Our best smoked salmon pasta recipe makes spaghetti with smoked salmon, dill pickles, capers and fresh dill. Sour cream and lemon juice make this a pasta that’s quintessentially Russian flavoured. It’s versatile – add more sour cream for a creamier texture or a dollop of caviar for a special occasion – and comes together quickly, in less than half an hour.
This recipe for spaghetti with smoked salmon, dill pickles, capers, and fresh dill is the best smoked salmon pasta recipe to make if you have leftover smoked salmon from the festive season and, like us, always have jars of capers and dill pickles in the fridge.
We had smoked salmon leftover from Christmas and New Year’s Eve, when we made these devilled eggs with smoked salmon and caviar, this creamy smoked salmon dip from scratch, and these blini with smoked salmon, dill, gherkin and sour cream, and I knew I wanted to make a pasta with similar ingredients.
I’ve been dreaming about smoked salmon pasta recipes for some time. Because while I adore smoked salmon and I always enjoy the classic smoked salmon pastas with capers and lemon, I’ve never fallen in love with one. I knew I had to add more quintessentially Russian flavours.
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Now let me tell you about my best smoked salmon recipe for spaghetti with smoked salmon, dill pickles, capers and fresh dill.
Smoked Salmon Pasta Recipe for Spaghetti with Smoked Salmon, Dill Pickles, Capers and Fresh Dill
My best smoked salmon pasta recipe makes spaghetti with smoked salmon, dill pickles, capers, and fresh fragrant dill. It’s a flavour combination you’ll also find in this Russian salmon potato salad recipe.
There are also a couple of dollops of sour cream, finely sliced scallions or spring onions, and a little paprika. The only way this recipe could be more Russian in flavour is if it called for mayonnaise.
I’ve been a little obsessed with smoked salmon pasta recipes for a while now. I love smoked salmon and I do like those classic smoked salmon pastas with capers and lemon, but I’ve never eaten one that I’ve loved so much that I’d make it again.
I knew that I had to create my best smoked salmon pasta recipe, a recipe I’d want to cook from time to time, and for that to happen I had to add even more quintessentially Russian flavours, hence the addition of sour cream and finely diced dill pickles or gherkins.
I’ve used spaghetti for this dish as I think it works best, but so would linguine, but feel free to use whatever style of pasta you prefer.
Russians are no strangers to pasta and noodles – or lapsha / Лапшa. Russians have eaten noodles since the 1500s, which were brought to Russia by the Mongols and they’ve eaten a variety of pastas since at least the 1700s, when the Italian chef Francesco Leonardi cooked for Empress Catherine II of Russia, best known as Catherine the Great.
Traditionally, noodles and pasta were homemade and hand-cut, although manufactured pasta was popularised during the Soviet era, when pasta was one of the cheapest things to buy.
I’ve taken a cue from my food blogger friend Lorraine who names her cakes and I’ve named this spaghetti with smoked salmon, dill pickles, capers, and fresh fragrant dill after my Russian grandfather who loved to munch on his dill pickles. I’m calling this ‘Pasta alla Ivan’.
Although a glass or two of bubbly or crisp white wine would match well with my smoked salmon spaghetti, I suggest kicking off the meal as papa always did with a chilled shot of vodka.
Just a few tips to making this spaghetti with smoked salmon, dill pickles, capers, and fresh fragrant dill.
Tips to Making our Smoked Salmon Pasta Recipe
I only have a few tips to making my best smoked salmon pasta recipe for spaghetti with smoked salmon, dill pickles, capers, and fresh fragrant dill, as it’s super easy and comes together in less than thirty minutes.
Use the best quality smoked salmon you can afford. Although capers are grown in Southern Russia, most capers are sourced from the Mediterranean, with capers from Pantelleria considered the finest.
I’ve used extra virgin olive oil from Valencia but if we were in Australia we’d probably use gorgeous Australian virgin olive oil.
We have a recipe for homemade dill pickles or gherkins, however, you can certainly use store-bought.
There are just a few dollops of sour cream to add an ever-so-slight tang, however, you could add more if you want a creamier pasta.
The more fresh fragrant dill the better and I also like to squeeze on some additional lemon juice at the end, so if you’re making this for guests I’d suggest providing dishes of lemon quarters and dill.
Spaghetti with Smoked Salmon, Dill Pickles, Capers and Fresh Dill
Ingredients
- 110 g spaghetti no 4
- 3 tbsp virgin olive oil
- ½ brown onion finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves finely diced
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp white pepper
- ½ tsp ground paprika
- ½ tsp chilli flakes optional
- 3 tbsp sour cream
- 100 g smoked salmon torn into small pieces
- 2 small dill pickles finely diced
- 2 tbsp capers drained
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 scallion/spring onion stalks finely sliced
- 3 tbsp fresh dill roughly chopped
Instructions
- To cook the spaghetti, boil a large pot of water, once boiling add a pinch of salt and the whole spaghetti, cook for around 7 minutes or until al dente, then drain the pasta.
- While the spaghetti is cooking, in a large pan or flat round-bottomed wok on medium heat, fry the onion in olive oil until soft and translucent, then add the garlic and continue to fry for another minute or so until aromatic.
- Season with salt, pepper, paprika, and chilli flakes, combine well with the onion and garlic, then add the spaghetti and stir in the sour cream.
- Add the salmon pieces, finely diced dill pickles, capers, and lemon juice, stirring to combine well, just long enough to warm the salmon.
- Lastly, add the finely sliced scallions/spring onions and two tablespoons of fresh dill, taste, then adjust seasoning to your palate.
- Distribute between two plates, drizzle on a little virgin olive oil, garnish with the remaining tablespoon of fresh dill, and, if you like a kick of heat, sprinkle on a pinch of chilli flakes or freshly ground pepper.
Nutrition
Please do let us know in the comments below if you make our best smoked salmon pasta recipe for spaghetti with smoked salmon, dill pickles, capers, and fresh fragrant dill, as we’d love to know how they turn out for you.
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