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Salmon, Peas and Asparagus with Pasta in Lemon Cream Sauce

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Salmon with Peas and Asparagus with Pasta in a Lemon Cream Sauce

Here’s a new recipe that’s just bursting with flavor, brilliant hues of green and vivid pops of red and orange:  Fresh Salmon, Peas and Asparagus with Pasta in Lemon Cream Sauce !  This main dish salad is loaded with peas and asparagus alongside buttery salmon filets . . . it almost sounds too healthy!  Gorgeous meets healthy in a one-dish meal!

One downfall about this recipe, well, it’s not really a bad thing, is that I munch on it while making it.  Am I the only one who secretly does that while cooking?  Popping the creamy and cheesy-sauced pasta in my mouth while putting it all together is irresistible.  I’m not great at packing creative lunches to take to work.  But when there are leftovers from something like this, an awesome lunch is in store to take to the office!   

salmon peas asparagus pasta lemon cream sauce

We just love sweet baby spring peas and fresh asparagus.   They’re just so packed with flavor and healthy goodness with their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits!  Some of our favorite ways to enjoy these emerald jewels are Farfalle With Asparagus, Peas And Pancetta In Cream Sauce  and Tortellini Alla Panna With Prosciutto And Peas

Doesn’t this just make you think of spring or summer?  And yet this can be prepared any time of year.

While you’re cooking the pasta and preparing the salad, you need to bake the salmon filets.  Sprinkle garlic powder (not garlic salt) and lemon pepper all over the top of the salmon filets.

Salmon with Peas and Asparagus Pasta Lemon Cream

Bake salmon at 350 F degrees for about 40 minutes . . . we like our fish medium-well done, nothing rare or soft inside.  We enjoy sushi and ahi tuna, but this is better when thoroughly cooked.  You want a nice flakiness of texture on your fork, not something soft and mushy.

Meanwhile, get the lemon cream sauce going.  Saute the freshly minced garlic in butter and olive oil, add the cream, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and lemon zest.

Add the capers, rinsed thoroughly and the Italian parsley.

See how much sea salt is packed inside this small jar of imported Italian capers?  Make sure you rinse the salt off of the capers as best as you can or the sauce will be ruined from having too much salt that cannot be taken back out.

Before rinsing off all of the salt (left) and after rinsing off all of the salt (right).

Adjust the ingredients in the sauce according to your preferences.  Do you like more butter . . . add another tablespoon or two.  Or perhaps you prefer more cream?  Add in a dash or two more.  Also if you want salt and pepper in this meal, then this is the time to do so.

salmon peas asparagus pasta lemon cream

Pour about a cup or so of the sauce in a nice gravy or cream dish with a spout.  Place it on the table or buffet to be passed around to guests.

salmon peas and asparagus pasta lemon cream

After the pasta is cooked to a very firm ‘al dente’ firmness, take some of the sauce and toss it with the pasta, reserving some to pass around to your guests.  Garnish with freshly chopped Italian parsley.  Place it in a nice bowl to serve.

The garlic, lemon, cream, cheese, and capers come together perfectly to form a fabulous creamy base for the pasta! Don’t forget to also ladle this creamy sauce on top of the salmon.  My husband said while eating with his mouth full, “I want more sauce for the salmon please”!

Music to my ears!

salmon peas asparagus pasta lemon cream sauce

There you go!

The pasta is tossed in a light, lemony cream sauce.

A fresh mixed lettuce salad with peas and asparagus complements the pasta.

And salmon filets baked to perfection make this a delicious meal.

So bring your guests to the table . . . dinner is ready!

Enjoy this Salmon, Peas, and Asparagus with Pasta in Lemon Cream Sauce!

Please pin the following image . . . we appreciate the pin-LOVE!

