One day at a time…the Mom-tra of all I keep reminding myself of after the first week of 2021 showed us we won’t be out of the woods for some time. We’re still trying to get steady over here, fams. DadChef returns to work this week & I’m trying to wrap my head around how I’ll manage e-learning for four kids, running our family business & all the other life things. If you’re feeling like it seems impossible to juggle all the balls in your air space right now, you’re not alone peeps. So, instead of throwing myself a pity party, we’re trying to pump out some quick dinner ideas for you to at least help with that unnecessary stress & I think you’ll really enjoy this one. You guys know how much I love making over leftovers and this Salmon Pesto Pasta was a perfect quick & easy dinner using up our Sheet Pan Salmon a few weeks back. It also makes for a yummy Date Night at home meal idea. We cheated & used a store-bought pesto for this one, but it would also taste super delish with our Homemade Nut-free Pesto Recipe!
Salmon Pesto Pasta Recipe Tips
- Use any leftover salmon you have or start with making our Sheet Pan Lemon Garlic Salmon one night & mashing up the leftovers the next night to create this pasta dish. You do not need to cook salmon in smaller portions with veggies as the above recipe calls for. You can also do one large plank salmon sheet pan bake with a combo of olive oil, butter, salt & pepper, sliced red onion, capers, squeeze of fresh lemon & top with dill or another fresh/dried herb. Line large baking pan with parchment paper & bake at 425 F for 25-30 mins on middle rack. We shared this Salmon Bake recipe in our FALL RECIPES highlight on IG.
© House of Kerrs
- Use up the leftover salmon within a few days. Cook pasta al dente & save some pasta water (about a cup) to loosen the pesto as you mix it all together 👌
- Store-bought pesto is totally acceptable or used our Homemade Pesto without the Nuts Recipe! We prefer homemade as it doesn’t have that bitter after taste some preserved versions can leave.
Try our Homemade Nut-Free Pesto Recipe!
Salmon Pesto Pasta Recipe | La Cucina di Kerrs
Ingredients
- 1 pkg Penne Rigate *we used a 500g pkg*
- 1½ cups leftover baked salmon *set out on counter while pasta cooks to bring to room temp or warm a bit in microwave*
- 200 mL Jar of Pesto *or make our homemade nut-free recipe*
- Extra virgin olive oil *enough to lightly coat cooked pasta*
Instructions
- Cook pasta to "al dente" according to package directions, ensuring your pasta water is "salted like the sea". Before draining, use a measuring cup to scoop up & set aside about 1 cup of pasta water. Drain pasta, transfer to a med-large bowl & drizzle with olive oil. Mix to coat pasta so it doesn't stick.
- Add a few tbsp of pesto at a time to your pasta, stirring in between & adding some pasta water to loosen it up if necessary. Repeat this process until your pasta is coated with pesto to your desired taste. Watch our food-torial for this recipe HERE.
- Take your leftover portion of salmon & break up using a fork to desired texture. Add to bowl with pesto-drenched pasta & mix. Serve immediately. Garnish with freshly-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese & fresh basil. Makes 4-6 servings. Buon appetito! Tag us on Instagram @house_of_kerrs or comment below if you try! #LaCucinadiKerrs
More Simple Pasta Recipes
If your family’s in the mood for pasta, but not big on salmon, we think you’ll love these other quick + easy recipes for weeknight dinners or date nights!
Tex Mex Pasta Bake with Taco Night Leftovers
Easy-Peasy Meatless Pasta Sauce
Sundried Tomato Chicken Alfredo Farfalle
One-Pot Lemon Garlic + Shrimp Pasta
We’re going to keep sharing some simple ideas for dinner saves but if there are other meal types you want more of let us know. I’m still more of an intuitive cook, but for our meal-planning fams, check out our 8 Recipes Turned Leftovers for School Lunches suggestions. We love hearing your feedback about our family recipes so let us know if you try this Salmon Pesto Pasta in comments or tag us over on IG @House_of_Kerrs!
Keep well, eat well,
La Cucina di Kerrs
Love the variety of pasta dishes. It does help during these winter times to have fun foods to eat.