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Lemon Pasta with Smoked Salmon and Asparagus

Lemon Pasta with Smoked Salmon and Asparagus is unbelievably easy, healthy, and mouthwatering! This fabulous dish comes together in just 30 minutes or less.

Lemon Pasta with Asparagus and Smoked Salmon

We just got back from a long week of Scout Camp with the boys. A week away at scout camp requires about a week of recovery at home.

I realize I live in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, but seriously. The mosquitos at Scout Camp were raging in the most out of control way. Like, no amount of toxic DEET would stop these viciously hungry ‘quitos.

Usually I rely on the safe and non-toxic alternatives to keep my family from being attacked by bugs when we go hiking and camping. But for once, it was a no-go in this Scout Camp forest we tented out in. My poor scout came home with like 100+ bites.

I almost wanted to say No More Camping. But you know, nobody’s really gonna say that [out loud] at a scout campsite.

Aside from said bites and 7 loads of laundry, I’d totally go back again. Being out in the beautiful wild forest, with thick trees and clear lakes always brings you back to center. There’s something down to earth about the sound of man-boys talking and laughing around a campfire. With no cell phones. Time slows and you can breathe.

But like I said. We needed about a week to recover at home. Which absolutely means chicken nuggets for lunch and 30-minute pasta deals for dinner.

Come on in, Creamy Lemon Pasta with Smoked Salmon and Asparagus. It’s a long ‘n fancy name for a super simple supper. It takes 30 minutes or less, it’s healthy, and tastes phenomenal.

How To Make Creamy Lemon Pasta with Smoked Salmon and Asparagus:

If you just watched that ⇑, you know I’m not lying. This lemony pasta with smoked salmon thing is supremely quick and easy. Plus 200% delicious and 400% healthy-ish 😊

Lemon Pasta with Asparagus with Smoked Salmon

We have the usual players going on in this Creamy Lemon Pasta with Asparagus and Smoked Salmon.

Cream, check. Lemon, double check.

Asparagus, check. Definitely onions and garlic, plenty of garlic.

And glorious smoked salmon. There’s nothing like the smoky, salty, succulent flavor of good smoked salmon.

Lemon Pasta with Asparagus and Smoked Salmon

Toss your al-dente cooked pasta with that luscious creamy lemon sauce. Top it with tender asparagus tips and smoked salmon.

The result is a party in your mouth, bite after delicious bite. Plus, it’s healthy-ish. And it only took 30 minutes.

So yeah, I’m still catching up on all the laundry and soothing my kid’s legs-full of mosquito bites.

But hi, I pretty much crushed it with dinner. 😉

Lemon Pasta with Asparagus and Smoked Salmon

Did you make this?

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Lemon Pasta with Smoked Salmon

Lemon Pasta with Smoked Salmon and Asparagus

5 from 2 ratings
Lemon Pasta with Smoked Salmon and Asparagus is unbelievably easy, healthy, and mouthwatering! This fabulous dish comes together in just 30 minutes or less.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Amy Dong

Ingredients  

  • 1 lb dry linguine or spaghetti
  • 3-4 TB olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 7 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 3 TB salted butter
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 cups fresh asparagus tips, 2-inch pieces
  • ½ lb smoked salmon, sliced into bite size pieces
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of generously salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions for al dente (do not over cook.) Drain pasta, but reserve 1 cup of the pasta water to set aside. Sprinkle with 3-4 TB olive oil to prevent sticking. Keep warm and set aside.
  • While pasta is cooking: Place butter in a large heavy skillet and heat over medium high heat until warm. Add onion and stir 1 minute or until translucent. Add garlic and stir 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in heavy cream and lemon zest. Bring mixture to a simmer; stir occasionally and simmer 8-10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add lemon juice and remove from heat. Cover to keep warm.
  • Place asparagus tips in a shallow, microwavable dish. Add 1/4 cup water, cover, and microwave 1-2 minutes or just until asparagus turns a bright green color.
  • In a large pot or serving dish, gently toss pasta with lemon sauce to combine well. Add desired amount of reserved pasta sauce to loosen as needed. Gently toss in the cooked asparagus and smoked salmon. Add salt and pepper to taste, as needed. Serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 527kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 354mg | Potassium: 390mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 838IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 2mg
Course: Dinner, Main
Cuisine: Italian American
Method: Stovetop

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Recipe Rating




32 comments

    • C.C.
    • 5 stars

    Really delicious. And quick, too, as promised! Thanks for being bold with lemon and garlic, I believe that is what makes it work so well. I used lox, but I am sure any smoked salmon will be fine.

