Italian-American · main

Lemon Butter Salmon Pasta

Lemon Butter Salmon Pasta reads umami 7.8, richness 6.8 and citrus 5.5 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Italian-American main, about 34 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 8.9 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.0 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 6.9 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.4 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 7.3 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 3.8 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.8 · Richness 6.8 · Citrus 5.5 · Salinity 5.2 · Sourness 4.5 · Marine & Briny 3.7 · Allium 3.4 · Funk & Ferment 2.4 · Fruity 2.4 · Herbaceous 2.3 · Sweetness 1.8 · Floral 1.8 · Nutty 1.7 · Earthy 1.1 · Warm Spice 1.1 · Bitterness 1.0 · Smoke 0.7

What's in it (15)

• thin spaghetti — 340 g
• salmon fillet — 567 g
• salt — 4 g
• freshly ground black pepper — 1 g
• olive oil — 27 g
• unsalted butter — 54 g
• garlic — 9 g
• shallot — 40 g
• dry white wine — 177 g
• low-salt chicken broth — 177 g
• heavy cream — 118 g
• lemon zest — 10 g
• lemon juice — 44 g
• parmesan cheese — 114 g
• parsley — 11 g

Time & effort: about 34 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 146.1 kcal, 10 g protein, 11.4 g fat, 4.7 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (10 steps)

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the linguine until just shy of al dente, about 1 minute less than the package directs, then reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain.
2. While the water comes up to a boil, pat the salmon portions dry and season all over with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Lay the salmon skin side up and sear, undisturbed, until deeply golden and it releases easily from the pan, about 4 minutes. Flip and sear the skin side until crisp and the salmon is opaque throughout and flakes easily at the thickest part, internal temperature 145°F, 3 to 4 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
4. Reduce the heat to medium and melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the same skillet, scraping up any browned bits. Add the garlic and shallot and saute until softened and fragrant, about 2 minutes, watching closely so the garlic doesn't scorch.
5. Pour in the white wine and simmer, scraping the pan, until reduced by about half, 3-4 minutes.
6. Add the chicken broth and simmer until reduced by about a third, 4-5 minutes.
7. Stir in the heavy cream, lemon zest, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and simmer gently until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, 3-4 minutes.
8. Remove the skillet from heat and whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the lemon juice until the sauce turns glossy.
9. Add the drained linguine to the skillet along with the Parmesan and toss over low heat until the pasta is coated and the cheese melts into the sauce, 1-2 minutes, splashing in reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time until the sauce clings to the noodles without pooling.
10. Flake the salmon into large chunks, discarding the skin, and fold half of it gently into the pasta. Divide the pasta among four plates or bowls, top with the remaining salmon, and scatter with the parsley to finish.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Salmon Piccata with Capers — Italian-American
• Garlic Butter Shrimp Fra Diavolo — Italian-American
• Salmon Burgers with Dill Yogurt Sauce — American
• Lemon Pepper Shrimp Pasta — Italian-American
• Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta — Italian-American

Keep reading: what umami, richness, citrus mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.