• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Pink Owl Kitchen
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Work with Me
  • E-Cookbook
  • Shop
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Work with Me
    • E-Cookbook
    • Shop
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Pink Owl Kitchen » Main Courses » Blackened Salmon Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce

    Blackened Salmon Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce

    Published: Apr 27, 2022 by Ashley Boyd · This post may contain affiliate links

    JUMP TO RECIPE
    blackened salmon pasta with tomato cream sauce in a white bowl

    A fresh, flavorful pasta dish made with blackened salmon, tomato cream sauce, and fresh herbs. Serve this pasta with crusty bread for the perfect weeknight meal!

    blackened salmon pasta with tomato cream sauce in a white bowl

    If you are growing bored of recycling the same pasta dishes for dinner, this blackened salmon pasta is the perfect dish to shake up pasta night! This blackened salmon pasta makes the perfect weeknight meal because it's loaded with flavor, easy to make, and comes together in under an hour!

    And don't worry if you have never blackened fish before! Getting that beautifully charred crust on the fish is way easier than you think. The fish is blackened with a house-made blackening spice blend that has just the right amount of kick. Let's make it, y'all!

    blackened salmon pasta with tomato cream sauce in a white bowl
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients You Need To Make This Recipe
    • How To Make This Recipe
    • Variations and Substitutions
    • Tips For the Best Blackened Salmon
    • Make-Ahead and Storing Instructions
    • Recommended Tools for This Recipe
    • More Flavorful Weeknight Dinner Recipes You Will Love!
    • 📖 Recipe

    Ingredients You Need To Make This Recipe

    Blackening Seasoning

    • 2 teaspoons paprika
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ - 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (depending on spice preference)
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
    • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme

    Salmon and Pasta

    • Linguine pasta. Dried linguine pasta is cooked until al dente for this recipe. You may also use fettucini or spaghetti pasta if you prefer.
    • Fresh Atlantic salmon. This recipe calls for 1 pound of fresh Atlantic salmon with the skin removed. You can have your butcher remove the skin or you can remove it yourself at home.
    • Extra-virgin olive oil. The salmon is coated in olive oil first to help the blackening seasoning stick to the fish and give that characteristic crust. The veggies for the pasta sauce are also cooked in olive oil.
    • Unsalted butter. The salmon is cooked in a skillet with butter to help get a nice crust and added flavor.
    • 1 small yellow onion. Chopped yellow onion adds additional flavor to the tomato sauce.
    • Cherry tomatoes. Tomatoes are cooked with the onion until they burst for added freshness and flavor in the tomato sauce.
    • Fresh garlic. Fresh minced garlic adds delicious flavor to the pasta sauce.
    • Crushed tomatoes. Canned crushed tomatoes are the main ingredient in the pasta sauce and are simmered with the other ingredients to create the flavorful sauce.
    • Balsamic vinegar. A small amount of balsamic vinegar is added to the tomato sauce for depth and acidity.
    • Granulated sugar. Sugar is added to the sauce to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes.
    • Heavy cream. Heavy cream is added to the pasta sauce near the end of the cooking time to give the sauce a delicious creaminess.
    • Fresh basil. Fresh chopped basil is added to the pasta at the end of the cooking time for added freshness and flavor.
    • Grated parmesan. The parmesan is mixed into the pasta right at the end for a salty bite and added creaminess.
    blackened salmon pasta with tomato cream sauce in a white bowl

    How To Make This Recipe

    • To a small bowl, add the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, oregano, and thyme and stir together with a fork until combined. Set the blackening seasoning aside.
    • Cook the linguine in salted water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving about a cup of pasta water, run cold water over it to stop the cooking process, and set the pasta aside.
    • In a Dutch oven or large, deep skillet, heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cherry tomatoes and cook for 3-5 minutes, until the onions soften and the tomatoes begin to burst. Add the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
    • Pour the crushed tomatoes into the pan and stir to combine. Lower the heat to medium and add the balsamic vinegar, sugar, and half of the blackening seasoning to the tomato sauce. Cook the sauce, stirring occasionally, for about 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to come together. Add pasta water to the sauce as needed to thin it out. Taste the sauce and add more salt and pepper to taste if needed.
    tomato sauce in a dutch oven
    • Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 400°F. Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottom oven-proof skillet. Coat both sides of the salmon with one tablespoon of olive oil and the other half of the blackening seasoning, rubbing it into the fish with your hands.
    • Transfer the salmon to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until a dark, charred crust forms on the outside. Carefully transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and cook the fish for an additional 5 minutes until cooked through. Set the salmon aside.
    salmon with blackening seasoning on a cutting board
    blackened salon in a cast iron skillet
    • Stir the heavy cream into the tomato sauce and cook the sauce for another 2-3 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the cooked pasta, chopped basil, and grated parmesan. Do not add all of the pasta at once as you may not need all of it, depending on the consistency of your sauce. I ended up with about a cup of pasta leftover. Add more pasta if needed to reach desired consistency.
    • Stir in the chopped basil and grated parmesan. Transfer the pasta to a serving dish and topped with pieces of flaked blackened salmon. You can tear large chunks of salmon with your hands and place them on top of the pasta. Garnish with additional fresh basil if desired. Enjoy!
    blackened salmon pasta with tomato cream sauce in a white bowl with gold forks

    Variations and Substitutions

    Feel free to add additional vegetables to this pasta if you would like. Try this pasta with some of the following additions:

    • Sliced mushrooms
    • Baby spinach
    • Sliced zucchini
    • Chopped bell peppers

    You can also make this dish another type of pasta if you prefer such as:

    • Spaghetti
    • Fettuccini
    • Tagliatelle
    • Penne
    • Pappardelle

    Tips For the Best Blackened Salmon

    • Use a cast-iron skillet. Cast iron helps get the best crust on the outside of the salmon.
    • Make sure your skillet is hot before adding the salmon. You want to sear the fish quickly over high heat so that a nice crust forms.
    • Do not move the salmon around while cooking. Once you place the salmon in the pan, allow it to cook undisturbed until the crust forms. Moving the fish around the pan will cause the seasonings to slide off and you will not get a good crust.
    blackened salmon pasta with tomato cream sauce in a white bowl

    Make-Ahead and Storing Instructions

    You can prepare the tomato cream sauce a day or two ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container. When ready to assemble the pasta, just cook your pasta and blackened salmon and bring everything together. Reheat the sauce in the microwave or on the stovetop.

