Creamy Salmon Pasta - Quick Weeknight Dinner
30 min
A perfect weeknight meal featuring creamy salmon pasta that's quick and satisfying. Top with herbs or parmesan for extra flavor.
pastasalmoncreamy
Ready in 20 minutes and the kids never complain. Creamy sour cream sauce, spinach, and golden sausage slices — proper weeknight comfort food.
Instructions
- 1
Pull the skin off the sausages and cut them into half-slices. Fry them in a pan with a little margarine or oil until they're nicely golden.
- 2
Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, then drain the water. Add the frozen spinach and sour cream straight into the pot, stir it all together, and let it cook until everything is heated through. Season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Per average serving
30
Calories
kcal
0.4
Protein
g
0.7
Carbs
g
2.9
Fat
g
0g
Fiber
0.5g
Sugar
254mg
Sodium
Family Portions
2portions
Adults
2
Children
No children added
Ingredients
Per average serving
30
Calories
kcal
0.4
Protein
g
0.7
Carbs
g
2.9
Fat
g
0g
Fiber
0.5g
Sugar
254mg
Sodium
Tips from the kitchen
- Pull the skins off the sausages before slicing. The skins go tough and rubbery in the pan and the slices brown more evenly without them.
- Don't crowd the pan when you fry the sausage. Give the half-slices room so they catch some color instead of steaming. You want a proper golden edge.
- The frozen spinach goes straight into the hot drained pot, no need to thaw it first. Just stir and let the residual heat plus a low flame melt it through. Give it a few minutes and keep stirring so it doesn't clump.
- Add the lemon juice at the very end, off the heat. It cuts through the sour cream and keeps the sauce from tasting flat.
- Leave a splash of pasta water in the pot before you drain fully. If the spinach and sour cream tighten up too much, that starchy water loosens it back into a sauce.
Ways to vary it
- Swap the penne for fusilli or rigatoni if that's what you have. The ridges hold the sour cream sauce well.
- A handful of grated parmesan stirred in at the end is a nice option if you want the sauce thicker and saltier.
- Chili sausage already brings some heat, but a pinch of chili flakes with the spinach is an easy way to push it further.
Storage & leftovers
Keeps in the fridge for about 3 days in a sealed container. It doesn't freeze well because the sour cream tends to split when thawed and the spinach gets watery. Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water or milk, stirring until warmed through, rather than blasting it in the microwave.
What to serve with it
A simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette balances the creamy sauce. Some bread on the side is good for the kids to mop up the pot.
UC
By Untrained ChefPublished 22 April 2026 · Updated 7 June 2026
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