Velvety pasta in a creamy sauce with generous flakes of salmon, juicy cherry tomatoes and tender spinach — almost effortless to make: the salmon bakes right in the dish with the cheese, then is tossed with hot pasta until the sauce turns beautifully glossy and creamy.
Ingredients
- Pasta — 5 oz | 140 g
- Salmon (skinless fillet) — 12.3 oz | 350 g
- Cream cheese — 5.3 oz | 150 g
- Cherry tomatoes — 5.3 oz | 150 g
- Spinach — 2.1 oz | 60 g
- Olive oil — a little for baking
- Salt and black pepper — to taste
- Parmesan for serving — optional
Step-by-step recipe
- Preheat the oven to 356°F | 180°C. Place the salmon, spinach, cream cheese and cherry tomatoes in an ovenproof dish. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 15 minutes, until the salmon is tender and the cheese has softened.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta until al dente according to the package instructions. Reserve 3.4–6.8 fl oz | 50–100 ml of pasta water.
- Remove the dish from the oven, break the salmon into large flakes, add the hot pasta and a little of the cooking water. Toss until smooth and creamy.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately, topped with grated parmesan.
Nutritional value (per serving)
| Item | Per serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | ≈ 870 kcal |
| Protein | ≈ 50 g |
| Fat | ≈ 49 g |
| Carbohydrates | ≈ 59 g |
📹 Watch the video recipe in our Telegram channel: @alwaysyummy
📹 Watch video recipe in our Telegram channel
Tips and variations
- Pasta: penne, fettuccine, farfalle or spaghetti all work well — choose a shape that holds the sauce.
- Texture: add the pasta water in stages to get the creaminess you want without thinning the sauce too much.
- Substitutions: cream cheese can be replaced with 3.4 fl oz | 100 ml of 20% cream plus 1.8 oz | 50 g cream cheese, or ricotta.
- Flavor: add a pinch of lemon zest and a garlic clove while baking for a brighter citrus note.
- Spinach: frozen spinach works too — no need to thaw it first; add it straight to the dish.
Frequently asked questions
Which pasta works best for this sauce?
Short shapes like penne and farfalle hold the sauce and salmon nicely. Spaghetti also works — just toss everything thoroughly in the dish.
Can I replace the cream cheese?
Yes. Use 3.4–5.1 fl oz | 100–150 ml of 20–30% cream and 1.1–1.8 oz | 30–50 g cream cheese or ricotta for body. Bake the same way as in the recipe.
Will canned salmon work?
If needed, you can use canned salmon in its own juice: add it at the end, without baking, and warm it through with the pasta and cheese.