Creamy Salmon Leek Pasta Bake (Healthy)

This delicious salmon pasta bake with leek is a quick and easy family dinner idea that comes together in under 30 minutes. Despite being low in fat it is creamy and comforting and comes with a light and crispy blanket of panko breadcrumbs. I will show you how to make this recipe using salmon leftovers as well as how to easily prepare the salmon from raw.

One-pot pasta dishes make fantastic weeknight family meals and today I am sharing a quick and delicious recipe for a creamy salmon pasta bake.  In addition to the salmon and pasta you will need one vegetable and a few pantry ingredients to make the sauce. Plus a handful of breadcrumbs to create an incredibly light and crispy topping.

Salmon pasta bake ingredients

You can use either salmon leftovers or easily prepare salmon from raw.  You can cook salmon from raw using 2 methods: oven or stove top.  To cook the salmon in the oven season and drizzle it with a little melted butter and bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes at 375 F/190 C/ gas mark 5.  The salmon does not need to be fully cooked - it will finish cooking with the pasta.  

Alternatively shallow fry the salmon in a non-stick pan in 1-2 tablespoons of oil/butter for 2 minutes on each side.  Add into the casserole straight from the pan/oven.

In my sauce recipes I always rely on low fat, healthy ingredients that deliver fantastic results without too many calories.  In this case - low fat (semi-skimmed) milk and fromage frais (fromage blanc).  The sauce (based on my simple white sauce recipe) also contains a little mustard and vegetable stock cube for more depth of flavour.

Cook the fusilli pasta al dente following the packet instructions. I cooked mine for 4 minutes (from the time it reached boiling point).

I created the crispy topping using toasted panko breadcrumbs (fine breadcrumbs will not produce the same results). If you don't toast the breadcrumbs ahead (with a little butter) the topping might be dry rather than crispy. (I also used this method in crispy salmon fish fingers and crispy chicken fingers recipes).

You won't need to add any salt into the casserole (the stock cube contains enough salt) but I recommend adding a good amount of white pepper - it adds more sharpness and flavour.

Step-by-step recipe instructions

1.Cook your pasta al dente in salted water (about 4 minutes). Drain and set aside. If you need to cook the salmon you can do this as the pasta is bubbling away (see Recipe Notes for instructions). 

In the meantime toast the panko. In a non-stick pan melt 1 tablespoon of the butter, add the panko breadcrumbs and toast for a few minutes over a medium heat until golden stirring all the time. Remove from the pan and set aside. Preheat the oven to 425 F/ 220 C/ gas mark 7.

2. To prepare the sauce in a large non-stick pan melt 1 tablespoon of the butter, add the leek and cook gently for about 5 minutes until softened stirring often. Do not let the leek brown. Add the remaining butter (½ tablespoon) and flour and stir until the flour has been thoroughly combined with the other ingredients (no dry bits visible).  Pour in some of the milk and stir until the mixture becomes smooth. 

3. Then gradually add the rest of the milk, stock cube and mustard and cook until the mixture starts bubbling up stirring all the time.  Remove from the heat, stir in the fromage frais and pepper to taste.

4. Spread the pasta over the bottom of your casserole dish and place chunks of salmon on top.

5. Pour the sauce over the whole thing and stir a little to make sure it's is evenly distributed.

6. Scatter the panko over the top and bake in the upper part of the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Serving suggestions

Delicious on its own but also with steamed vegetables, such as broccoli, brussels sprouts or cauliflower as well as garden peas (or petits pois). Alternatively serve with a crunchy salad.

Top tips and FAQs

• Prepare ahead: To save time you can cook the pasta and salmon ahead and refrigerate, covered, overnight. Pop in the microwave just to heat through before assembling the recipe. You can also toast the panko ahead and keep covered until you are ready to make the recipe. 
• I do not recommend preparing the entire dish ahead as the pasta will have absorbed the sauce before it's had time to cook in the oven. The result will be soggy pasta and not enough creamy sauce.
• You can use light sour cream or creme fraiche in the sauce instead of the fromage frais.
• I do not recommend using fine breadcrumbs in this salmon pasta bake.  Only panko breadcrumbs will guarantee a light and crispy topping. You can use more breadcrumbs if you like to create a thicker layer.
• Best served immediately. The pasta will absorb some of the sauce after a while.
• Not suitable for freezing.

You might also like

• Healthy Creamy Leftover Salmon and Potato Bake
• Salmon Pot Pie with Leek, Spinach & Sweet Potato (Puff Pastry)
• Baked Salmon and Sweetheart Cabbage with Dill
• Herb Crusted Salmon with Lemon Sauce
• Chicken Tomato Pasta Bake

Check out also this collection of healthy, easy chicken recipes!

Keep in touch!

How has your salmon pasta bake turned out for you? Let me know in the comments below, thanks!

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