      • Amy Dong

      So happy you liked this 🙂 🙂

    • LavenderBee

    This looks really good and I want to try it but have one question. Does the recipe call for hot smoked or cold smoked salmon?

    • Dennis LaValle
    • 5 stars

    Making it for the third time. My family loves it..

      • chewoutloud

      So happy they loved it!

    • Keeping Up With Candy

    Just want to let you know I made this the other night and everyone LOVED it! It went so fast, I didn’t get a chance to take a photo of it!

      • chewoutloud

      YAY, so happy you tried the recipe. Even happier you guys loved it 🙂 Thanks for coming over to let us know!

    • Abigail

    Looks incredibly tasty! Will have to give it a go at home

    • Candy Rachelle

    My daughter doesn’t eat meat and it can be REALLY hard finding meals for her to eat. I’m usually cooking two meals because everyone else aren’t wanting to eat vegan food all the time with her. Soooo, can you say ‘This is for dinner tomorrow’?!? This looks amazing! And simple! #printingoutrecipe

      • chewoutloud

      So glad you like it, and thanks for coming over today, Candy!

    • lmochoa488

    I love the combination! I am going to save it to try it out.

      • chewoutloud

      Thanks so much!

    • Dee Thomson (@linerglttrgloss)

    I’m going camping in a few weeks – wish me luck!

    This pasta sounds delicious and really quick & easy – perfect for nights when I don’t have a lot of time but still want to enjoy a nice meal. Thanks for the recipe!

    • alisonrost

    What beautiful food photography! I’m so excited to make this one for my husband. He’s a huge lover of all things pasta and lemon. I love the addition of salmon and asparagus. A quick and healthy meal with a nice balance of carbs + protein + veggies. Yum! x

      • chewoutloud

      My hubby loves this one too

    • Amber

    I don’t eat fish, but even without the fish I bet this would still be incredible! I absolutely love asparagus in pasta so this sounds perfect.

      • chewoutloud

      Yay, glad you like it, Amber

    • Cecilia Elise Wallin

    For me as a blogger and YouTuber this post and the beautifully made video was very inspiring! And the recipe is great! I Love salmon, pasta and aparagus.

      • chewoutloud

      So glad you like this!

    • Nandyz Soulshine

    Sounds quite a simple and easy to make dish and would be perfect for a busy week meal plan. One question though, doesn’t the cream separate when you put lemon juice in the end and keep it aside? I usually do not combine milk/cream with lemon juice because of that.

      • chewoutloud

      The cream doesn’t separate here, thankfully Hope you love it!

    • Ana Ojha

    I love pasta. Though I’m allergic to seafood but it looks incredibly delicious and colorful!

    • Joanna

    I love that the recipe is so easy to make and it’s light, perfect for the heat of summer. I love smoked salmon and I can imagine how delicious it is in this recipe.

      • chewoutloud

      So glad you like it, JoAnna

    • nicoleflintkontrol

    Oh my goodness! This looks amazing. It combines two of my favorites seafood and pasta!

      • chewoutloud

      Yay, thank you, Nicole!

    • Chichi

    This totally looks delish. Yum

      • chewoutloud

      Thank you!

    • NeverSayDieBeauty

    This dish reminds me of Rome. Pasta con salmone e asparago. yum

      • chewoutloud

      Sounds extra yummy when you say it like that

    • Brigette Collins

    I’m not a big seafood fan but this looks yummy! I will have to try salmon in my pasta!

      • chewoutloud

      Hope you enjoy, Brigette! Thanks for coming over today

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