Smoked Salmon Pasta Salad
Updated 26th April 2024
This bright and flavorful smoked salmon pasta salad with arugula, peas and asparagus and a creamy, herby, tangy yoghurt dressing is done and ready in 20 minutes and sure to become a summertime favorite.
My husband loves smoked salmon and can eat it on its own. He especially loves it over a thick layer of cream cheese on a toasted bagel (lox & cheese style). I thought I would combine those same flavours, switch out the carb and add some extra greens and veggies to make this a full meal or also a great side. Feel free to use any shape pasta you prefer I just recommend it’s a short pasta. I’m partial to shells and I always use gluten free pasta but you can use regular pasta too - cooked according to the package directions. I cook mine/boil 1 minute longer usually when I’m making pasta salad because as pasta cools its starch and texture changes and this can give cooled/chilled pasta the texture of undercooked pasta. So an extra minute of boiling is quite fine or even recommended.
It’s such a delicious make-ahead recipe perfect for a summer picnic, bbq or lunch. It can easily be doubled to feed a crowd at a potluck or any larger gathering. If I’m making this ahead of time I usually make it the morning I plan to serve it or overnight and usually hold off on adding the arugula until just before serving so that it doesn’t wilt overnight. If arugula isn’t your favorite thing you can easy swap it out for baby kale which holds up in a pasta salad well or you can use baby spinach also for a mellower green. I love my pasta salad loaded so I went with the peas and asparagus but this is just as good with just the pasta and the salmon and the luscious yoghurt dressing. The peas and asparagus are an easy and fab addition and are cooked right in the same pot as the pasta, and the dressing can easily be whipped up in the serving bowl. Then simply toss and enjoy. It’s the perfect fresh and lighter dinner or lunch option and makes a great brunch option too.
Smoked Salmon Pasta Salad Ingredients
For the Salad
- PASTA: I love to use baby shells - not the mini ones the small ones but feel free to use any shape small to medium pasta like farfalle, penne, or fusilli. You will need appears 8 oz of ½ lb
- SMOKED SALMON: Use your favorite smoked salmon - fresh or frozen. If frozen allow to thaw in the fridge and use as directed. I went a bit heavy on the smoked salmon for this recipe because my hubby loves it so feel free to add less or more as desired.
- GREEN PEAS: Green peas are a nice add-in and cook quickly
- ASPARUGUS: I love asparagus in a pasta salad - the more vegetables the better I say!
- ARUGULA: This peppery bright green arugula is a nice contrast to the creamy savoury parts of the salad - feel free to swap it out for baby spinach or any leafy greens.
- EXTRA ADD INS: Chopped red onion or shallots, chopped English cucumber, bell pepper, celery for some crunch, cherry tomatoes, or even chopped hardboiled eggs.
For the Dressing
- OLIVE OIL: Really adds richness to the dressing
- GREEK YOGURT: I like to use Greek yogurt or sour cream for the dressing
- MAYONNAISE: Use regular mayo or avocado mayo for the dressing
- DIJON MUSTARD: Adds a nice punch of flavour to the dressing
- FRESH HERBS & SEASONING: I like to use fresh herbs - fresh dill, fresh parsley, fresh chives or green onions for the herbs and season with salt and pepper to taste
- LEMON JUICE & LEMON ZEST: I like the flavours of the lemon juice and zest but you could easily swap it our for white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar or even champagne vinegar
- EXTRA ADD INS: some like the dressing more garlicky - feel free to add a minced clove of garlic to the dressing if you would like ** A note about the dressing: This recipe makes approx 1 ¼ cups of dressing which is hefty amount for this pasta salad - although some people really like a creamy saucy pasta salad. What I usually do is spoon over half first and add more as needed. Leftover dressing will keep really well in the fridge in a sealed container for 3 days in the refrigerator. This is a good thing because not only is it delicious and you can use it as a salad dressing for other salads or a dip for veggies but if you are making the salad ahead and chilling overnight then you will need to add a bit extra dressing to loosen it up as the noodles will absorb some of it.
Smoked Salmon Pasta Salad Step By Step Instructions
- COOK PASTA: Cook the pasta to al dente according to package instructions or just 1 minute more. Drain and rinse thoroughly with cold water to stop the cooking.
