Hello! Today, I'm here with a replicated recipe for one of my favourite restaurant dishes: pasta with creamed spinach and salmon!
This pasta with creamed spinach and salmon was one of the first meals I made for my boyfriend. He totally loved it and this simple and flavoursome pasta dish quickly became our go-to dinner.
I can't tell you how many times I've cooked it by now!
It takes less than 30 minutes to make and will leave you feeling like you've just been to a restaurant!
And who doesn't like a bit of fancy food in the cosiness of their own home?
Plus, both spinach and salmon are in season right now!
Jump to:
What do you need to make pasta with creamed spinach and salmon?
First of all, of course, you need pasta! Creamed spinach goes fantastically well with long-shaped pasta such as tagliatelle, pappardelle, linguine, spaghetti or bucatini.
However, short types of pasta will work in this recipe too - use what you have in your cupboard!
If you're using fresh pasta (chilled), keep in mind the shorter cooking time. You might want to cook it after your salmon is cooked.
Try to make sure the pasta doesn't sit on the side for too long, waiting for the sauce to be finished.
Second important ingredient here is spinach. You can use fresh or frozen one, both will make a great sauce.
I recommend to chop the fresh spinach slightly, so that it blends more easily with the cream and other elements of the sauce.
If using frozen spinach, try to look out for frozen spinach leaves or frozen baby spinach. Frozen chopped spinach can sometimes be chopped too finely and the sauce wouldn't have the nice hearty texture we're looking for.
Thirdly, use low-fat double cream (also sold as lighter or reduced-fat cream). It will bring the same creamy flavour to the meal, just with less calories.
The low-fat double cream can also be substituted by single cream or low-fat crème fraiche.
Beware: I don't recommend using sour cream in this recipe as it makes the spinach taste very sour and almost unpleasant to eat. Trust me, I've found out the hard way!
What type of salmon do you need for this meal?
Salmon fillets are the best for this recipe.
Salmon is a lovely fish full of flavour and omega-3, which is good for heart health.
Feel free to use fillets from your locally sourced farmed salmon or wild salmon.
The difference between farmed and wild salmon is in their size and also in their diet, with wild salmon being usually less fatty. Both types of salmon provide other valuable nutrients, which help to improve many aspects of our general health.
Use fresh (chilled) or frozen fillets in this recipe
Both will work!
If using frozen fish, make sure you defrost it in time before cooking. It usually takes at least 6 hours for salmon fillets to defrost in the fridge.
Tip: To cook the fish evenly and without overcooking, take it out of the fridge about 20 mins before cooking, so that it reaches room temperature.
Lastly, as I said before, salmon is a very flavourful fish, so 2 fillets go a long way in this meal! However, if you prefer to eat more of it, feel free to simply double the amount.
What if you don't have salmon?
Don't worry! This pasta dish tastes great even without meat - just toss the creamed spinach with the pasta and add some more grated cheese.
How can you store this pasta with creamed spinach and salmon?
This pasta dish can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
Reheat in a microwave before serving, check the food is piping hot.
It is not suitable for freezing.
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π Recipe
Pasta with creamed spinach and salmon
Ingredients
- 400 g dried pasta of your choice ie. pappardelle, tagliatelle, linguine, spaghetti, fusilli or penne
- 2 portions (wild) salmon fillet
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 500 g fresh spinach leaves or 400g frozen spinach
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoon sunflower oil or vegetable oil
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 cup low-fat double cream
- salt
- black pepper
- 50 g Grana Padano or Parmesan cheese, grated for serving
Instructions
- Take the fish (fully defrosted) out of the fridge at least 20 mins before cooking.
- Cook the pasta according to instructions on the packet.
- Whilst the pasta is cooking, prepare the salmon: carefully take off the skin (using a knife). Remove any bones, if found. Cut the fillets into small dices and set on a plate aside. Wash your hands after handling raw fish.
- Add olive oil to a frying pan and turn the heat to medium-high. When the pan is hot, add the diced salmon. Season with salt and pepper and fry for 2-3 minutes each side. Once the fish is cooked, take it off the heat and set aside.
- Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. Add unsalted butter and sunflower (or vegetable) into a large pan (ie wok, preferably non-stick) and turn the heat to medium.
- When the butter has melted and it starts to sizzle, add the chopped onion and garlic and fry for 3-4 minutes or until the onion is soft and glossy. The garlic will get aromatic and slightly brown.
- Wash the spinach (if needed), drain and chop it roughly with a knife (it will blend better with the cream). Add the chopped spinach to the pan with fried onion and garlic. Stir thoroughly. Cover with a lid and cook for 4-5minutes on medium-high heat.
- Once the spinach has wilted (lowered in volume), stir in the low-fat double cream. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 4 minutes and then stir in the cooked pasta. Cook for 1 more minute.
- Serve the creamed spinach pasta with salmon bites on top. Grate over some Grana Padano or Parmesan cheese and black pepper and enjoy!
Notes
- 500g fresh spinach for 400g frozen spinach
- low-fat double cream for single cream or low-fat creme fraiche
Tanooki
Woo I'm drooling from the other side of screen! Looks delicious, Markie!
Markie
Thanks very much Tanooki! π Thank you for stopping by!