One-Pot Cajun Salmon Pasta

Want to spice things up for dinner tonight? This One-Pot Cajun Salmon Pasta is creamy, quick, easy, and filling with a welcomed little kick of spice!

I absolutely love the dynamic duo of salmon and pasta (see also: Salmon Spinach Pasta with White Wine Sauce), and this creamy pasta dish with salmon is no exception!

The perfectly pan-fried spicy Cajun salmon is complemented perfectly by the creamy, garlicky, pasta, for a symphony of flavors and textures that satisfy the tastebuds.

Plus, this gourmet dinner dish is easy to make, with just ten ingredients, 30 minutes, and one pot required.

As a busy mom with a palate for high-quality food, I appreciate a dinner recipe like this that ticks all my boxes of easy, efficient, and elevated.

Cajun Salmon Pasta Ingredients

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Here’s everything you need:

• Salmon. You can buy skinless or skin-on. I usually use 10-12 ounces of salmon to serve two, and have leftover pasta, but if you’re cooking for a family of three+, you may want to get a larger cut of salmon.
• Cajun seasoning. Please note that different brands of Cajun seasoning vary greatly in terms of spice and salt levels, you may need to taste as you go to get it just right.
• Olive oil.
• Fresh garlic. I love to use 4 cloves of fresh garlic and mince it myself, but if you are sensitive to garlic, just use two.
• Diced tomatoes. Canned. You can add the contents of the whole can—both the diced tomatoes and the liquid it comes in.
• Vegetable broth. You could also use mushroom or chicken broth here.
• Fettuccine. You can substitute linguine, but other shapes of pasta vary in cooking time.
• Fresh spinach.
• Cream. Light cream or half and half is preferred, but you can also use coconut cream!
• Parmesan Cheese.

Cajun Pasta with Salmon Tips and Tricks

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Use a Large Sauce Pan or Shallow Pot

One of my favorite things about this pasta dish (besides the taste, of course) is the fact that it only requires one pot to make. Use a large saucepan or shallow pot for best results!

Ultimately, the goal is for the pasta to be completely submerged in the liquid, so that it can cook evenly. I know this is controversial, but you can break your pasta to fit snuggly into the pan or pot if need be.

Dry and Season Your Salmon

Whether you’re using fresh or frozen, it’s best to completely dry off your fish before coating it in the spice blend. If you are using frozen salmon, make sure to thaw it first.

If you need help thawing, I have detailed instructions on defrosting salmon within the post of this guide: How to Cook Frozen Salmon.

The easiest way to dry your fish is by blotting the filets with paper towels, pressing down lightly with your hands. Drying the fish will ensure your seasoning blend sticks and will avoid extra hot oil splatter from additional water on the fish.

It also gives you the best crispy texture on your pan-fried salmon.

Once your salmon is dry, coat it in a generous layer of Cajun seasoning. If you are using skinless salmon, season both sides now. If you’re using skin-on, do not season the side with the skin yet.

Note, you will not be using all 2 tablespoons of seasoning right now, you’ll need some later for the pasta.

Fry Your Salmon First

Add your olive oil to the pan and get it hot over medium heat. After heating for about 2 minutes, carefully place your salmon in the hot oil. If you’re using skin-on salmon, place it skin side down.

Fry for about 5 minutes before flipping. If you like crispy salmon skin, you can leave it on. If you want to remove the salmon skin, it will easily peel off at this point. Just grab the skin by the corner with some kitchen tons and peel it right back.

Then, season the second side with more Cajun seasoning, fry, and flip again. If you are using skinless salmon, you will only have to flip it once.

Fry the seasoned salmon until both sides are crispy and the internal temperature of the salmon reaches 125°F.

How to Make One-Pot Cajun Pasta

Once your salmon is cooked on both sides, remove it from your pan and set it aside. We will cook the pasta in the same pan to take advantage of any flavor left in there from frying the salmon.

Add your minced garlic first and fry it up for a minute or two until it’s nice and fragrant. Then, you’ll add your diced tomatoes and Cajun seasoning. Place the raw pasta on top and pour the vegetable broth over it.

Cover and cook on medium-high, tossing frequently, for about 10-12 minutes until pasta is cooked al dente.

Then, remove the cover, turn the heat all the way down to low, and add the fresh spinach and the cream (or, as pictured, half & half).

Continue to cook and stir over low heat until spinach wilts and the cream starts to thicken.

Remove from heat, add the Parmesan, and stir until well-combined. Now, your one pot pasta is ready!

Serving Your Cajun Salmon Pasta

Once your pasta is ready, you can add the salmon back to your pot. You can decide if you want to break the salmon into bite-sized pieces and stir it in, or if you want to cut it into individual portions and serve it atop the pasta.

Here are some of my favorite apps and sides to serve this pasta dish with:

• Garlic Bread
• Cast-Iron Asparagus
• Roasted Yellow Carrots

How to Properly Store and Reheat Leftover Cajun Salmon Pasta

This Cajun Salmon Pasta will last for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

The best way to re-heat it is by adding your leftovers to a baking dish and preheating your oven to 375°F. Cover completely with tin foil to trap moisture and heat the pasta and salmon in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

If you feel your leftover sauce has thickened too much, add a little milk or cream (more veggie broth will work in a pinch, too) to add moisture back in before reheating.

If you really want a quicker + easier reheating method, you can safely reheat leftovers in the microwave covered and on high for about 3 minutes. However, the microwave tends to dry out both the salmon and the cream sauce. So, if you have the time, use the oven!