Blackened Salmon Penne Primavera Worth Making Tonight
Bold spiced blackened salmon meets spring wine-kissed vegetables, and buttery penne. Zero complicated techniques, just smart layering that pays off big.
Equipment
- Large pot to cook the pasta
- medium pot to blanch the vegetables
- large skillet to make the primavera sauce
- Large cast iron skillet or heavy bottomed skillet, to cook the salmon
Ingredients
For the Pasta and Vegetables:
- ½ cup asparagus tips
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 1 cup broccoli tips
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion large dice
- 1 small red bell pepper cut in strips
- 1 clove garlic
- ⅓ cup dry white wine pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc
- 12-15 cherry or grape tomatoes halved
- 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- Pinch black pepper
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 small zucchini cut into bite sized pieces
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¾ cup torn basil leaves
- 6 ounces penne pasta
For the Salmon:
- 2 salmon fillets 4 oz each, skin removed
- 4 Teaspoons olive oil divided
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt decrease salt amount by half if your blackening seasoning already has salt in it
- 1 Tablespoon blackening seasoning
- 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- ½ lemon
Instructions
Blanch the Vegetables
- Prepare a medium pot of water with 1 teaspoon of salt and bring it to a boil over high heat. While waiting for it to boil, prepare a medium bowl of ice water to shock the vegetables.3 teaspoons kosher salt
- Once the water is boiling, add the asparagus and broccoli. Blanch for 1 minute, then remove with a slotted spoon or spider and dunk into the ice water to prevent further cooking. They can be removed after a few minutes to some paper towels to dry.1 cup broccoli tips, ½ cup asparagus tips
Prep the Pasta Pot and Start the Sauce
- Prepare a large pot of water with the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt for the pasta and bring to a boil.3 teaspoons kosher salt
- Meanwhile, start the sauce by adding 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large pan. Add the onion, bell pepper, the whole garlic clove, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook until softened, about 2 minutes over medium heat. Then add the wine and reduce for a minute. Add the tomatoes, Italian seasoning, black pepper, an additional ½ teaspoon salt, and red pepper flakes. Turn the heat to medium-low and gently cook for 5 minutes. Next, turn the heat to low and add the zucchini, and blanched asparagus and broccoli.3 teaspoons kosher salt, 2 tablespoon olive oil, 1 small onion, 1 small red bell pepper, 1 clove garlic, ⅓ cup dry white wine, 12-15 cherry or grape tomatoes, 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning, Pinch black pepper, Pinch red pepper flakes, 1 small zucchini
- Cook the pasta while the sauce simmers on low according to package directions to al dente. Simmer the sauce for 7-10 minutes on low. At this point, the pasta should be cooked.6 ounces penne pasta
- Next, add the parmesan to the sauce, then transfer the cooked pasta into the pan with the sauce (reserve some pasta water). Add some pasta water a few tablespoons at a time for a total of between ¼ and ½ cup while stirring to create a sauce. Remove the sauce from the heat, stir in 3 tablespoons of butter and the basil leaves.¼ cup grated parmesan, 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, ¾ cup torn basil leaves
Cook the Salmon and Finish the Dish
- While the pasta cooks, make the salmon. Season both sides of the salmon with 2 teaspoons of olive oil, then a pinch of salt per fillet and the blackening seasoning.2 salmon fillets , 4 Teaspoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 Tablespoon blackening seasoning
- Heat a cast iron skillet or heavy pan over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Place the salmon fillets gently into the pan and cook for about 4 minutes. Then add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, flip the fish and cook an additional 3-4 minutes depending on the thickness of the salmon and how well you like it done. Remove the salmon and either keep warm in a 170°F oven or serve on top of the pasta immediately if you made the fish last.4 Teaspoons olive oil, 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- Once plated, drizzle everything with some lemon juice and serve with extra Parmesan and basil if desired.½ lemon
Notes
Substitutions:
- Vegetables: You can really go for any combination of green vegetables or bell peppers in this dish. Fresh spinach, green peas or sugar snap peas are all great spring vegetables that can be used in this pasta.
- White Wine: If you don't drink wine or don't want to open a bottle, use chicken or vegetable stock with a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Parmigiano-Reggiano: Grana Padano or pecorino are good replacements for Parmesan and work well in this dish.
- Penne: Swap the penne for any short pasta that has ridges or texture. Rigatoni, ziti, farfalle and cavatappi all work.
- Basil: Swap the basil for fresh parsley or dill if you want a different herb profile. Dill is especially good with salmon.
- Salmon: Cod or halibut will work as will shrimp and they all like blackened seasoning.
- How to store leftover penne primavera:
- Store the pasta and vegetables separately from the salmon if you can. The pasta will absorb moisture overnight and the sauce will thicken up, which is fine. Put the pasta in an airtight container and the salmon in a separate one. Both will keep in the fridge for up to three days.
- How to reheat leftover penne primavera:
- Reheat the pasta gently in a pan over low heat with a splash of water or stock. Stir it frequently so it doesn't stick or clump. The sauce will loosen up as it heats. If it's still too thick, add more liquid a tablespoon at a time.
- Reheat the salmon in a 300°F oven for about five minutes, just until it's warmed through.
- Can you freeze leftover penne primavera?
- We do not recommend this as the vegetables will turn mushy and the sauce will break when you thaw it. The pasta will get waterlogged and the salmon will lose its texture.
- Blanch the veggies in advance. Blanch your asparagus and broccoli in nicely salted water hours ahead, dry them off, and keep them in the fridge. When you're ready to cook, they go straight into the sauce and heat through nicely.
- Adding butter at the end instead of stirring it in while the pan is on the heat keeps the sauce from breaking. Cold butter emulsifies better than room-temperature butter because it melts slowly and incorporates into the starchy pasta water.
- Adding pasta water in stages instead of dumping it all in at once gives you control over the sauce consistency. Taste as you go and adjust.
- Do not rinse the pasta after draining. That starchy coating is what makes the sauce stick. When you rinse pasta, you wash away the starch and end up with slippery noodles that won't hold onto anything.
Nutrition
Calories: 817kcalCarbohydrates: 89gProtein: 43gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 118mgSodium: 1430mgPotassium: 1684mgFiber: 10gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 4202IUVitamin C: 173mgCalcium: 267mgIron: 6mg
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