A large plate filled with bright, thick and fresh pappardelle pasta ribbons coated in a light, creamy, lemony sauce with cajun spiced salmon chunks and topped with a sprinkle of parsley and red pepper flakes.

Cajun Salmon Pappardelle

Name: Cajun Salmon Pappardelle
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Cajun
Ingredients: 4 salmon fillets skin removed, cut into bite-sized chunks; 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning; 1 pound (450 grams) fresh pappardelle pasta; 1/2 cup heavy cream; 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese; 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice; 2 garlic cloves minced; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2 tablespoons olive oil; to taste salt; to taste black pepper freshly ground; for garnish parsley leaves chopped; for garnish red pepper flakes

Cajun spiced salmon with fresh pappardelle pasta and lemon sauce.

Category Main Course

Prep 10 minutes

Cook 15 minutes

Style Cajun

Technique Boiling

Diet Friendly Pescatarian

Daily recipe · June 09, 2023

A little about this dish

This recipe brings together the spicy flavors of cajun cooking and the lightness of a summery pasta dish. A fresh and colorful medley of ingredients featuring salmon and cajun spices complements the pappardelle pasta, soaked in a light and lemony sauce.

Ingredients (for 4)

Salmon fillets — 4 — skin removed, cut into bite-sized chunks
Cajun seasoning — 1 tablespoon
Fresh pappardelle pasta — 1 pound (450 grams)
Heavy cream — 1/2 cup
Parmesan cheese — 1/2 cup freshly grated
Lemon juice — 1/4 cup freshly squeezed
Garlic cloves — 2 — minced
Unsalted butter — 2 tablespoons
Olive oil — 2 tablespoons
Salt — to taste
Black pepper — to taste — freshly ground
Parsley leaves — for garnish — chopped
Red pepper flakes — for garnish

Preparation

Step 1 — 🐟🌶️🧂

Coat the salmon chunks with cajun seasoning.
Step 2 — 🍝👨‍🍳🕰️

Cook the pappardelle pasta according to the package instructions in a large pot of salted boiling water. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and drain the pasta.
Step 3 — 🧄🍳🔥

Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté the minced garlic for 1 minute until fragrant.
Step 4 — 🐟🍳🔥

Add the salmon to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes until browned. Remove salmon from the skillet with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Step 5 — 🥛🧀🍋

Pour the heavy cream into the skillet and bring it to a boil while stirring constantly. Add the grated parmesan cheese and lemon juice. Stir until smooth.
Step 6 — 🍝🍲🔥

Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss with the sauce over low heat for 1 minute. If needed, gradually add the reserved pasta water until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
Step 7 — 🐟🍝🔥

Add the cooked salmon chunks back to the skillet, toss well, and cook for 1 minute until everything is heated through.
Step 8 — 🧂🧉🌶️

Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Step 9 — 🍴🌿🌶️

Serve hot, topped with chopped parsley and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.

A final fox tip

If you prefer a zestier flavor, add finely grated lemon zest to the sauce when you add the lemon juice. To make the recipe dairy-free, replace the heavy cream and parmesan cheese with coconut cream and nutritional yeast, respectively. Kids can help toss the cooked pasta with the sauce and sprinkle chopped parsley on top.