Creamy Garlic Butter Salmon Fettuccine (Printable)

Tender fettuccine in rich garlic butter cream sauce with golden seared salmon and fresh lemon zest.

# What You'll Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 4 salmon fillets (5 oz each), skin removed
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Pasta

04 - 12 oz dried fettuccine

→ Sauce

05 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter
06 - 5 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped
08 - 1 cup heavy cream
09 - 1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)
10 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
11 - Zest of 1 lemon
12 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
13 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the fettuccine according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - While the pasta cooks, pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add salmon fillets and sear for 3-4 minutes per side, or until just cooked through and golden brown. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
04 - In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium. Melt butter, add shallot, and sauté for 1 minute until softened. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
05 - Pour in white wine if using and let it simmer for 1-2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
06 - Stir in heavy cream, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened. Whisk in Parmesan cheese until completely smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Flake salmon into large chunks. Add drained fettuccine and salmon to the skillet. Toss gently to coat, adding reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve immediately with extra Parmesan and lemon wedges if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The garlic butter cream sauce comes together in minutes but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
  • Seared salmon adds protein and makes every forkful feel luxurious
  • Lemon cuts through the richness keeping the dish surprisingly light
02 -
  • Reserving pasta water is nonnegotiable—it's the secret to making that cream sauce cling to every strand
  • Don't overcook the salmon or it'll turn dry when flaked into the pasta
  • The sauce thickens quickly off heat so remove from flame as soon as it coats a spoon
03 -
  • Room temperature cream incorporates more smoothly into the sauce
  • Grate your own Parmesan fresh—pre-grated cheese resists melting and leaves the sauce grainy

Go back