Dairy Free Salmon Pesto Pasta
Salmon pesto pasta is a vibrant, flavorful dish that has tender salmon, pistachio basil pesto, and al dente pasta for a quick and easy meal. Whether you’re seeking a healthy weeknight dinner or an impressive dish for guests, this recipe delivers no matter the occasion.
Looking for more salmon recipes? Try my baked apricot glazed salmon, salmon caesar salad with crispy chickpea croutons, or smoked salmon poke bowls.
What You’ll Love About This Recipe
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this pesto salmon pasta:
- Salmon fillets – if you have one large fillet, I recommend cutting it into a few similarly sized fillets, so they all cook evenly.
- Long or short pasta – I used spaghetti noodles but you could use penne pasta or something similar.
- Pesto ingredients – extra virgin olive oil, fresh basil leaves, roasted pistachio nuts, nutritional yeast, fresh garlic, lemon zest and fresh lemon juice, freshly ground black pepper, and kosher salt.
- Cherry tomatoes – for a pop of color, added flavor and texture.
How to Make Salmon Pesto Pasta: Step By Step
Here are some quick visual instructions. The full instructions and ingredient list will be in the printable recipe card below!
- Cook pasta. Cook the pasta in a pot of salted boiling water until al dente according to the package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining.
- Prepare the salmon. Heat a large skillet over medium heat with olive oil and season each fillet with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Cook the salmon for 3-5 minutes on each side or until cooked through to your liking (or depending on the thickness of your fillets). Remove from the pan and flake with a fork.
- Make pesto. Add all the ingredients to the bowl of a food processor except for the olive oil. Pulse several times until finely chopped. With the machine running, slowly pour in the olive oil along with a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce. Season to taste with a big pinch of kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and more lemon juice if needed.
- Combine. Put the pasta pot over low heat and add the cooked pasta band pesto. Mix to combine and add a couple tablespoons of cooked pasta water if needed to thin the sauce. Stir in the flaked salmon.
- Serve. Top with cherry tomatoes.
Helpful Tips
- Reserve pasta water. This helps thin the pesto to help it better coat the noodles.
- If you use salted pistachios, add less salt at the end, to taste. Similarly to pine nuts, these have a mild taste and a sweet flavor and pair nicely with the other ingredients.
- Wild-caught salmon fillets are typically thinner than farm-raised salmon. If you’re using wild-caught salmon, cook it for less time to ensure you don’t overcook it, whereas farm-raised salmon will need a bit more cooking time.
Quick Tip: Nearly all store-bought pesto contains dairy, so it’s best to make your own. Plus, the flavor is exponentially better and fresher tasting. It only takes a few minutes.
Storage
Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stove over low heat, adding a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce or in small increments in the microwave.
Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations
Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.
How can you make this salmon pesto pasta recipe using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- Not dairy free? – use parmesan cheese in place of nutritional yeast.
- Make it gluten free – use your favorite gluten free pasta.
- Add-ins – vegetables such as sautéed spinach, roasted asparagus, or fresh peas, red pepper flakes for a bit of heat, white wine for acidity, etc.
- Use a different pesto – Try sun-dried tomato pesto (pesto rosso) or arugula pesto for a different flavor profile.
- Variations – use grilled chicken or shrimp instead of salmon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, canned salmon can be used. Drain it well and flake it into the pasta during the final mixing step.
The homemade pesto sauce can be prepared in advance, but wait until the day of to cook the salmon and pasta for the best results
Yes, this dish can be served either warm or cold. If serving it cold, use a short pasta shape such as penne pasta or fusilli pasta, as these pastas have a better texture when cold.
Just chill the pasta and salmon after cooking, toss with pesto, and add fresh veggies like cherry tomatoes and cucumber for a refreshing pasta salad version.
More Healthy Pasta Recipes
- Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
- Dairy Free Marry Me Chicken Pasta
- Beluga Lentil Bolognese
- Margherita Pasta
I hope you love this Salmon Pesto Pasta! If you make this recipe, please leave a comment & a star rating below. Thank you!
Dairy Free Salmon Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
Salmon Pasta
- 12 ounces pasta of choice: spaghetti, penne, or fusilli
- 1 pound fresh salmon cut into similar sized fillets
- squeeze of lemon juice
- handful halved cherry tomatoes
Pistachio Pesto
- 3 cups fresh basil leaves
- ⅓ cup roasted pistachios
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 small garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta. Cook the pasta in a pot of salted boiling water until al dente according to the package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining.
- Prepare the salmon. Heat a large skillet over medium heat with olive oil and season each fillet with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Cook the salmon for 3-5 minutes on each side or until cooked through to your liking (or depending on the thickness of your fillets). Remove from the pan and flake with a fork.
- Make pesto. Add all the ingredients to the bowl of a food processor except for the olive oil. Pulse several times until finely chopped. With the machine running, slowly pour in the olive oil along with a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce. Season to taste with a big pinch of kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and more lemon juice if needed.
- Combine. Put the pasta pot over low heat and add the cooked pasta band pesto. Mix to combine and add a couple tablespoons of cooked pasta water if needed to thin the sauce. Stir in the flaked salmon.
- Serve. Top with halved cherry tomatoes.