Cajun Salmon Pasta

Cajun salmon pasta is a tasty dish that combines flaky salmon, a creamy tomato-based sauce, delicious fettuccine, and flavorful Cajun seasoning. It's super easy to make and just perfect for dinner!

Cajun seasoning and seafood are one of my favorite combinations. I regularly use Cajun seasoning to make my delicious Cajun shrimp pasta or Cajun shrimp Alfredo.

Another way to use Cajun seasoning is to make this Cajun salmon pasta. The salmon is perfectly seasoned, seared, and added to creamy fettuccine and your favorite sautéed vegetables.

This salmon pasta recipe has quickly become one of my favorites as it is nutritious, satiating, and incredibly flavorful!

Cajun Salmon Pasta Ingredients

To make Cajun salmon pasta you’ll need the following ingredients:

• Salmon filets: You can use the type of salmon you’d usually buy. I either use fresh salmon filets or frozen salmon filets that I thaw in advance. If the skin is still on, sear the salmon first and then remove the skin.
• Cajun seasoning: You can either buy Cajun seasoning or make your own homemade Cajun seasoning. But make sure to use it, as it is really important for the flavor of this dish.
• Pasta: You can make this Cajun salmon pasta with any kind of pasta you want! I often use wheat or whole-wheat fettuccine, but feel free to use any other shape of pasta.
• Aromatics: Garlic and yellow onion are really important for the flavor of the sauce, so don’t skip these two ingredients.
• Vegetables: Here you have more flexibility as there is a variety of vegetables that you can add to this dish. I used red bell pepper, zucchini, and mushrooms as they go really well with the salmon, pasta, and sauce. But feel free to make adjustments!
• Liquids: For the sauce you’ll need white wine, tomato passata or tomato sauce, and heavy cream. This combination makes for an incredibly delicious and creamy sauce, so stick to these ingredients if possible.
• Parsley: Parsley is the herb I prefer for this pasta dish as it goes really well with the sauce and Cajun seasoning. But feel free to use other fresh herbs if you don’t like parsley. Or just skip it.
• Parmesan: Always add freshly grated parmesan cheese to your pasta dishes! It tastes really good and can be stored in your refrigerator for future use.

How to make Cajun salmon pasta

Making Cajun salmon pasta is super simple! Just follow these steps:

1. Season and sear the salmon filets: First, cover the salmon filets in olive oil. Add the Cajun seasoning and rub it in. Then sear the salmon filets in a pan over medium heat until they are cooked through, usually 4-5 minutes per side. Flake the salmon, toss it very quickly, then remove and set aside.
2. Cook the pasta: While the salmon cooks, you can prepare the pasta according to the package instructions. Save some pasta water. Then drain and set aside.
3. Sauté the aromatics and vegetables: Now add more olive oil to the pan and sauté the onion and garlic until the onion turns translucent. Then add the remaining vegetables and sauté until almost tender.
4. Make the sauce: Add the white wine, tomato passata, heavy cream, pasta water, salt, pepper, Cajun seasoning, and parsley. Bring the sauce to a simmer.
5. Combine: Transfer the pasta to the to the pan and toss until combined. Gently fold in the flaked salmon.
6. Garnish and serve: Garnish with parmesan cheese, some extra parsley, and enjoy!

Tips & Notes

Here are different ways to adjust the flavor of this Cajun salmon pasta recipe and things to keep in mind when you make it.

• Use a shape of pasta that the sauce can easily cling to. These are typically long and flat pasta shapes, such as fettuccine, tagliatelle, or linguine. Short pasta shapes that work great are rigatoni or penne.
• Use other vegetables. There are so many vegetables that would really go well with this dish, so feel free to substitute any vegetable you don’t like. Other favorites of mine are baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, or asparagus.
• Cut the vegetables in a way that allows them to cook at the same time. Or start sautéing vegetables that have a longer cook time first and then add vegetables that have a shorter cook time.
• If the salmon filet has its skin on, remove it after searing it. The skin actually helps to prevent the salmon from overcooking and can easily be removed after searing the salmon. Also, remember to start searing the salmon filets on the side with the skin. Or buy skinless salmon filets and use them for this recipe.
• Add red chili flakes for some extra heat. This recipe is not very spicy, so feel free to add some red chili flakes if you want.

Variations

In case you have certain dietary restrictions, here are some ways to adjust this recipe so you can enjoy it.

• Alcohol-free: If you can’t use alcohol, feel free to skip it and use more tomato passata and heavy cream instead. I really love the flavor it adds, but It is absolutely okay if you can’t use it!
• Dairy-free: To keep this dish dairy-free, use your favorite vegan cream or make this homemade cashew Alfredo sauce. I always use homemade cashew Alfredo sauce if I want to keep my creamy pasta sauces dairy-free.
• Gluten-free: If you want to make this recipe gluten-free, just use your favorite gluten-free pasta! There are so many different types of gluten-free pasta that taste great. So feel free to pick your favorite and use it to make this Cajun salmon pasta.

Frequently Asked Questions

More simple and delicious pasta recipes

I am a huge fan of pasta recipes as there are so many different ways to combine sauces, vegetables, and your favorite sources of protein. Here are some of my favorite recipes that I always go back to.

• Creamy Fettuccine Bolognese
• Baked Feta Pasta with Shrimp
• Spicy Cajun Shrimp Pasta
• Cashew Cajun Shrimp Alfredo
• Penne alla Vodka with Chicken