Creamy Garlic Butter Salmon Fettuccine (Printable View)

Tender pasta in rich garlic butter cream sauce with golden seared salmon and fresh lemon zest

# Ingredient List:

→ Seafood

01 - 4 salmon fillets (5 oz each), skin removed
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Pasta

04 - 12 oz dried fettuccine

→ Sauce

05 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter
06 - 5 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped
08 - 1 cup heavy cream
09 - 1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)
10 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
11 - Zest of 1 lemon
12 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
13 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the fettuccine according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - While the pasta cooks, pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add salmon fillets and sear for 3–4 minutes per side, or until just cooked through and golden brown. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
04 - In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium. Melt butter, add shallot, and sauté for 1 minute until softened. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
05 - Pour in white wine if using and let it simmer for 1–2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
06 - Stir in heavy cream, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Simmer gently for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened. Whisk in Parmesan cheese until completely smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Flake salmon into large chunks. Add drained fettuccine and salmon to the skillet. Toss gently to coat everything evenly, adding reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and lemon wedges if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The restaurant quality sauce comes together in minutes but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
  • Perfect seared salmon flakes apart into bite sized moments of rich buttery goodness
  • Lemon cuts through the cream so every bite feels balanced never heavy
02 -
  • Pasta water is your secret weapon for fixing a broken or too thick sauce so never skip reserving it
  • Overcooked salmon becomes dry and flakes into tiny pieces so pull it from the heat while it still looks slightly underdone
  • Heavy cream can split if boiled violently so keep the sauce at a gentle simmer once it is added
03 -
  • Microplane your lemon zest instead of grating it to avoid the bitter white pith
  • Grate your own Parmesan because pre grated cheese has anti caking agents that prevent smooth melting

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