Martha Stewart Salmon Pasta

Martha Stewart salmon pasta is a quick family dinner built on crushed fennel seeds and brown sugar pressed into the fillet before broiling. Flaked over corkscrew pasta and spinach, then tossed in a tangy sour cream lemon sauce, it feeds six in 30 minutes.

It doubles as weeknight meal prep since the sour cream sauce holds up cold. Crush the fennel seeds well before pressing them on the salmon, because that spice crust is what makes this dinner work.

Martha Stewart Salmon Pasta

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Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Calories

480

kcal

Caramelized fennel seed crust on broiled salmon, flaked into twists of pasta with tender spinach and a bright sour cream sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
  

• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
  

• 1 tablespoon light-brown sugar
  

• Salt and pepper
  

• 1 one-pound salmon fillet with skin (about 1 inch thick)
  

• 1 pound corkscrew or other short pasta
  

• 10 ounces spinach, stems trimmed and leaves washed well
  

• 1/2 cup sour cream
  

• 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  

Directions

• Make the spice rub: Heat the broiler. Put fennel seeds in a small, self-sealing plastic bag, and crush with a rolling pin. Add parsley, brown sugar, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper to the bag, and shake to mix.
• Broil the salmon: Press the mixture onto the skinless side of the salmon. Broil salmon, skin side down, until it is no longer red in the center, about 8 minutes. Flake the fish with a fork.
• Cook the pasta: Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente, about 13 minutes. Drain and reserve about 1/2 cup cooking water, and drain pasta. Return it to the warm pot, add spinach, and toss.
• Mix the sauce: In a small bowl, mix together sour cream, lemon juice to taste, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons pasta water.
• Toss everything together: Flake salmon into large chunks (they'll break down further when tossed with the pasta), and add to pot. Stir in sour-cream mixture, adding pasta water as needed, and serve.

Tools for this recipe

• Kirecoo 12-quart stainless steel stock pot, Nordic Ware half sheet pan, J.K. Adams French rolling pin. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

What cut of salmon works best for this pasta?

Use a one-pound skin-on fillet about 1 inch thick, either farmed or wild. Farmed salmon is silkier and milder, while wild has a deeper color and stronger taste. Run your finger along the center before cooking and pull out any pin bones with tweezers at an angle to avoid tearing the flesh.

Can I bake the salmon instead of broiling it?

Yes, preheat the oven to 450 degrees with a rack in the upper middle position. Bake until the fish flakes with a fork, about 15 to 18 minutes. The fennel crust will not caramelize as deeply, but the flavor is still great.

How do I store and reheat leftover salmon pasta?

Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 to 2 days. It tastes good cold, at room temperature, or reheated gently on the stovetop with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. Add a squeeze of lemon juice before serving to bring back the brightness.

What pasta shapes work besides corkscrews?

Penne, fusilli, and shells all catch the sour cream sauce because of their ridges and hollow centers. Avoid long noodles like spaghetti, since the flaked salmon needs something to nestle into rather than slide off of.

Can I swap the sour cream for something else?

Plain full-fat Greek yogurt works in equal amounts and gives a similar tangy flavor. Low-fat sour cream is also fine if you want to cut calories. Skip cream cheese or heavy cream, because both are too thick and miss the tanginess that balances the fennel and brown sugar.