Ingredients
- 1 (16 ounce) package penne pasta
- 3 tablespoons salted butter, divided
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped, or more to taste
- 1 pound cooked salmon, flaked
- 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
- ½ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
Why This Recipe Works
Cooking Secrets
- Don’t overcook the salmon; it should be tender and flaky.
- Reserve some pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Toss in the penne and cook it until it’s just tender but still has a little bite—about 11 minutes. While the pasta’s cooking, warm up 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of oil in a big skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and let it cook until it’s soft and translucent, which should take around 5 minutes. Then, stir in the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes until it smells amazing. Add the salmon to the skillet and cook it through, about 3 minutes. Once the pasta is done, drain it and add it straight to the skillet. Toss everything together with the parsley and lemon zest, then squeeze in the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and finish by stirring in the remaining butter and oil until everything looks glossy and delicious.
