Garlic Cajun Salmon Pasta

Ingredients

• 2 salmon fillets (seasoned with all purpose seasoning, cajun seasoning, garlic granules, and smoked paprika)
• oil (for drizzling and oiling the pan)
• 1 tbsp all purpose seasoning (for seasoning salmon)
• 1 tsp cajun seasoning (for seasoning salmon)
• 1 tbsp garlic granules (for seasoning salmon)
• 1 tsp smoked paprika (for seasoning salmon)
• 1 onion (chopped)
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 2 tbsp all purpose seasoning (for the sauce)
• 1 tbsp cajun seasoning (for the sauce)
• 1 tsp smoked paprika (for the sauce)
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning (for the sauce)
• salt & pepper (to taste)
• 250 ml reduced fat crème fraiche
• 40 g Parmesan (grated)
• Fresh parsley (chopped)
• 140 g pasta (dry weight)
• 75 ml water
• pasta water (reserved from boiling pasta to loosen sauce)

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare the salmon fillets by drizzling them with a little oil and coating them thoroughly in the seasoning mixture (1 tbsp all purpose seasoning, 1 tsp cajun seasoning, 1 tbsp garlic granules, and 1 tsp smoked paprika).

2. 2

   Place the seasoned salmon in a well-oiled pan over medium heat. Cook for approximately 10 minutes, turning regularly to ensure every side is cooked through and the exterior is nicely seared.

3. 3

   Remove the salmon from the pan and set aside. In the same pan, add the chopped onion and sauté for a few minutes until softened.

4. 4

   Add the minced garlic to the pan with the onions and cook for a couple of minutes until fragrant.

5. 5

   Sprinkle the sauce seasonings (all purpose seasoning, cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper) over the onion and garlic. Let this cook off for a minute to toast the spices.

6. 6

   Turn down the heat and add the reduced fat crème fraiche to the pan. Stir through to combine with the aromatics and spices.

7. 7

   Pour in 75ml of water. Leave this mixture to simmer for about 5 minutes.

8. 8

   Add the remaining seasoning (if any), the grated Parmesan, and fresh parsley to the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, loosen it with a little bit of reserved pasta water.

9. 9

   Stir until well combined and leave the sauce to simmer for another 10 minutes until thickened. Save a small amount of this sauce to pour over the top at the end.

10. 10

    Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the 140g of pasta according to package instructions.

11. 11

    When the pasta is cooked, drain it (reserving some water) and add it directly into the sauce. Toss to coat the pasta evenly.

12. 12

    Serve the pasta into bowls, top with the cooked salmon fillets, and pour over the reserved sauce. Garnish with additional fresh parsley.

Notes

The recipe suggests saving a little bit of the sauce before adding the pasta to pour over the salmon at the end for extra moisture and flavor.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• pasta
• salmon
• cajun
• creamy
• dinner
• seafood