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Salmon Zucchini Orzo Pasta is the perfect summer dinner, brimming with seasonal veggies like zucchini, basil, and sweet corn cut off the cob! It's super simple with pan seared salmon fillets and creamy orzo, ready in 40 minutes! A summer favorite, but you can substitute frozen corn to make this dish all year!
- Garden Ingredients! - Chip away at the pile of summertime zucchini! This Salmon Zucchini Pasta highlights seasonal produce with that corn cut off the cob bringing amazing flavor! Try this Zucchini Corn Chowder or check out these 15 Ways to Use Garden Fresh Zucchini too!
- Quick and Easy - This complete dinner starts with a simple cream sauce, full of veggies and balanced with protein. While the orzo pasta boils, you can quickly pan sear the salmon, and make the sauce in the same skillet before tossing it all together.
- For More Summer Pastas, try my Creamy Zucchini Mushroom Pasta, this Italian Sausage Gnocchi Skillet, or our Bacon Mushroom Green Bean Pasta!
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Ingredients & Substitutions
Simple ingredients, lots of summer produce, and beautiful wild-caught salmon, this Salmon Zucchini Pasta is a basic Alfredo cream sauce made with butter, cream and Parmesan cheese.
- Salmon - I like to buy wild-caught salmon over farm-raised for the best quality. You'll need about 1 pound and can buy a whole filet and cut it yourself or buy it already portioned. If buying from the fish counter, you can ask them to remove the skin and pin bones. You can even use frozen salmon thawed overnight in the fridge.
- Butter and Olive Oil - Use both and don't skimp! The butter and olive oil will first be used to pan-fry the salmon, then saute the veggies, and finally give flavor and richness to the cream sauce, all in the same skillet!
- Orzo Pasta - Orzo pasta is shaped like rice, tiny in size, but wonderfully blends into this dish! You could substitute another small pasta like bowtie, small shells, or even gnocchi for a fun variation! You'd want to use more than the amount of orzo, maybe 2 or 3 cups of dried pasta.
- Onion and Garlic - The base layer of flavor to build your cream sauce.
- Zucchini - We love using those garden zucchini all summer long! I've used 2 smaller zucchini, but measure about 2 cups when chopped. Zucchini vary greatly in size. Yellow summer squash could also be used. If you've got zucchini, try these Zucchini Banana Bread Muffins too!
- Corn off the Cob - Sweet corn, cut off the cob brings incredible flavor to this pasta. It gives a hint of sweetness and of course just screams summer! You could use frozen corn to make this dish any time of year, it won't be quite as flavorful.
- Cream - Heavy cream is the workhorse of sauce making! A cup of heavy cream slightly reduces to thicken and incorporate all the veggies, orzo and Parmesan to form a velvety rich sauce for the salmon to nestle in!
- Basil - Summer's favorite herb, fresh basil brings a bright pop of color and rich flavor to your salmon.
- Parmesan Cheese - Enhancing the cream sauce, I like to buy a block of Parmesan cheese and shred it myself for the best quality. Plus it lasts so much longer than anything pre-shredded and is usually cheaper when you compare the amount.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
While the pasta cooks separately, everything else is made in a large skillet. The salmon is pan-seared, followed by the veggies which are made into the sauce before tossing it all together!
Step 1 - Set the pasta water to boil and then prep all your veggies. Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise and then chop it into half circles.
Carefully remove the husk and silk from the corn, lay it on a cutting board and slice off the kernels.
Step 2 - The secret to sauce making, save the starchy pasta cooking water!
Cook the orzo for 9 minutes, but before you drain it, pull out about a cup of the starchy liquid. You will use it later for the cream sauce.
Step 3 - Preheat a skillet with the olive oil and butter over medium heat.
Season the salmon and pan fry it. Start with the skin side up, about 2 to 4 minutes per side depending on thickness.
Step 4 - Set the cooked salmon aside on a plate and add the onion, zucchini and corn to the hot butter and oil.
Season with salt and pepper and saute about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Step 5 - When the veggies are cooked and slightly golden, add the garlic and stir a minute until fragrant.
Step 6 - Add the cream and ½ cup of the starchy pasta water you saved. Simmer over low heat to thicken the sauce, about 5 minutes.
Step 7 - Add in the drained orzo, some of the chopped basil, and Parmesan cheese.
Stir well to combine. You can add more of the starchy cooking liquid if it seems too dry.
Step 8 - Nestle your salmon filets back into the pasta.
Garnish with fresh basil leaves and more Parmesan cheese.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Cooking the Salmon - This is really going to depend on the size and thickness of your pieces of fish. Make sure the butter and oil are hot. If your salmon does have the skin, that's ok. You can cut it off when it's raw, which can be tricky, or cook it and then peel it off. Start with the presentation side of the filet down in the hot oil so the skin side is up. Once it hits the pan, don't try to move it around, let it sear. After 2 to 4 minutes, gently shake the pan and see if the salmon releases. If it does, flip it. If it doesn't give it a bit longer or use a metal spatula to lightly unstick and flip. You want the salmon just cooked through, still slightly translucent in the middle, and not overcooked.
