Lemon Salmon Pasta (Light Lemon Garlic Recipe)

Name: Lemon Salmon Pasta (Light Lemon Garlic Recipe)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 3 tbsp High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil; 1 lb salmon fillet, skin removed, cut into 2 pieces; 12 oz spaghetti; 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 1 large lemon, zested and juiced; 3 cups baby spinach; 1/4 cup dry white wine; 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped; 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped; 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes; 1 tsp kosher salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground; 2 tbsp Ultra High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for finishing

Flaked salmon and spaghetti tossed in a light lemon-garlic extra virgin olive oil sauce, with fresh herbs and a peppery finishing drizzle. A bright, fast weeknight dinner that skips the heavy cream and lets the salmon and lemon stay front and center.

By Olivea Kitchen | Published July 02, 2026

Jump to Recipe

Prep 10 min

Cook 20 min

Total 30 min

Easy

Why We Love This Recipe

We love this lemon salmon pasta because it eats light and leans on whole, fresh ingredients. Salmon brings lean protein and omega-3 fats, the lemon and herbs add brightness with no added sugar, and a handful of spinach folds in greens without changing the character of the dish. Skipping the heavy cream keeps the bowl fresh rather than rich, so the olive oil, lemon, and fish are what you taste.

The sauce is built on extra virgin olive oil, the cornerstone fat of the Mediterranean diet and a source of monounsaturated fats. Our High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil carries the garlic and lemon evenly through the sauce, and a raw drizzle of the bolder Ultra High Phenolic at the table adds a grassy, peppery lift. That peppery catch at the back of your throat is the hydroxytyrosol you can taste, the most studied olive polyphenol. Our oil is rich in polyphenols (the Ultra labeled 1,000+ mg/kg, the High Phenolic 500+ mg/kg, qNMR-verified by the University of Athens), USDA Certified Organic, single-origin from Messinia, Greece, early harvest and cold-pressed within hours, and developed with Harvard-trained cardiologists. Because polyphenols are highest in fresh oil and fade with time and heat, a raw finishing drizzle from a fresh bottle is how the most of them reach the plate. If you are curious about how hydroxytyrosol is absorbed, the research is worth a read. For more on the testing behind our oils, see our science page.

You also get real nutrition from the supporting cast: lemon adds vitamin C, spinach contributes vitamin A, vitamin K, folate, and iron, and garlic and parsley bring their own aromatic compounds. Eaten as part of a Mediterranean-style pattern of fish, vegetables, whole grains, and olive oil, this is the kind of plate that feels as good as it tastes.

View Nutrition Facts

Recipe Success Tips

Do not overcook the salmon.

Pull the salmon while the center is just barely translucent and let carryover heat finish it. Overcooked salmon turns chalky and breaks into dry shards instead of the moist, large flakes you want folded through the pasta.

Save the pasta water.

Reserve at least a cup of starchy cooking water before you drain. A few splashes loosen the lemon-garlic oil into a glossy sauce that clings to every strand instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.

Add the lemon off the heat.

Stir most of the lemon juice in after you cut the heat, and reserve a squeeze for the very end. Cooking lemon juice hard dulls its brightness, so a fresh hit at the finish keeps the dish lively.

Bloom the garlic gently.

Cook the garlic in the High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil over medium heat just until fragrant and pale gold, about a minute. Let it brown and it turns bitter, which the lemon cannot fully cover.

Finish raw for flavor and freshness.

Reach for a fresh, peppery high-phenolic oil for the table drizzle. Olive oil polyphenols are at their best in a fresh bottle used raw, so the finishing pour is where both the flavor and the goodness land most directly on the plate.

Zest before you juice.

Grate the lemon zest first, then juice the bare fruit. The zest carries most of the lemon's aroma, and a little folded in at the end gives the pasta a fragrant, almost floral citrus note the juice alone cannot.

Ingredients

servings

3 tbsp High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 lb salmon fillet, skin removed, cut into 2 pieces
12 oz spaghetti
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 large lemon, zested and juiced
3 cups baby spinach
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
2 tbsp Ultra High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for finishing

Kitchen Tools You'll Need

Large Pot

Large Skillet

Microplane or Zester

Fish Spatula

Tongs

How to Cook Lemon Salmon Pasta (Light Lemon Garlic Recipe)

PREP

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Pat the salmon dry and season both pieces with salt and pepper. Zest the lemon and set the zest aside, then juice the lemon into a small bowl.

COOK

Warm 2 tablespoons of the High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Lay the salmon in and cook undisturbed for about 4 minutes per side, until the center is just barely translucent. Transfer to a plate and flake into large pieces with a fork once cool enough to handle.

Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook to al dente, about 1 minute shy of the package time. Reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.

Lower the skillet to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Add the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant and pale gold, about 1 minute, letting the oil carry the garlic evenly without browning it. Pour in the white wine and simmer for 2 minutes to cook off the sharp edge.

