Canned Salmon Pasta with Creme Fraiche

Canned salmon pasta in a creamy creme fraiche sauce with cornichons, fresh dill and a squeeze of lemon, a delicious quick and easy meal.

When I say quick, this dish can comfortably go from your store cupboard to your table in under 20 minutes!

Tinned Salmon Pasta

I love fish-based pasta dishes and this canned salmon linguine recipe sits as a counterpoint to dishes like my fresh salmon and pea pasta and tomato and salmon pasta recipes.

Canned fish is glorious, it is marginally more affordable than fresh fish, particularly the good stuff. However, it can sit in the cupboard for months, even years ready for a quick meal at the drop of a hat.

I went through a phase of turning my nose up at tinned fish.

But playing around with dishes like canned mackerel fishcakes and tuna and tomato pasta really changed my mind.

Now I always have a few tins in the cupboard ready for dinner at the drop of a hat.

Aside from the fresh dill and creme fraiche, which also stars in my ham and mushroom tagliatelle recipe, I always have all of the ingredients in the cupboard, so minimal shopping is needed.

It is delicious and creamy but the genius addition, even if I say so myself, of cornichons helps cut through the richness of both the fish and creme fraiche.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different type of pasta?

Yes, of course! Fettucini, tagliatelle and pappardelle all work really well.

However other shapes like orecchiette, farfalle and even conchiglie are good also. I would avoid tubes like rigatoni or penne though because the fish really can’t get into them.

Can I use fresh salmon?

For me, fresh pasta does not work in this recipe, both the texture and the flavour are not quite right.

Can I use dried dill?

Yes, although I would avoid garnishing the dish with dried dill! I would use 1-2 teaspoons in this recipe.

If you want to use dried, then add it just before you pour over the fish stock and stage 8.

Can I use something other than creme fraiche?

A question asked by my US based readers as creme fraiche is not as readily available as it is in Europe.

You could use either sour cream or heavy cream. Sour cream is typically around 20% fat so it does have a higher risk of curdling than creme fraiche.

Serving Suggestions

Dishes like this canned salmon pasta recipe are one-dish meals for me.

That does not stop greedy me from squeezing a little something in on the side though!

Usually, that would take the form of some simple garlic bread.

Although if I’m also rather partial to serving it with a little warmed focaccia or ciabatta to mop up any sauce left on the plate!

Equipment Used

I usually do not recommend specifically branded equipment unless I think that it is essential for the recipe. If you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section at the bottom of the page.

• Weighing scales and or measuring cups and spoons.
• Medium frying pan (24cm or 10″).
• A saucepan for boiling pasta, anything over 24cm (10″) is fine.
• Sharp kitchen knife.
• Chopping board.
• Stovetop.
• Colander or sieve.