- Let the Salmon Rest - This is built into the recipe, and for good reason. While you saute your veggies and make the sauce, your salmon gets a chance to rest. This allows for a bit of carry-over cooking, lets the juices redistribute and keeps the salmon tender. The sauce cooks quickly, but if you're worried your salmon will get cold, you can cover it with foil.
- Save the Pasta Cooking Water - Get in the habit of pulling out some of the pasta cooking liquid before you drain it! It stretches the cream sauce and allows you to adjust the consistency of the sauce if it becomes too dry. A cream sauce will continue to reduce, thicken and eventually dry out the longer you let it simmer. If this happens, just add a bit of the pasta water.
- Storage - Leftovers can be refrigerated and eaten in the next day or two.
- Freezer Tips - This dish should not be frozen. You can however use frozen salmon, thawed overnight in the fridge, and frozen corn, no need to thaw.
What to Serve it with
This salmon veggie orzo pasta is a complete meal on its own, but would be great with a salad or summer appetizer!
- Salad - Add a green salad like this Blue Cheese Apple Walnut Salad or this Italian Mixed Greens Salad. You could also pair it with this Green Bean Salad, a Panzanella Bread Salad or this Melon Prosciutto Salad.
- Appetizer - Add an appetizer, especially if serving company! Try this Cherry Tomato Bruschetta, or these Peach Prosciutto Caprese Skewers.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, this Salmon Zucchini Pasta would be delicious subbed with grilled chicken, Italian sausage links, shrimp or another type of fish.
Yes, you could add or substitute sliced red bell pepper, a handful of cherry tomatoes, green beans, yellow summer squash or different herbs such as fresh thyme, chives, or oregano.
You could substitute half & half for the heavy cream, but the sauce won't thicken up quite as much or be as rich and velvety.
Get in the habit of pulling out that pasta water, it's essential for sauce making! But, if you do forget, you can use regular water or milk. I wouldn't add too much more heavy cream, 1 cup is enough or your sauce will get pretty rich.
More Recipes to Try!
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Salmon Zucchini Orzo Pasta
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Print Pin RateIngredients
For the Salmon
- 1 pound salmon filets skin removed
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 grinds fresh black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons butter
For the Sauce
- 1 cup dry orzo pasta (reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining)
- 1 small onion chopped (about 1 cup)
- 2 small zucchini chopped (about 2 cups)
- 1 ear sweet corn kernels cut from the cob (about 1 cup)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 grinds fresh black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- ⅓ cup fresh basil leaves roughly chopped
Instructions
- Prep all ingredients before beginning. Set a pot of water to boil for the orzo and use another large skillet to pan sear the salmon, saute the veggies, make the sauce, and finally combine with the orzo.Portion the salmon into 4 pieces and season with salt and pepper. Chop the onion and garlic, cut the zucchini in half lengthwise then slice into half circles, and cut the corn kernels off the cob.
- When the water is boiling, add a pinch of salt and cook the orzo for 9 minutes. BEFORE DRAINING, pull out about 1 cup of the starchy cooking water and reserve for the sauce. A ladle, coffee mug or measuring cup work well.
- Meanwhile, preheat a large skillet over medium heat with olive oil and butter. When hot, sear the salmon, presentation side down (skin side up), about 2 to 4 minutes per side. This will vary greatly depending on the thickness of the salmon. You want it just cooked through but not over cooked, you can flake a corner with a fork to check. Remove to a plate.
- Add the onion, zucchini and corn to the hot oil and butter in the skillet and saute until golden. Season with salt and pepper. Stir often but not too often so some color can develop, about 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, then add the heavy cream and ½ cup of the starchy pasta cooking water. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer about 5 minutes until thickened.
- Add the drained orzo, Parmesan cheese and some of the fresh chopped basil. Add more starchy cooking liquid as needed if your sauce becomes too dry.
- Nestle the salmon fillets into the orzo to rewarm. Garnish with more fresh basil leaves and Parmesan.
Notes
- Salmon - I used wild-caught salmon, skin removed and cut into 4 portions. You can ask for the skin and the pin bones to be removed at the seafood counter. You could also cook the fish with the skin on, then peel it off after being cooked. You can also use frozen salmon, thawed overnight in the fridge.
- Frozen corn can be substituted to make this dish any time of year.
- Other fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary or oregano can be subbed for the basil. Or add ½ teaspoon dried herbs.
- To stretch the recipe, use add an extra ¼ to ½ cup of orzo.
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