FINISH

Cut the heat. Add the drained spaghetti, spinach, most of the lemon juice, and a splash of pasta water, tossing until the spinach wilts and the sauce turns glossy and coats the strands. Loosen with more pasta water as needed.

Fold in the flaked salmon, lemon zest, parsley, and dill, and finish with the reserved squeeze of lemon. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Plate and finish each bowl with a drizzle of Ultra High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil for a bold, grassy, peppery lift that brightens the lemon and salmon.

Recipe Notes

Serving Suggestions

Keep the table light and bright around it. A simple green salad dressed with a sharp lemon vinaigrette echoes the citrus, and a spoonful of cool lemon dill sauce for salmon on the side is lovely if you like extra herbiness with the fish.

Variations

For a similar weeknight pasta without the salmon, swap in shrimp and follow our lemon garlic shrimp pasta. If you want to lean fully into the fish, leftover salmon also folds beautifully into a creamy salmon risotto the next night. You can also stir in a handful of halved cherry tomatoes or capers for extra brightness.

Which Olivea Oil to Use

Cook the garlic and build the sauce with the smoother High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which holds up gently to the pan and melts evenly into the lemon and garlic. Save the bolder, more peppery Ultra High Phenolic for the raw drizzle at the table, where its grassy, throat-catching finish is the point. Prefer a gentler bowl? Skip the Ultra and finish with a little more of the High Phenolic instead.

Storage Tips

Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water to loosen the sauce, and add a fresh squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil to revive the brightness. Store your olive oil away from heat and light to protect its fresh, peppery flavor.

Nutrition Facts per Serving

Nutrition Facts

Serving size 1 bowl (about 1/4 recipe)

Calories 610

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 26g33%

Saturated Fat 4.5g23%

Trans Fat 0g

Unsaturated Fat 20g

Monounsaturated Fat 14g

Polyunsaturated Fat 5g

Cholesterol 62mg21%

Sodium 560mg24%

Total Carbohydrate 68g25%

Dietary Fiber 4g14%

Total Sugars 3g

Includes 0g Added Sugars 0%

Protein 34g68%

Vitamin A 180mcg20%

Vitamin C 14mg16%

Vitamin D 12mcg60%

Calcium 70mg5%

Iron 3.5mg19%

Potassium 820mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

The Best No-Cook Way to Get Olive Oil Benefits

Finishing this pasta with a fresh, raw drizzle is the tastiest way to get olive polyphenols straight to the plate. For an easy daily dose without cooking, our Olivea Hydroxytyrosol Supplement delivers the same olive polyphenols in one simple capsule, a convenient habit to pair with a Mediterranean-style table.

Olivea Hydroxytyrosol Supplement

$40.00

Add to Cart

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of salmon is best for lemon salmon pasta?

A center-cut fillet works best, whether wild or farmed. Look for even thickness so it cooks at the same rate, and remove the skin before cooking so the salmon flakes cleanly into the pasta.

Can I make lemon salmon pasta without cream?

Yes, this version is intentionally cream-free. A light lemon-garlic sauce built on extra virgin olive oil and a splash of starchy pasta water gives you a glossy, clingy sauce that keeps the dish bright rather than heavy.

How do I keep the salmon from drying out?

Pull it from the heat while the center is just barely translucent and let carryover heat finish it. Folding the warm flakes in at the end, off the heat, keeps them moist and tender.

What pasta shape works best for salmon pasta?

Long strands like spaghetti or linguine catch the lemon-garlic oil well. Short shapes like penne or fusilli also work and cradle the flaked salmon in their ridges and cups.

Can I use leftover or canned salmon?

Absolutely. Flake leftover cooked salmon and fold it in at the finish to warm through. Good-quality canned or pouched salmon works too in a pinch, drained well before adding.

Which olive oil should I use for lemon salmon pasta?

Use a smooth high-phenolic extra virgin olive oil for cooking the garlic and building the sauce, then finish with a bolder, more peppery extra virgin olive oil raw at the table. The fresh raw drizzle is where the oil's grassy, peppery flavor comes through most.

Is lemon salmon pasta healthy?

It fits a Mediterranean-style pattern: lean fish, greens, whole-grain or regular pasta, and extra virgin olive oil as the main fat. Salmon adds protein and omega-3 fats, and finishing with a fresh raw olive oil keeps the dish light and bright.

Can I add vegetables to salmon pasta?

Spinach folds right in and wilts in the residual heat. Asparagus, peas, cherry tomatoes, or zucchini all work well and keep the dish fresh and seasonal.

How long does lemon salmon pasta keep?

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently with a splash of water and a fresh squeeze of lemon to bring back the brightness.

Can I make this gluten-free?

Yes, simply swap in your favorite gluten-free spaghetti. The lemon-garlic olive oil sauce, salmon, and herbs are naturally gluten-free, so only the pasta needs changing.