught, mainly because farm raised salmon is fatties and typically 46% higher in calories.

If you can’t find fresh wild caught salmon, buy vacuum packed wild caught salmon, instead. This will be your next best bet in buying the best quality.

Lastly, if you simply cannot find these, farm-raised or sustainably farmed salmon is probably what’s laid across the ice in the seafood department of your grocery store. These will work just fine for this recipe.

Spinach is wilted in the tomato cream sauce then topped with red pepper flakes.

Pan sear the salmon perfectly

Salmon is super easy and quick to cook. The cooking time varies depending on the size of the salmon filet.

First, take the salmon out of the fridge and place it on the counter (allow it to come to room temperature for 15 minutes, this helps prevent uneven cooking), then melt the butter in the pan. Make sure the pan is large enough to cook all the salmon filets, or cook them in batches, don’t over crowd the pan.

Season the salmon filets with paprika, salt, and pepper. Lay the salmon filets skin down (of it has skin on it), then sear for 4-5 minutes on each side, depending on the size.

The linguine pasta is tossed in the pan that the cream sauce was built in before tongs toss the pasta in it.

How to make Tusacan salmon with pasta

  1. Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a roaring boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until it is al dente. Drain the pasta and set it to the side.
  2. Pan sear the salmon. Remove the salmon from the fridge and place the filets on a plate. Pat dry the salmon with a paper towel, then sprinkle the filets with paprika, salt, and pepper. Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Lay the salmon filets in the pan, then sear for 4-5 minutes on each side. Remove the salmon from the pan and place on a plate to the side.
  3. Build the cream sauce. Sautè the finely chopped garlic in the remaining butter in the pan. Add the basil, red pepper flakes, sun dried tomatoes, and heavy cream. Bring the sauce to a light boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the parmesan cheese to the sauce, then stir until it is melted and well incorporated. Once the cheese is melted, add the spinach and stir to help it wilt. Remove the pan from the heat once the spinach is wilted.
  4. Combine. Toss the pasta in the sauce, then place the salmon on top, including any juices from the salmon. Serve, mangia!
A sprig of fresh rosemary is placed on top of the pan seared salmon and creamy pasta.

How to store creamy garlic Tuscan salmon and pasta

This meal was not only easy to make, it made a lot, so leftovers were turned into the next day’s lunch! Score!

You can store this dish in a refrigerator safe, airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

You can reheat this creamy garlic Tuscan salmon by popping it in the microwave for 2 minutes, or by reheating in a non stick pan over medium low heat for about 10 minutes (my prefered method because it saves more flavor!).

A fresh sprig of rosemary is placed on top of the salmon filet and pasta, then parmesan cheese is sprinkled.

What to serve with creamy garlic salmon and pasta

A sprig of fresh rosemary is placed on top of the pan seared salmon and creamy pasta.

Be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram to stay in touch! I love to see your creations! Tag me at #SeaSaltSavorings to show me what you’ve made!

A sprig of fresh rosemary is placed on top of the pan seared salmon and creamy pasta.

Creamy Tuscan Salmon and Pasta

Sea Salt Savorings
This creamy Tuscan salmon and pasta has a delicious, garlicky cream sauce with sun dried tomatoes, fresh spinach, and savory parmesan cheese. This 20 minute meal makes for an fantastic, easy weekday dinner!
5 from 35 votes
Prep Time 3 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 6
Calories 805 kcal

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Large pan
  • Cutting Board
  • Sharp knife
  • Strainer

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tbsp salted butter
  • 1 tsp paprika powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground pepper
  • 1 lb salmon filets
  • 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 1 tsp basil
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
  • 1/2 tsp salt or more to taste
  • 1 lb fettuccine pasta

Instructions
 

  • Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a roaring boil. Cook the fettuccine according to package instructions to al dente. Strain the pasta and place it to the side.
  • Pan sear the salmon. Remove the salmon from the refrigerator so it has time to come to room temperature (this helps with cooking the salmon evenly). Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Pat dry the salmon filets with a paper towel. Sprinkle the salmon with paprika, salt, and pepper. Place the salmon (skin side down) in the pan and sear on each side for 4-5 minutes (depending on size of salmon). Once the salmon is done cooking, remove it from the pan and place it to the side.
  • Build the sauce. Sautè the garlic in the remaining butter in the pan for 2 minutes. Add the basil, red pepper flakes, sun dried tomatoes, and heavy cream. Bring the sauce to a light boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the parmesan cheese and stir until it is melted and well incorporated. Add the spinach and stir, then remove the sauce from the heat once the spinach has wilted.
  • Combine. Toss the pasta in the sauce, then top with the salmon and any juices that have accumulated. Serve with a pinch of fresh parsley and more parmesan cheese. Mangia!

Nutrition

Calories: 805kcalCarbohydrates: 60gProtein: 34gFat: 48gSaturated Fat: 26gCholesterol: 240mgSodium: 806mgPotassium: 850mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 2735IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 303mgIron: 3mg

Nutrition values are estimates, for exact values consult a nutritionist.

Tried this recipe?Mention @seasaltsavorings or tag us #seasaltsavorings!

5 from 35 votes (32 ratings without comment)

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2 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This was a hit with the family. It is a very easy recipe and full of flavor.