- COOK THE VEGGIES: While the pasta is on its last 3 minutes of cooking add the peas and asparagus to the pasta water and cook with the pasta until its done, drain and rinse with the pasta. toss with a little olive oil - optional.
- MAKE DRESSING: Whisk together the dressing ingredients until smooth in a large mixing bowl. Set aside or chill.
- TOSS SALAD WITH DRESSING: Add drained pasta and vegetables to a large bowl along with the salmon and arugula. Spoon over half of the dressing and toss everything gently adding more dressing as needed to reach desired consistency.
- CHILL & SERVE: Serve immediately or cover and chill for 1 hour to allow flavours to meld. If you are chilling and not serving the salad immediately DO NOT add the arugula yet - toss it in when ready to serve so it doesn’t wilt
Make Ahead & Storage
- MAKE-AHEAD: The pasta salad can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator -tightly covered- for at least 1 hour but up to 1 day before serving, but can also be served immediately.
- If storing it overnight, DO NOT ADD the arugula in until just before serving. You will also probably need to stir in a little extra dressing to loosen it back up as the pasta absorbs dressing while it rests in the refrigerator.
- If you do want to make parts of it ahead, you can. Mix the dressing 1-3 days in advance and refrigerate it. You can also cook the pasta and veggies ahead of time - drain rinse and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil to prevent pasta from sticking together. Keep them tightly covered in the refrigerator.
- The dressing can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge in an airtight container.
- STORAGE: Leftover pasta salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last up to 3-4 days in the fridge, yet the arugula will be wilted so keep that in mind. Generally This kind of pasta salad is best eaten within a day.
The yogurt based dressing and the salmon makes this pasta salad irresistibly creamy, rich and full of deliciousness. The herby dressing is so simple to make and is perfect with this pasta salad - we love it and use it in a lot of other salads too. The smoked salmon is best chopped up into bite-sized pieces, which makes it easier to mix through the pasta salad and also ensures that there’s a piece of salmon in each bite. A Creamy Homemade Dressing mixed with fresh summer vegetables, smoked salmon, and shell pasta, the perfect summer Pasta Salad dinner idea. Fast and Easy and really tasty. Enjoy!
Recipe
Ingredients
For the pasta salad
- 8 ounces small shell pasta (approx 2½ cups pasta)
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 small bunch asparagus trimmed and cut into ½ inch pieces (approx 1 cup)
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 cup packed baby arugula
- 4-6 ounces smoked salmon, torn or chopped into 1-inch pieces
- ¼ cup chopped red onion or shallot (optional)
For the creamy tangy yoghurt dressing (makes Approx 1¼ cup)
- ½ cup greek yoghurt
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh chives
- 1 tablespoon capers, drained and rough chopped
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Whisk together the yogurt, mayonnaise, and mustard in a medium bowl until well blended. Whisk in the olive oil, dill, parsley, chives, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water according to package directions, add asparagus 3 min before pasta is done and peas 1 minute before time. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain well.
- Transfer to large bowl and toss with 1 tbsp of olive oil (optional to prevent sticking).
- Add the smoked salmon and arugula if serving within the hour otherwise toss the arugula in just before serving (to prevent it from wilting).
- Pour half the dressing over the pasta mixture and stir to thoroughly incorporate. Add more dressing as needed. Enjoy straight away or cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Taste the salad again for seasoning before serving, adding more salt or pepper if needed.
Recipe Notes
- The pasta salad can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for at least 1 hour but up to 1 day before serving, but can also be served immediately.
- If storing it overnight or for longer than 1 hour, DO NOT ADD the arugula in until just before serving. You will also probably need to stir in a little extra dressing to loosen it back up as the pasta absorbs dressing while it rests in the refrigerator.
- A note about the dressing: This recipe makes approx 1 ¼ cups of dressing which is quite a bit of dressing for this pasta salad - although some people really like a creamy saucy pasta salad. What I usually do is spoon over half first and add more as needed. Leftover dressing will keep really well in the fridge in a sealed container for 3 days in the refrigerator. This is a good thing because not only is it delicious and you can use it as a salad dressing or a dip for veggies but if you are making the salad ahead and chilling overnight then you will need to add a bit extra dressing to loosen it up as the noodles will absorb some of it.
