Life comes full circle! I had a blast cooking with one of my oldest artist and dear friend Eric Benet! Eric and I have had a very long history in the music business but what’s super special is that we have remained very good friends and have grown up together in this crazy amazing entertainment business.
Back in 1992, at EMI records, I signed Eric and his sister Lisa as the duo group Bene’t in 1992 . Then in 1995, I signed Eric as a solo artist to Warner Brother Records. I executive produced “True to Myself” and “A Day in the Life”! We had a blast and have always stayed connected helping each other out during the years!
Now it was time to cook with Eric on ALIV and we had a blast reminiscing on our past music business careers as well as catching up on our current projects. Since Eric is a doesn’t eat meat I decide to cook something light and easy and this Salmon Pasta recipe is light, easy and so delicious! It’s made with staple ingredients and there are many options for substitutions so you can make this pasta with what you have on hand. In just 20 minutes you can have a tasty and cozy dinner on the table.
This Salmon Pasta recipe is fast and flavorful. Cajun spices, tomatoes, kalamata olives, and garlic make this dish irresistible!
How to make Cajun salmon pasta
- Season salmon with cajun seasoning.
- Sear the salmon on both sides in a hot skillet for 2 minutes/side;
- Take the fish out of the pan and set aside;
- Add the onion, garlic, and tomatoes, olives to the pan, followed by the lemon juice and oregano seasoning;
- Add the salmon back into the pan and cook for a few more minutes. I also like to add some fresh parsley(not necessary but very tasty).
Recipe tip: I bought four piece of fresh salmon that weighed around 1/2 a pound. Anything around there works, really. You can buy either skin-on or skin-off salmon. The skin is fine to eat, but some people don’t like to. If you buy a piece with the skin on but don’t want to eat it, I suggest peeling the skin off on the step where you’ve taken the salmon out of the pan… it should come off easily.
Salmon Pasta
4
servings10
minutes20
minutes300
kcalIngredients
4 ounces uncooked pasta
1/2 pound fresh salmon
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
3 cloves garlic minced
1 onion minced
1/2 jar of kalamata olives (sliced)
1 can tomatoes (juiced drained)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
Fresh parsley, torn to taste (optional)
Freshly grated parmesan cheese to taste (optional)
Salt & pepper to taste
1 tsp of oregano
Directions
- Boil a large, salted pot of water for the pasta. Cook it al dente according to package directions. When the pasta is about 10 minutes away from being done, start the sauce.
- Lightly season the salmon with cajun seasoning.
- Add the oil and butter to a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the salmon for 2 minutes/side.
- Take the fish out of the pan and set it aside. Reduce the stove’s heat to medium.
- Add the onion and garlic to the pan. Cook for 5 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Add the kalamata olives, tomatoes and lemon juice, and oregano seasoning to the pan. Stir until the sauce is smooth.
- Add the salmon back into the pan and break it up using your spoon. Let it cook for a few more minutes until it’s cooked through and the sauce has thickened up a bit. Add some fresh parsley in the last minute or two of cooking if using.
- Drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce. Serve with freshly grated parmesan if desired.
