Quick & Easy Salmon Pesto Pasta

A plate of salmon pesto pasta next to a large pan of salmon pesto pasta.

5 — Votes 3 votes

Quick & Easy Salmon Pesto Pasta

If you're looking for an easy weeknight pasta recipe, this 30-minute Salmon Pesto Pasta is the perfect recipe for you. With succulent, perfectly cooked salmon, zesty pesto, and pasta perfection, you'll be savoring every single bite!

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Total Time30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: Servings

Author: Melissa Guevara

Ingredients

12 ounces penne pasta
¼ cup pasta water (reserved), can also use chicken broth
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon, plus 2 teaspoons sea salt, divided
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound salmon
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ yellow onion, diced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
6 ounces pesto, store-bought or homemade roasted garlic pesto
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
Parmesan cheese, to garnish
1/4 cup fresh basil to garnish

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1-1½ tablespoons of salt to the water and cook the pasta according to the package. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water for the sauce before draining.
Season the salmon with 1 teaspoon salt and pepper.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the salmon and cook for 4 minutes on one side, flip, and cook for an additional 4 minutes. Remove the salmon from the pan to a cutting board or plate.
Add the remaining olive oil, garlic, and onion to the pan. Saute for 3 minutes, until the onion starts to become translucent and the garlic becomes fragrant. Season with the remaining teaspoon of salt.
Add the cherry tomatoes and saute for 2 minutes.
Pour in the pesto, reserved pasta water, and red pepper flakes and stir to combine. Bring the sauce to a simmer.
Toss the pasta in the pesto sauce. Use a fork to flake the salmon.
Spoon the pasta into individual bowls, top with salmon, serve and enjoy!

Notes

Ingredient Modifications and Variations:

Use any pasta you have on hand - don't worry about using penne pasta if you've got another cut of pasta on hand. Any short pasta (ziti, rigatoni, fusilli, cavatappi, and farfalle) will work great in this recipe.
Omit the tomatoes, onion, or garlic - if you have sensitivities or just don't like the taste of any of these ingredients, feel free to skip them!
Use sun-dried tomatoes instead of regular - substitute sun-dried tomatoes for the cherry tomatoes if you'd prefer.
Use mushrooms instead of tomatoes - if tomatoes are a hard no for you, feel free to use mushrooms in their place.

Recipe Tips:

If cooking your salmon on the stovetop is intimidating, I recommend you work up your salmon-cooking confidence by baking it. Follow this broil method. It's super fast and reliable!

1. Slice the salmon into 1-inch pieces.
2. Spread the salmon out onto a half or quarter sheet pan lined with parchment paper (or sprayed with oil).
3. Season the salmon with salt and pepper.
4. Broil for 4 minutes on high until the salmon is caramelized.

Here's another recipe that utilizes this time-saving broil method: Teriyaki Salmon Bowls

My pesto looks BRIGHT green here and that's because I'm using homemade! Most store-bought pestos will be less bright, but the flavors should still be on-point. Don't worry if yours looks different, the flavor should still be great.
If you're a home cook who wants a restaurant-quality experience, don't skip the basil. The bright herb brings the dish to the next level. That said, if you're having a hard time finding fresh basil, you can skip it and still have a lovely meal.
If your noodles tend to break after cooking them, you may be letting them sit too long before stirring in the sauce. Try starting the noodles a little later in the cooking process so that they're able to go into the sauce as soon as possible. This is especially good to note if you're using gluten-free noodles.

Nutrition