The Ultimate Fettuccine with Salmon and Snap Peas
A light and fresh pasta dish featuring pan-seared salmon and crisp snap peas tossed with fettuccine. A simple pan sauce is created with sautéed shallots, butter, fresh lemon juice, and a mix of herbs like dill, parsley, or chives. The starchy water from cooking the pasta is used to create a light, glossy sauce that coats the noodles, which are then topped with the cooked salmon pieces.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Total Time: 28 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Boiling, Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 12 ounces fettuccine
- 8 ounces snap peas, strings removed, cut into thirds
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 1 (12-ounce) skinless wild salmon fillet, cut into 2-inch pieces
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped mixed herbs (such as dill, parsley and/or chives)
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Add the snap peas during the last 2 minutes of the pasta’s cooking time.
- Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and snap peas.
- Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced shallot and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes until slightly softened.
- Add the salmon pieces to the skillet. Season with 3/4 teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes, turning once, until the salmon is just cooked through. Transfer the salmon to a plate.
- Add the cooked pasta and snap peas to the skillet along with 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water, the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, the chopped herbs, and the lemon juice.
- Cook for about 1 more minute, tossing everything together. Add more of the reserved cooking water if the pasta seems too dry, until the pasta is well coated in a light sauce.
- Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Divide the pasta among plates and top with the cooked salmon pieces.
Notes
- Cooking the snap peas in the same pot with the pasta during the last two minutes is an efficient time-saving step.
- Reserving the starchy pasta water is a key technique to help the butter and lemon juice emulsify into a creamy sauce that clings to the noodles.
- The salmon is cooked separately and added at the end to prevent it from breaking apart when the pasta is tossed.
Find it online: https://www.eatswithsoul.com/salmon-pasta/