    Leftover blackened salmon pasta can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

    Recommended Tools for This Recipe

    • Mixing bowl
    • Dutch oven
    • Cast-iron skillet
    • Serving bowl
    blackened salmon pasta with tomato cream sauce in a white bowl

    More Flavorful Weeknight Dinner Recipes You Will Love!

    • Hot Honey Butter Chicken Thighs
    • Creamy Cajun Shrimp and Gnocchi Skillet
    • Creamy Cajun Shrimp and Corn Chowder
    • Easy Southern Baked Spaghetti
    • Blackened Catfish and Smoked Gouda Grits

    📖 Recipe

    blackened salmon pasta with tomato cream sauce in a white bowl

    Blackened Salmon Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce

    Ashley
    A fresh, flavorful pasta dish made with blackened salmon, tomato cream sauce, and fresh herbs. Serve this pasta with crusty bread for the perfect weeknight meal!
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 40 mins
    Total Time 50 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 436 kcal

    Equipment

    • medium cast-iron or oven-proof skillet

    Ingredients
      

    Blackening Seasoning

    • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ - 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper depending on spice preference
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
    • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme

    Salmon and Pasta

    • 1 pound (16 ounces) dried linguine pasta
    • 1 pound fresh Atlantic salmon skin removed
    • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
    • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
    • 1 small yellow onion chopped
    • 1 10-ounce package cherry tomatoes
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
    • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
    • salt and cracked black pepper to taste
    • ¼ cup heavy cream
    • ¼ cup bresh basil leaves chopped, plus more for garnish
    • ½ cup grated parmesan

    Instructions
     

    • To a small bowl, add the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, oregano, and thyme and stir together with a fork until combined. Set the blackening seasoning aside.
    • Cook the linguine in salted water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving about a cup of pasta water, run cold water over it to stop the cooking process, and set the pasta aside.
    • In a Dutch oven or large, deep skillet, heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cherry tomatoes and cook for 3-5 minutes, until the onions soften and the tomatoes begin to burst. Add the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
    • Pour the crushed tomatoes into the pan and stir to combine. Lower the heat to medium and add the balsamic vinegar, sugar, and the other half of the blackening seasoning to the tomato sauce. Cook the sauce, stirring occasionally, for about 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to come together. Add some of the pasta water if needed to thin the sauce. Taste the sauce and add more salt and pepper to taste if needed.
    • Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 400°F. Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottom oven-proof skillet. Coat both sides of the salmon with one tablespoon of olive oil and the other half of the blackening seasoning, rubbing it into the fish with your hands.
    • Transfer the salmon to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until a dark, charred crust forms on the outside. Carefully transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and cook the fish for an additional 5 minutes until cooked through. Set the salmon aside.
    • Stir the heavy cream into the tomato sauce and cook the sauce for another 2-3 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the cooked pasta, chopped basil, and grated parmesan. Do not add all of the pasta at once as you may not need all of it, depending on the consistency of your sauce. I ended up with about a cup of pasta leftover. Add more pasta water if needed to reach desired consistency.
    • Stir in the chopped basil and grated parmesan. Transfer the pasta to a serving dish and topped with pieces of flaked blackened salmon. You can tear large chunks of salmon with your hands and place them on top of the pasta. Garnish with additional fresh basil if desired. Enjoy!

    Notes

    • Use a cast-iron skillet to get the best crust on the blackened salmon.
    • Leftover blackened salmon pasta can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1servingCalories: 436kcalCarbohydrates: 28.9gProtein: 34.3gFat: 20.6gSaturated Fat: 8.1gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 982mgPotassium: 698mgFiber: 5.7gSugar: 12.8gCalcium: 276mgIron: 3mg
    Keyword blackened salmon, pasta dinner, salmon pasta, weeknight dinner recipes
    Tried this recipe?Tag @thepinkowlkitchen on Instagram! And don't forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and review!

    More Main Courses

    • Cajun Jambalaya Pasta
    • Easy Southern Salmon Croquettes
    • Southern Smothered Chicken
    • Easy Cajun Salmon Recipe

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Marlon Boyd

      May 16, 2022 at 11:33 pm

      5 stars
      This was amazing! My family and I love it it! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Ashley Boyd

        June 01, 2022 at 2:38 am

        You are very welcome and I'm so happy your family enjoyed the recipe!

        Reply

    Share Your Thoughts! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Ashley sitting on a counter making salad.

    Hi! I'm Ashley.

    I am a new mom, wife, and creator of all you see here at Pink Owl Kitchen. All of our recipes are influenced by my southern upbringing and are made with fresh, seasonal ingredients to encourage families to come together around the dinner table more!

    Learn more about me →

    Trending Recipes

    • Southern Candied Yams (Old Fashioned Soul Food Recipe)
    • Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese
    • Southern Sweet Potato Pie
    • Cajun Dirty Rice with Smoked Sausage

    As Seen In!

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy and Disclaimers
    • About

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work With Me

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Pink Owl Kitchen LLC | All Rights Reserved