Salmon Alfredo Pasta

This Blackened Salmon Alfredo Pasta recipe with Baked Blackened Salmon is rich, creamy and so delicious.  This restaurant-quality dinner at home comes together with a simple homemade alfredo sauce and lots of rich parmesan cheese plus a few healthy swaps.  Made in less than 30 minutes this simple meal is perfect for weeknights or a weekend dinner party.

Blackened Salmon Alfredo Pasta recipe

This Blackened Salmon Alfredo Pasta recipe is one of those rich and creamy dinners that is oh-so-satisfying.  This sinfully good comfort food is a bit healthier thanks to my Baked Blackened Salmon and a Homemade Alfredo Sauce that uses half and half instead of heavy cream.  Sure, this creamy pasta recipe is still a bit of an indulgent dinner but it's so darn good.  I think this recipe is the perfect balance between still keeping your alfredo nice and creamy and making it better for you.

My Salmon Alfredo Pasta features al dente fettuccine pasta in the homemade sauce, plus tender and buttery salmon.  It's rich without feeling too heavy.

You might be surprised to hear that this entire dinner comes together in less than 30 minutes, making it a great addition to your weekday meal rotation.  Plus, it's a great way to get more salmon in your diet!

Why You'll Love this Blackened Salmon Alfredo Pasta recipe...

• This Blackened Salmon Alfredo Pasta recipe is crazy delish!
• It's that rich and creamy comfort food you've been craving in a slightly healthier package.
• It's made in less than 30 minutes without a lot of cleanups.
• It's a great way to eat more fish and salmon.  Salmon is super healthy and full of healthy fats like omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, selenium, and phosphorus.  It's a great source of protein too!
• This classic meal tastes like your favorite restaurant but can be made at home.  It's easy enough for a weeknight meal, but fancy enough for a weekend dinner party.

Ingredients:

Here's an overview of what you'll need to make this Blackened Salmon Alfredo Pasta, but keep scrolling for the full recipe amounts.

For the Blackened Salmon:

This recipe makes four servings, so you'll need two recipes of my Baked Blackened Salmon.  Follow the directions to make it here.  Here's what you'll need to have handy though.

• Salmon Fillets: You'll need four salmon fillets of 4-6 ounces each.  Atlantic or wild salmon will both work, whatever you prefer.
• Butter: I use just a touch of butter to cook my blackened salmon.  You'll need some for the alfredo sauce too.
• Blackening Seasoning: Use your favorite store-bought blackening seasoning or make your own with my Homemade Blackening Seasoning made with smoked paprika, onion, garlic, cayenne, and oregano.
• Lemon: Fresh lemon brings out the flavors in the salmon.  You'll need this for garnish for this dish too.

For the Homemade Alfredo Sauce:

• Half and Half: Many alfredo recipes call for heavy cream, but this one uses half and half to keep it lighter.  You can also use milk but it will not be as rich, thick, or creamy.  Half and half is a nice compromise in terms of taste, texture, and calories.
• Cream Cheese: I added a touch of cream cheese to thicken the sauce without the fuss of using flour.  It makes this recipe nice and indulgent!
• Butter: I don't use a lot of butter in my cooking, but some recipes just need it and this one is it.
• Minced Garlic: I use a hearty helping of garlic to make this dish extra rich.
• Parmesan Cheese: Parmesan cheese is a rich addition to this dish.  To make it even more flavorful use fresh parmesan and not the type found in plastic containers.  Both types will work though if that's what you have.
• Italian Seasoning: I like to add a touch of Italian Seasoning to my alfredo to bring out the flavors.  Use store-bought or make your own Homemade Italian Seasoning with my recipe.  It's made with basil, thyme, rosemary, and oregano.
• Parsley: I like bringing the sauce to life by adding in some fresh chopped parsley.
• Salt and Pepper: To taste

Pro Tip: This dish is already pretty salty from the parmesan cheese, so you might not need to add much but a touch of black pepper is nice!

For the Salmon Alfredo Pasta:

• Pasta: I like using high-quality fettuccini or linguine pasta, but you can use whatever type you like or happen to have.
• Garnish: You'll need some extras for garnish including more parmesan cheese, lemon wedges, and extra parsley.

Instructions:

This is an overview of the instructions to make this Blackened Salmon Alfredo Pasta, but the full detailed printable recipe is below in the recipe card.

For the Blackened Salmon:

1. Follow the instructions for making Baked Blackened Salmon according to this recipe. Either leave the salmon whole or flake it into smaller bites.  You'll bake the salmon in the oven on a baking sheet at 425 degrees.

For the Homemade Alfredo Sauce:

1. Next, you'll prepare the Homemade Alfredo Sauce. In a large non-stick skillet, melt the butter on medium heat.
2. Add the minced garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
3. Turn down the heat to medium-low and add the milk or half and half and the softened cream cheese. Stir and mix until well combined.
4. Add the parmesan cheese and Italian Seasoning and stir until the sauce thickens, which should be around 5-7 minutes.
5. Salt and pepper to taste.

For the Salmon Alfredo Pasta:

1. In a large pot, cook the pasta according to package instructions in salted water.
2. Add the cooked pasta to the pan with the alfredo sauce and use tons to toss and coat the noodles.  If the dish is too thick, add some of the reserved pasta water (the water you used to cook the pasta.)
3. Toss in the parsley.
4. Put the noodles on a dish and put the salmon on top.
5. Garnish with the extra parmesan cheese, lemon wedges, and parsley.
6. Serve immediately.

