Fettuccine With Asparagus and Smoked Salmon

Updated March 5, 2025

Time Breakdown

• Total Time: 35 minutes

• Prep Time: 15 minutes

• Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• ½ pound (225g) fresh asparagus, medium thickness

• Kosher salt (for pasta water)

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

• ½ tablespoon minced shallots

• 1 cup heavy cream (or light cream for reduced calories)

• 4 ounces (115g) smoked salmon, sliced ¼-inch thick

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

• 9–10 ounces (250–280g) fresh fettuccine, preferably green (or gluten-free substitute)

• 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill (or herb alternative)

Preparation Steps

Step 1: Prep Asparagus

Snap off the woody ends of asparagus where they naturally break (typically 1–2 inches from the bottom). Peel tough outer stalks with a vegetable peeler. Cut asparagus diagonally into 1-inch pieces for optimal texture and surface area.

Alternative: For efficiency, skip peeling and snap ends only; cut into 1-inch pieces.

Step 2: Cook Asparagus (Two Methods)

Method A (Traditional Steaming): Steam asparagus in a steamer basket over boiling water for 2–3 minutes until just tender-crisp and bright green (overcooking dulls color). Transfer to a colander, rinse under cold water to stop cooking, drain thoroughly, and set aside.

Method B (Flavor-Infused): Sauté asparagus in butter with shallots (per TV show technique) for 3–4 minutes until tender-crisp. Optional: Add 2–3 tbsp dry white wine for depth.

Step 3: Boil Pasta Water

Bring a large pot of salted water (1 tbsp salt per quart) to a rolling boil.

Step 4: Make Cream Base

While water boils, melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until translucent (2 minutes). Pour in heavy cream, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook 5 minutes to thicken slightly. Stir in asparagus (from Step 2) and smoked salmon (cut into slivers).

Step 5: Season & Rest

Remove skillet from heat, stir in black pepper, lemon juice, and set aside to infuse for 1 minute.

Step 6: Cook Fettuccine

Add fettuccine to boiling water. Stir once, cook 2–3 minutes until al dente (reserve ½ cup pasta water for sauce). Drain without rinsing to retain starch.

Step 7: Assemble & Serve

Reheat sauce briefly. Toss fettuccine with sauce, sprinkle with dill, and serve.

Chef’s Variations & Community Tips

• Calorie-Saving: Use light cream (1:1 substitution for heavy cream) or skip cream for an olive oil-based sauce (shallot-and-dill infused).

• Herb Swaps: Spring onion, parsley, or tarragon instead of dill.

• Pasta Twists: Black ink linguine, gluten-free pasta, or rotini.

• No Cream Option: Substitute with shallot-and-dill olive oil (drizzle over pasta).

• Asparagus Hack: Add to pasta water for the final 2 minutes of cooking to save time.

Community Feedback

• “Added white wine and butter-sautéed asparagus—came out luxurious! Used canned salmon and black ink linguine.”

• “No cream: just olive oil, shallots, dill, and blanched asparagus. Flavors marry perfectly!”

• “Substituted fettuccine with gluten-free rotini and spinach in pasta water. Fabulous!”

Note: All variations tested for flavor; apologies for grammatical errors in user comments (non-native English speaker).

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Enjoy this versatile, elegant dish—customize to your taste while honoring its fresh, creamy core!