Brighten up pasta night with this salmon and broccoli pasta in a creamy dill sauce. Salmon and dill are a classic pairing; add sliced mushrooms for depth and peas for a touch of sweetness and you’ll have a satisfying meal on the table in about 30 minutes.
A different way to serve salmon
Scandinavians love salmon; during a trip to Copenhagen I noticed it appeared at almost every meal. One dish I ate there inspired this salmon and broccoli pasta with creamy dill sauce. The original used poached salmon in a dill-scented milk, combined with broccoli and mushrooms in a lightly sauced pasta – simple ingredients delivering big flavour.
I’ve adjusted the recipe since then: instead of heavy cream I thicken the sauce with cornflour (cornstarch) for a lighter finish. It keeps the rich, comforting taste while making the dish quicker to prepare.
What do you need?
This recipe relies on four main ingredients plus pasta and a simple sauce. The printable recipe card below lists exact quantities and step-by-step instructions.
The version here serves two and takes about 15 minutes prep and 15 minutes cooking if you start the pasta while the fish is poaching.
Salmon
Allow roughly 100g (3.5oz) salmon per person. You don’t need to remove the skin before poaching because it peels off easily afterward. Canned salmon can be substituted if you want an even quicker option.
Broccoli
Use about half a cup of florets per person. Regular or tender-stem broccoli both work. If you prefer another vegetable, try red pepper, green beans, sugar snap peas, zucchini, or carrots instead.
Mushrooms
Baby, white, chestnut or portobello mushrooms all work; slice or quarter them depending on size. Aim for about half a cup of sliced mushrooms per person.
Peas
Frozen petit pois are convenient and add a sweet pop. You can use garden peas or substitute frozen corn if preferred.
Sauce
The sauce is made from butter, milk, dried dill and parsley, and salt. Half the milk is used for poaching the salmon; the other half is mixed with cornflour (cornstarch) to thicken the sauce.
If using fresh herbs, use three times the amount called for in dried herbs (1 tsp dried = 1 tbsp fresh).
Pasta
Linguine is ideal because the flat strands hold the sauce nicely, but spaghetti or other long pasta will work. Avoid short tubular shapes that don’t pick up a creamy sauce as well.
How to make salmon and broccoli pasta
Start the pasta before you cook the fish to save time.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Add a teaspoon of salt to the water if desired.
- Drain the pasta when cooked and keep warm.
- Trim the broccoli into florets and slice or quarter the mushrooms.
Poach the salmon
- Pour half the milk into a large frying pan, add the butter, dill and parsley, and warm until the butter melts.
- Add the salmon skin-side down, cover, and poach gently for about 6 minutes until the flesh turns pale pink.
- Turn the fillets carefully and poach a further 3 minutes until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
- Remove the salmon, break it into flakes and leave the poaching liquid in the pan for the sauce.
Make the sauce and cook the vegetables
- Mix 1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch) with the remaining cup of milk until smooth, then whisk into the poaching liquid.
- Gently heat, stirring, until the sauce thickens. Season with salt to taste.
- While the fish poaches, microwave the broccoli in a covered dish for 3 minutes until just tender, or steam/boil it briefly.
- Sauté the mushrooms in a little extra butter until softened.
- Toss the drained pasta into the sauce so it’s well coated, then fold in the broccoli, mushrooms and frozen peas. Warm gently until the peas defrost and the sauce is piping hot.
- Fold in the flaked salmon and serve immediately.
How to scale the recipe
Use these per-person guidelines to scale up: about 100g salmon, ½ cup broccoli, ½ cup mushrooms, ¼ cup peas, 30g butter, 1 cup milk (split for poaching and sauce), ½ tsp dill, ½ tsp parsley and ~65g dried pasta.
What to serve with salmon and broccoli pasta
This dish is satisfying on its own. If you’d like a side, serve warm garlic toast and a simple salad of lettuce and sliced tomatoes with a light dressing.
Is salmon good for you?
Yes. Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, beneficial for heart health, and is a lean, high-quality source of protein. Health organisations recommend eating oily fish like salmon regularly as part of a balanced diet.
A little-known fact about dill
Dill is versatile: the fronds (fresh or dried) flavour fish and salads, while the seeds are used in pickling and some lentil dishes. The plant’s name comes from an Old Norse word meaning “to soothe.”
Make in advance
This dish freezes poorly, but you can assemble it and refrigerate in an ovenproof container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the oven or microwave until heated through.
Save for later
Save the recipe image to your favourite collection so you can find it later.
Related recipes
If you enjoy this salmon pasta, try other seafood-and-pasta dishes for more inspiration.
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Seafood-stuffed pasta shells – in a creamy cheese sauce
-
Salmon and asparagus gratin with buttered noodles
-
Tuna noodle salad – with lemon
-
Fresh mussels with pasta in tomato sauce
📋The recipe
Salmon and broccoli pasta with creamy dill sauce
Equipment
- Large frying pan with lid
- Small saucepan for mushrooms
- Large saucepan for pasta
- Sharp knife and chopping board
- Colander and spatula
Ingredients
- 200g (7oz) fresh salmon
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 1 cup sliced white mushrooms
- ½ cup frozen petit pois or garden peas
- 60g (2oz) butter (plus 1 tsp extra for the mushrooms)
- 1 cup milk for poaching
- 1 cup milk for the sauce
- 1 tsp dried chopped dill (or 1 tbsp fresh)
- 1 tsp dried chopped parsley (or 1 tbsp fresh)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (cornflour), plus extra if needed
- 110g (4oz) linguine (uncooked)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to the boil, add a teaspoon of salt if desired, and cook the linguine according to packet instructions. Drain and keep warm.
- Cut broccoli into florets and slice the mushrooms. Microwave the broccoli covered for 3 minutes or steam until just tender; set aside.
- Sauté the mushrooms in the extra butter until softened; set aside.
- Pour 1 cup milk into a large frying pan, add the butter, dill and parsley and heat until the butter melts.
- Add the salmon skin-side down, cover and poach gently for about 6 minutes. Turn and poach a further 3 minutes until the fish flakes easily. Remove the salmon, discard the skin and flake the meat, leaving the poaching liquid in the pan.
- Mix 1 tablespoon cornflour with the remaining cup of milk and whisk into the poaching liquid. Season with salt and stir over low heat until the sauce thickens. If too thin, mix an extra spoonful of cornflour with a little milk and stir in.
- Toss the cooked pasta into the sauce so it’s well coated, then add broccoli, mushrooms and frozen peas. Warm gently until the peas have defrosted and everything is piping hot.
- Fold in the flaked salmon and serve immediately.
Notes
Poach the fish while the pasta cooks to save time. If using fresh herbs, substitute 1 tbsp fresh for 1 tsp dried. Calories exclude any garlic bread or salad served alongside.
Nutrition
Per recipe: Calories 785; Carbohydrates 62.4g; Protein 41.3g; Fat 42.8g; Saturated fat 23g; Sodium 1586mg; Potassium 1050mg; Fiber 5g; Sugar 15.3g; Calcium 450mg; Iron 5mg.
Nutrition estimates are for guidance only and were calculated using an online tool.
If you try this recipe and enjoy it, please leave a rating in the comments. For questions or feedback you can reach Veronica at [email protected].