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Salmon Spaghetti with Lemon Garlic Sauce

A bright lemon-garlic sauce coats spaghetti, topped with tender salmon, crisp capers and crunchy bread cubes for a satisfying weeknight meal.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 lemons zest and juice
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 2 ounces toasted walnuts
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 13 ounces spaghetti
  • 1/3 cup olive oil divided (3 tbsp + 1 tbsp)
  • 2 tablespoons baby capers
  • 2 slices sourdough bread cut into bite-sized cubes
  • 1 pound skinless salmon fillets cut into 1-inch pieces; season with salt and ground black pepper
  • 2 3/4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 ounces watercress leaves

Instructions

  • Make the lemon-garlic sauce: combine lemon zest, lemon juice, minced garlic and toasted walnuts in a blender and blend on high until smooth, about 30 seconds.
  • Add the grated Parmesan and 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the blender and blend again until well combined; transfer the sauce to a small bowl and set aside.
  • Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package instructions until al dente; reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, add the capers and cook until crisp, about 3 minutes; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.
  • In the same skillet, add the remaining olive oil and reduce heat to medium; add the cubed sourdough and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp, 2–3 minutes; transfer to the plate with the capers.
  • Pat the salmon pieces dry and season with salt and pepper. Melt the butter in the skillet over medium-high heat and add the salmon; cook until just fork-tender and opaque, about 3–5 minutes, then remove from the skillet and set aside.
  • Add the reserved sauce, cooked spaghetti and up to 1 cup reserved pasta water to the skillet and cook briefly over medium heat, tossing with tongs to coat the pasta evenly; add more pasta water as needed to reach desired consistency.
  • Gently fold in the cooked salmon and watercress until combined and the watercress begins to wilt.
  • Serve the pasta topped with the crispy capers and toasted bread cubes and additional watercress if desired.

Equipment

  • Blender
  • Large Pot
  • Skillet
  • Spatula or tongs
  • Paper Towels
  • Plate

Notes

  • Use fresh wild-caught salmon for the best flavor.
  • Defrost frozen salmon completely before cooking if using frozen fillets.
  • Do not overcook the salmon; remove when it becomes opaque and fork-tender.
  • Cook salmon whole or cut into pieces to adjust cooking time as needed.
  • Adjust lemon juice in the sauce to reduce sourness if desired.