Salmon, Peas & Asparagus Salad with Pasta in Lemon Cream Sauce

We hope you enjoy other salmon recipes that we’ve shared on LBVC:

Blood Orange with Salmon Salad and Blood Orange Vinaigrette

Blood Orange and Salmon Salad with Blood Orange Vinaigrette

Italian Salmon Burgers with Garlic Aioli

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Salmon, Peas, Asparagus and Pasta in Lemon Caper Cream Sauce

Salmon, Peas and Asparagus with Pasta in Lemon Cream Sauce

  • Author: Roz Corieri Paige | La Bella Vita Cucina
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Cuisine: Italian
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Ingredients

 
For the Lemon Cream Sauce (double this if you like more sauce)
 
4 Tbsp. butter
3 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
juice of 1/2 lemon (more is OK if you want a stronger lemon flavor)
zest of 1 lemon 
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiana cheese
2 Tbsp. capers, rinsed thoroughly
2 Tbsp. Italian parsley, or increase according to your preference
 
For the Mixed Green Salad
2 cups fresh spinach leaves
4 cups mixed spring lettuce
1 lb. fresh asparagus tips (about 2 inches long)
1 cups (8 oz.) fresh or frozen small spring peas
1 cup sliced almonds
1 lb. farfalle pasta
4 – 6 salmon filets
garlic powder and lemon pepper to use when baking the salmon
 
 

Instructions

 
 
1.  Pre-heat oven to 350 F degrees.
2.  Sprinkle garlic powder and lemon pepper all over the top of salmon filets.  Bake for 35 – 45 minutes. 
3.  When done, cover with aluminum foil and keep warm in a microwave oven or warm oven while you complete the lemon cream sauce and the salad.
4.  While salmon bakes, boil a tall pot of water.  
5.  While water boils, prepare the lemon cream sauce.  
6.  Heat the butter in a saucepan on medium heat.  Add the minced garlic and saute’ until aromatic for approximately 3 – 5 minutes. Do not burn the garlic.
7.  Add cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, capers and parmigiana cheese. Heat through on medium heat for approximately 5 – 10 minutes.  Add chopped Italian parsley.  Set aside to toss into the pasta.
8.  When water boils, add the pasta and cook for about 5 – 7 minutes until al dente.
9.  When finished, strain the pasta and stir in the lemon cream sauce, saving some sauce to the side to pass around to guests.
10. Put the pasta in cream sauce into a nice serving bowl.
11. Assemble the mixed lettuce, peas, and asparagus.  Sprinkle slivered almonds all over the salad.
12. Place warmed salmon filets on top of lettuce, peas, and asparagus.

 

 

 

13. Slowly pour the extra lemon cream sauce that was set aside over the salmon fillets. Garnish with slivered almonds and Italian parsley.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Everything sounds sooo good and your plated presentation is awesome. We really like lemon butter caper sauce but never tried a creamy version – must correct that.

    Reply

  3. This will be perfect for Lent, Roz! Salmon is one fish that Bill actually enjoys. I used to have a big tub of capers in salt in the fridge—you’ve reminded me that I need to track some down. Have a great week ahead!! xo

    Reply

    • Salmon is my ‘go to’ fish during Lent and really throughout the year Liz. It’s just so good for us and can be prepared in so many ways. Lemon and garlic are my absolute favorites to add to salmon!
      xo
      Roz

      Reply

  7. I’ve got to try this Roz. I made your swordfish with lemon cream sauce a couple of times and we loved it, so this I’m sure will be a hit too. By the way, I adore that little pink glass pitcher you used to contain the sauce. So pretty!

    Reply

    • Thanks Linda!
      This sauce is similar to the swordfish lemon cream sauce (which is my personal preference anyway), so after you mix this sauce all up, you can easily transform it into the sauce in the swordfish recipe. The little pink dish was found at a dish shop in NC. You can probably google ‘pink hobnail glass’ and see where it leads you.
      Ciao,
      Roz

      Reply

    • I hope you enjoy it too MJ. Send me a photo to share here if you prepare it. I’m anxious for spring this year, how about you?
      Ciao,
      Roz

      Reply

  10. I would love to print this out like a recipe…do you have it in that form for me to print? I did not see a print section

    Reply

    • Hi Kelly,

      The recipe card with printing option is back up and loaded again in this blog post! Thank you for letting me know of the techno glitch. I truly appreciate it so much! Also, if you prepare this recipe, take a photo and I’ll be happy to share it here with our community of friends and readers!

      Ciao,
      Roz

      Reply

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