Salmon and leek pasta

Salmon and leek pasta

30 min
Discover the ultimate comfort food with our creamy salmon and leek pasta recipe! Enjoy the luscious blend of tender salmon, sweet leeks, crisp red peppers, and juicy cherry tomatoes, all enveloped in a sumptuous cheese sauce. Perfect for cosy evenings, this dish promises to warm your heart and leave you smiling with satisfaction. But do not just take our word for it – whip up a bowl tonight and taste the bliss for yourself!
https://www.arlafoods.co.uk/recipes/salmon-and-leek-pasta/

Instructions

  • Bring the cheese sauce and water to a boil in a saucepan while stirring.
  • Add garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir in the leeks and cook over low heat for about 2 minutes. Add the peppers and tomatoes to the sauce and cook on low heat for about 2 minutes.
  • Turn up the heat to high. Add the drained pasta to the sauce and mix well – add extra cooking water if the sauce is too thick. Season to taste.
  • Heat oil in a frying pan.
  • Fry the salmon cubes over high heat for about 2 minutes, turning them over occasionally so that they are cooked on several sides. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Enjoy!

FAQ: Questions about salmon and leek pasta

We have answered some common questions below to help you master this dish. Find out about the best ways to store and reheat and how to get the perfect creamy sauce.

How can I store and reheat salmon and leek pasta?
To enjoy your salmon and leek pasta for later, let it cool down before you put it into an airtight container and refrigerate it. It will stay good for a couple of days. When you want to eat it again, warm it up slowly. If the sauce gets too thick, just stir in a bit of water to make it creamy again while you warm it.
How can I adjust the creaminess of the sauce?
Adjust the amount of cheese in your salmon and leek pasta sauce to change its creaminess. If the sauce is too thick, add a bit of cooking water to thin it to your liking. For a thicker consistency, let the sauce simmer a while longer on low heat.

Ingredients

Cheese sauce
400 ml
Water
100 ml
Small cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
4
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tsp
Leeks, cut into diagonal rings (about 300 g)
3
Red pepper, cut into long strips (about 150 g)
1
Cherry tomatoes, halved
400 g
Rapeseed oil
1 tbsp
Salmon fillet, cubed into 2×2 cm
300 g
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
½ tsp
To serve
Dried wholemeal pasta, for example, fettuccine
300 g

Tips: Perfect your salmon and leek pasta

These tips will help you cook the best salmon and leek pasta every time. Find out what to do with sticky pasta, how to cook the salmon perfectly, and the best way to serve the dish.

Prevent pasta stickiness with olive oil

To prevent pasta from clumping after you drain it, give it a quick toss with a splash of olive oil. This keeps the strands separate, especially if you wait before adding the sauce. For the best flavour, mix the pasta with the warm sauce as soon as possible so it absorbs the rich cheese sauce and combines well with the other ingredients.

Keep an eye on the salmon

Sauté the salmon cubes lightly to keep them moist inside with a slight crisp on the outside. This helps prevent overcooking and ensures a desirable texture. Since their small size allows them to cook quickly, it is important to watch the fish closely.

Plating is timing

To impress with your salmon and leek pasta, timing is everything. Mix the pasta with the sauce just before serving to keep it firm. Add the salmon right before your plate to keep it tender and warm. This way, every ingredient stands out.

Make a delicious salmon and leek pasta

Make the ultimate salmon and leek pasta for a delightful family dinner! The mellow sweetness of leeks pairs exquisitely with the rich, succulent flavours of salmon. An array of colourful vegetables adds freshness and vibrancy to your plate. Bringing it all together is the luxuriously creamy cheese sauce, which lovingly coats the fish, veggies, and pasta, ensuring every forkful is irresistibly smooth and satisfying.

Tender salmon fried to perfection

Salmon plays a big part in adding taste and texture to the dish. Prepared properly, it achieves a tender, melt-in-your-mouth consistency that is truly delightful. In our salmon and leek pasta, the fish is cubed and pan-fried, creating a slight sear and locking in the juices. This results in a savoury, succulent batch of salmon that is perfect for pairing with cheese sauce. Simply season with salt and pepper to highlight its natural richness, and it is ready to enjoy.

We have a wide variety of pasta dishes that put fish and seafood to good use. Try our recipe for a delicious salmon lasagne or a simple salmon and broccoli pasta. For something different, enjoy a plate of spicy prawn spaghetti or creamy crayfish pasta.

Leeks, tomatoes, and red pepper cooked in creamy cheese sauce

Our recipe features a creamy cheese sauce enveloping a medley of vibrant vegetables. The leeks, along with juicy tomatoes and crisp strips of red pepper, are simmered directly in the sauce. This method allows the leeks to develop a mild sweetness, enhancing the depth of the dish. The red peppers not only add a subtle earthy sweetness but also contribute a satisfying crunch to the pasta.

Get creative with the dish

Cooking is about creating a dish that you enjoy, so feel free to get creative and experiment with the ingredients. If you prefer some vegetables to others, do not hesitate to bring them into the mix. Swap red peppers for spinach, asparagus, or even peas. To get the best texture, add the vegetables toward the end of cooking.

Experimenting with different types of pasta is an excellent way to make subtle but impactful changes to your dish. The key is to select a pasta shape that effectively holds the sauce. For example, instead of using fettuccine, consider trying spaghetti, linguine, or tagliatelle. They each vary slightly in length and thickness and are known for their ability to cling to sauces well. Additionally, shorter pasta varieties such as pappardelle and penne are excellent choices because their shapes create small pockets that capture and hold the sauce.