Salmon Piccata Pasta
An easy, delicious, dairy-free salmon pasta dish, featuring capers and a lemony, buttery sauce. Faster to make than chicken piccata, it’s easy to whip up this mouth-watering restaurant-quality meal in less than 30 minutes.
Equipment
- 1 large skillet
- 1 Citrus Juicer
- 1 Colander
- 1 Whisk
Ingredients
- 1 1b salmon (center filet pieces work better than tail pieces)
- 4 oz angel hair pasta or spaghetti (use gluten-free pasta if need to make this g-f)
- 2 Tbsp pasta water (save 2-3 Tbsp of your pasta water from cooking your pasta)
- 4 Tbsp dairy-free butter (if dairy isn't an issue, you can use real butter)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 3/4 cup vegetable broth
- 3 Tbsp flour (gluten-free if making this g-f)
- 2 lemons, for 2 Tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp zest (you'll need 1 for fresh lemon zest + lemon juice; second lemon for garnish slices)
- 3 Tbsp capers (jarred, drained)
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 1/2 Tbsp chopped parsely (1 Tbsp for sauce; 1/2 Tbsp for garnishing; use fresh or dried)
- 1/4 tsp salt (for the sauce)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper (for the sauce)
- salt and pepper (a pinch or little shake of each to flour coating + salt and pepper to taste when finished making the sauce)
Instructions
COOK THE PASTA
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook your pasta according to the package's instructions.
- SAVE SOME OF THE PASTA WATER. You'll need 2 Tbsp (maybe 3).
PAN-COOK THE SALMON
- Put 2 Tbsp of flour in a shallow bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper. One at a time, put each salmon piece in the bowl and lightly coat ("dust") one side with the flour. If using salmon with skin on, flour the side without skin. Set the salmon filets aside.
- Get 2 Tbsp olive oil hot in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil shimmers, add the salmon to the pan, floured side down. Sear the salmon for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes without moving it, to get the floured side a bit crispy and browned. Carefully flip and cook on the other side another 2-4 minutes, depending on thickness and whether the other side has skin on it or not. It takes a little longer to cook with skin on. Pan-cooked salmon is done when it's 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). It should flake easily with a fork. Set the cooked fish on a plate to rest and cover to keep warm.
MAKE THE SAUCE
- Deglaze the pan with half of your lemon juice (1 Tbsp) and scrape any salmon bits left off the bottom (they add nice flavor to your sauce!).
- Add 1 Tbsp of butter/dairy-free butter and saute the minced garlic on medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes (until frangrant).
- Turn down to medium heat. Add the remaining "butter" (3 Tbsp), remaining lemon juice, (1Tbsp), capers (3 Tbsp), lemon zest (1 tsp), chopped parsely (1 Tbsp) and salt and black pepper (1/4 tsp each). Stir and let the butter melt.
- Put 1 Tbsp of flour or gluten-free flour in a measuring cup or mug with your 3/4 cup of vegetable broth and whisk to combine, creating a "broth slurry."
- Add the broth slurry to the sauce in your skillet, and slowly whisk it in to combine well. Add 2 Tbsp of pasta water and whisk in.
- Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 2-3 minutes to allow your piccata sauce to thicken, stirring frequently. Optional - you can add 1 more Tbsp of pasta water at this point if the sauce seems too thick. It should be like a thin gravy ...
FINISH and PLATE
- Add the cooked salmon back to the skillet, add a little of the sauce on top and cook for 1-3 more minutes, depending on the salmon's temperature and if it needs cooked a little longer (or not).
- At this point, you have 2 options: Option 1 - Plate your pasta, spoon sauce over it, then place the salmon on top with a little sauce and garnishes on top. OR Option 2 - remove the salmon again, put the pasta in the skillet and stir it in to coat the pasta ... then plate and top with your salmon and garnishes. You can't go wrong with either.
Notes
For safe consumption, pan-cooked salmon should reach an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). A good indicator of doneness is when the salmon flakes easily with a fork.
Nutrition
Calories: 618kcalCarbohydrates: 64gProtein: 10gFat: 38gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 21gTrans Fat: 4gSodium: 1167mgPotassium: 324mgFiber: 6gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 482IUVitamin C: 62mgCalcium: 56mgIron: 2mg
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