I’m crazy about pasta. And I’m crazy about salmon. So it makes sense that I’m crazy about this Salmon Pasta recipe. This is a whole wheat penne pasta tossed with fresh salmon, peas, shallots, a light cream sauce and Parmesan cheese.
My never-ending quest to be healthy and feel great means I’m making small changes this year in my eating habits. So far so good… I’m cutting down on sugar, eating more fruits and vegetables, and subbing healthy grains like quinoa for white rice. As far as I’m concerned, those are some positive, healthy changes.
There is nothing my family loves more than a rich and creamy pasta recipe. I lightened this one up a bit with a lighter cream sauce, and I used the whole wheat pasta to make it healthier overall. I like to use noodles that have a hole in them (like this penne) because the sauce can make its way into the center of the noodle, and that just makes the dish just a little more delicious!
I expected my family to say something about the pasta… that it was weird or healthy-tasting or “not normal.” I didn’t hear a peep. They loved the pasta- whole grain and all, ate every last bite, and fought over the leftovers! I’d say that’s a little victory!
Here are a few more salmon recipes you might enjoy:
- Salmon BLT Sandwiches by Recipe Girl
- Pistachio Lime Baked Salmon by Reluctant Entertainer
- Barbecued Salmon by Recipe Girl
- Salmon Ravioli by The Italian Dish
Salmon Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat penne pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 12 ounces salmon, skin removed and cut into 2-inch strips
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 1 large shallot, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper, to taste
- more Parmesan, for serving
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions (sometimes whole wheat pasta takes a little longer to become tender). Drain and set aside.
- In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium- high heat. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant (about 1 minute). Add the shallots, salmon and peas. Stir and cook until salmon is cooked through and shallots are tender.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and stir until lightly browned. Slowly mix in the milk and cream. Continue to stir over heat until it begins to boil and thicken slightly. Remove from heat, add the Parmesan, salt and pepper (to taste), and stir until cheese is melted into the sauce.
- Add the pasta and sauce to the pan with the salmon. Turn heat to medium and stir the mixture together. Heat until all is warmed up. Divide between four bowls, sprinkle with Parmesan (if desired) and additional salt and pepper, as needed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I haven’t tried whole wheat pasta. Great to know the family didn’t notice! My small victory today is that I already had dinner planned when I woke up!
My little victory was waking up before everyone to have my coffee
Looks delicious! I’ll be trying it, thanks!
Working out for 30 minutes and making Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies with applesauce instead of butter or oil.
Hey this is great, I love thinking of little victories and making them the focus not restrictions and can’t s
Loving the little victories idea, my first little victory is drinking more water every day. And my second is always choosing a low-fat/fat free version of pretty much anything I need to buy, and attempting to sub greek yogurt for more things this year in recipes!
Surviving the cold this morning!
I love the idea of little victories. So often New Year’s Resolutions are so big that they become unobtainable. Just giving yourself a little “hey, we’re gonna try this out because we love ourselves” is so much more effective than any post-new-year gym class could be 🙂
Drinking more water, although I thought I was already drinking a lot of water! Amazing “giveaway” – thanks for this opportunity.
That pasta looks fantastic! And I agree with you about making incremental changes. Easiest way. Little victories…ah…how about having an idea in the morning for what dinner will be today, so no mad rush at 5 p.m.!