A delicious salmon and prawn pasta featuring hot smoked salmon and ready-cooked king prawns, tossed in a silky crème fraîche sauce with Parmesan, lemon and dill.
Ready in around 15 minutes, this is an ideal midweek dinner that feels special without the fuss.
Smoked salmon and prawns are high in protein and relatively low in fat, while the pasta provides satisfying carbohydrates. The crème fraîche gives a creamy, indulgent texture without the heaviness of double cream.
The recipe is flexible: swap dill for parsley or basil, add cherry tomatoes or peas for colour, or increase the seafood with cooked crab or extra prawns.
✔️ Why you’ll love this recipe!
- A quick, creamy seafood pasta ready in about 15 minutes.
- Scales easily—double for a crowd or halve for two.
- Adaptable: add vegetables, swap herbs, or include other seafood.
- Leftovers work well cold as a pasta salad for lunches or picnics.
🛒 Ingredient notes
Pasta – 300g of your favourite shape; penne works well, as do spaghetti, linguine or tagliatelle.
Olive oil – a mild oil for gently frying garlic.
Garlic – 2 cloves, finely chopped.
Crème fraîche – full-fat is best to avoid splitting when warmed.
Parmesan – finely grated; Grana Padano or Pecorino are good alternatives.
Lemon – juice of half a lemon brightens the sauce.
Dill – fresh, chopped; substitute parsley or basil if preferred.
Spinach – baby spinach wilts quickly and adds nutrients.
Salt and black pepper – to taste.
Prawns – ready-cooked king or tiger prawns for best flavour; frozen cooked prawns can be used if thawed first.
Salmon – hot smoked salmon fillets are recommended, but regular smoked salmon or cooked fresh salmon can be substituted.
🔪 Instructions
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve a cup of the pasta water, then drain and set the pasta aside.
Two: Warm the olive oil in a frying pan or shallow casserole. Gently soften the garlic over low heat for a few minutes without browning.
Three: Stir in the crème fraîche, then add grated Parmesan, chopped dill, lemon juice, baby spinach, salt and pepper. Stir until the spinach wilts and the cheese melts into the sauce.
Four: Add the ready-cooked prawns and flake in the hot smoked salmon, folding gently to combine without breaking the fish into tiny pieces.
Five: Toss in the cooked pasta and add reserved pasta water, a splash at a time, until the sauce becomes glossy and coats the pasta.
Top Tips
- Cook pasta to al dente so it holds up when combined with the sauce.
- Reserve pasta water—the starch helps loosen and emulsify the sauce for a silky finish.
- Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the brightest flavour.
- Serve immediately while the sauce is warm and glossy.
🍴 Serving suggestions
Serve with green vegetables such as air-fried asparagus or roasted tenderstem broccoli and a side of crusty bread or focaccia. Finish with extra dill and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan.
📖 Variations
- Use double cream instead of crème fraîche for a richer sauce.
- Add a splash of white wine or vermouth and reduce briefly before adding the crème fraîche.
- Replace spinach with cherry tomatoes for a fresher note.
- Try a Mediterranean version with olives, capers, sun-dried tomatoes and crumbled feta.
- Turn it into a bake: transfer to a dish, top with mozzarella and Parmesan, and bake until golden and bubbling.
- Add chilli flakes or chopped spring onions for extra heat and texture.
- Use raw prawns if preferred—cook them with the garlic until pink before continuing.
- Swap to wholewheat or fresh pasta, including homemade pasta.
🥡 Storage
Store – Best eaten fresh, but leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Reheat – Gently reheat in a pan over medium heat, adding a splash of milk or cream to refresh the sauce. Microwaving is also possible.
Freeze – Not recommended. The sauce may split and the pasta can become mushy after freezing.
Make-ahead – Prepare ingredients (chop herbs, grate cheese, thaw prawns) and store separately until ready to cook.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Yes. Hot smoked salmon is convenient and flavorful, but you can use regular smoked salmon or cooked fresh salmon. If using fresh salmon, cook and flake it first and remove the skin.
This dish is best served immediately, but leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated as described above.
Yes. Swap ordinary pasta for a gluten-free alternative.
Yes—just defrost them thoroughly before adding to the sauce.
😋 More easy pasta recipes
- Creamy Sausage Pasta
- Leftover Gammon Pasta
- Paprika Chicken Pasta
- Sweet Potato Pasta
- Bacon Mac and Cheese
- Creamy Garlic Mushroom Pasta
- Cajun Chicken Pasta
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Recipe
Easy Salmon and Prawn Pasta
An easy hot smoked salmon and prawn pasta in a rich crème fraîche sauce with Parmesan, lemon and dill.
Equipment
- Chopping board
- Knife
- Shallow casserole or frying pan
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 300 g pasta
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
- 4 tbsp crème fraîche
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- ½ lemon, juice only
- 50 g baby spinach
- 3 tbsp grated Parmesan
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 250 g cooked king prawns
- 2 hot smoked salmon fillets, flaked
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve a cup of the pasta water, then drain and set aside.
- Warm the olive oil in a frying pan over low heat and gently soften the garlic for a few minutes.
- Stir in the crème fraîche, then add the Parmesan, chopped dill, lemon juice, baby spinach, salt and pepper. Stir until combined and the spinach wilts.
- Add the cooked prawns and flaked smoked salmon, mixing gently so the fish stays in chunks.
- Toss in the cooked pasta and add reserved pasta water, a little at a time, until the sauce is glossy and coats the pasta. Serve immediately garnished with extra dill and Parmesan.
Notes
Variations: Swap crème fraîche for double cream for extra richness; add white wine before the crème fraîche; use cherry tomatoes instead of spinach; add olives, capers or sun-dried tomatoes for a Mediterranean twist; bake with mozzarella and extra Parmesan for a pasta bake; or use raw prawns and cook them with the garlic.
Storage: Best eaten fresh. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of milk or cream. Freezing is not recommended.
Nutritional Information (Approximate)
Calories: 510 kcal | Carbohydrates: 57 g | Protein: 38 g | Fat: 14 g | Saturated Fat: 4 g | Fiber: 3 g