Variations

I love this Blackened Salmon Alfredo Pasta as written, but here are some fun variations.

• Add More Veggies: I kept this dish plain, but you could add all kinds of different vegetables to make it even more interesting.  Great options are peas, bell peppers, onions, broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes, or fresh tomatoes.
• Make it Gluten-Free: Use your favorite gluten-free pasta.
• Mix up the Protein: You can make this with Blackened Shrimp, Blackened Swordfish, or Blackened Mahi.  Even Blackened Chicken, if you eat it!  Smoked salmon would also be amazing.
• Make it Cajun: Make this entire dish into a Cajun Salmon Alfredo pasta by using Cajun Seasoing o the salmon instead of blackening seasoing and add up to a tablespoon of Cajun Seasoing instead of Italian Seasoning to the alfredo sauce.

FAQ

Storage & Leftovers

Store any leftover of this Salmon Alfredo Pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.  You can reheat it in the microwave under 30-second increments until warm.  I like to add a few drops of milk to my alfredo before heating it to bring it back to life.  I also like to reheat my salmon separately because they can reheat differently and you want to microwave the fish for as little time as possible so it doesn't continue to cook and get dry.

I would not recommend freezing this recipe.

How do you upgrade fettuccine alfredo?

This Salmon Alfredo Pasta is the perfect upgrade to boring alfredo.  The Blackened Salmon pairs perfectly with the pasta.  It's so good!

What noodles are best for alfredo?

Fettuccine or a wider noodle like linguine is the best noodle for alfredo because it is thick and the rich and creamy sauce keeps it from sticking together.

Why is my alfredo sauce clumpy or gritty?

Alfredo sauce needs some ingredients with fat to make it silky and creamy.  I'm all about using lower calorie substitutes but don't use low-fat everything for this or it will be a bit dry.  Also, make sure you are whisking the sauce until the parmesan is completely melted and smooth.

Blackened Salmon Alfredo Pasta is So Tasty!

This Blackened Salmon Alfredo Pasta is so tasty and delish.  This is a go-to meal for so many occasions, but I just can't resist it for a surprisingly easy weekday meal that FEELS fancier than it is.

I hope you'll give it a try and let me know what you think.

Make it a Meal:

• Garlic Roasted Broccoli
• Kale Ceasar Salad
• Parmesan Garlic Roasted Asparagus
• Roasted Mushrooms and Broccoli
• Lemon Garlic Sauteed Kale
• Tuscan Melon Salad
• Arugula and Pear Salad

More Cozy Pasta Dinner Recipes to Try:

• Cajun Shrimp Pasta
• Kale Pasta
• Healthy Pesto Pasta
• Creamy Avocado Pasta
• Lemon Ricotta Pasta with Shrimp

If you make this Blackened Salmon Alfredo Pasta, I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a comment and a star rating ★ below. Make sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook too!

Salmon Alfredo Pasta recipe

Julie Wunder

This Blackened Salmon Alfredo Pasta recipe with Baked Blackened Salmon is rich, creamy and so delicious.  This restaurant-quality dinner at home comes together with a simple homemade alfredo sauce and lots of rich parmesan cheese.  Made in less than 30 minutes this simple meal is perfect for weeknights or a weekend dinner party.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Dinner, Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 4

Calories 710 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

For the Salmon:

• 2 recipes Baked Blackened Salmon, 4 fillets

For the Alfredo Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 cup half and half or milk
• 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 ¼ cups parmesan cheese
• ½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

For the Pasta:

• ½ pound fettuccine pasta, cooked according to package instructions
• Garnish: extra parsley, lemon wedges and parmesan cheese.

Instructions

 

For the Blackened Salmon:

• Follow the instructions for making Baked Blackened Salmon according to the recipe link above. Either leave the salmon whole or flake it into smaller bites.
  

For the Alfredo Sauce:

• In a large non-stick skillet, melt the butter on medium heat.
• Add the minced garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
• Turn down the heat to medium-low and add the milk or half and half and the softened cream cheese. Mix until well combined.
• Add the parmesan cheese and Italian Seasoning and stir until the sauce thickens, which should be around 5-7 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, add some of the reserved pasta water.
  

To Finish the Dish:

• Add the cooked pasta to the pan with the alfredo sauce and use tons to toss and coat the noodles. Toss in the parsley.
  
• Put the noodles on a dish and put the salmon on top.
• Garnish with the extra parmesan cheese, lemon wedges, and parsley.

Notes

Storage & Leftovers

Store any leftovers of this Salmon Alfredo Pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.  You can reheat it in the microwave under 30-second increments until warm.  I like to add a few drops of milk to my alfredo before heating it to bring it back to life.  I also like to reheat my salmon separately because they can reheat differently and you want to microwave the fish for as little time as possible so it doesn't continue to cook and get dry.

I would not recommend freezing this recipe.

 

Cooking Note

When preparing the pasta, set aside some of the pasta water before dumping it in case the sauce is too thick.

Nutrition

Calories: 710kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 56gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 150mgSodium: 726mgPotassium: 1125mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 881IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 502mgIron: 3mg

Keyword Salmon Alfredo, Salmon Alfredo Pasta

Tried this recipe?Mention @Julie_Wunder or tag #RunninginaSkirt!

Pin for later: