Paleo Pan-Seared Salmon Pasta

This Paleo Pan-Seared Salmon Pasta’s intense flavor belies just how simple it is to prepare. Made with spaghetti squash noodles, pan-seared salmon, tomatoes, capers, oregano, olive oil, and sea salt, these few ingredients go a long way to create a mouthwatering dish. If you’re nervous about preparing the spaghetti squash OR the salmon, don’t worry! This post includes detailed instructions with helpful links for more information! {Paleo}

Friends, have you cooked spaghetti squash pasta a lot? Do you love it? Not love it? I love it. But, sometimes, I don’t reach for it as often as I’d like. So I decided to play around with some ingredients I saw in a photography book and turned my experiment into this dish. Now I’m ready to use spaghetti squash noodles in more than just traditional pasta + sauce recipes. Date night IN dinners just got a whole lot more versatile.

Also, do I refer to spaghetti squash noodles as “spoodles”? I do. Thank you for understanding.

If you’re nervous about working with salmon or spoodles, don’t be! Both are easy to navigate once you know a few ins and outs. I’ve included spoodles tips below in the INGREDIENTS section. I have included a few articles at the end of this post to help you get the most out of your salmon experience, too!

So let’s take date night in up a notch and make a meal that goes to ELEVEN.

PALEO PAN-SEARED SALMON PASTA INGREDIENTS:

Below are the ingredients to make your own gluten-free salmon pasta recipe, right in your very own kitchen, you fancy chef, you!

• Spaghetti squash. During the prep process, I poke several holes or make several shallow slices in the squash before putting it in the microwave to soften. This is important so you can actually carve your way through one without it blowing up in your microwave!
• Wild caught salmon. I buy mine at Aldi (along with the spaghetti squash). Go by size, but 2-3 fillets will do the trick.
• Olive oil and sea salt. Once you carve the spaghetti squash down the middle, drizzle olive oil on each half, add enough to coat the bottom of a 9×13 baking pan, and enough to coat the pan you’ll use to sear the fillets. I add a little more sea salt in this recipe than I usually do. But it works! Add more or less as desired.
• Tomato. I dice it and throw it in once everything is done cooking. You want the tomato to be warm without being cooked.
• Capers. So good here! I add two tablespoons, but you can add more or less as desired.
• Oregano. I use fresh leaves AND some dried oregano, too. Each has its own distinct flavor. And the double-up works here.
• Coarse black pepper. Add to taste.

HOW TO MAKE PALEO PAN-SEARED SALMON PASTA:

Below are the steps to prepare your own salmon pasta. Included are a few best practices to get the most out of the spaghetti squash and the salmon. Enjoy!

1. Set the oven to 350 degrees. Poke several holes or make several shallow slices all around the spaghetti squash. Place it on a plate and microwave it on MEDIUM to HIGH temp for about 5 minutes. I check every 60 to 90 seconds and rotate the squash at least once so it softens evenly.
2. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. When the spaghetti squash is softened, carefully slice it in half, drizzle the insides of the halves with more olive oil, and place the halves face down in the dish. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until you can flake the squash with a fork and strands of “spaghetti” form.
3. While the spaghetti squash is baking, pour enough olive oil into a skillet to coat the bottom and add the sea salt. Set to a MEDIUM-HIGH heat. Once the skillet is hot, add the salmon fillets skin side DOWN. Sear for about 8-9 minutes, flipping the fillets over halfway through the cooking process. If the fillets are thick, cook another minute on each side.
4. Once the fillets are cooked through, pull them apart with two forks and set aside. When the spaghetti squash is done, scoop the spaghetti noodles out using a fork, and place the noodles in a large serving bowl. Add the flaked salmon, tomato, capers, and oregano. Garnish with coarse black pepper.
5. For best results, serve immediately and consume leftovers within about 24 hours.

ARTICLES WITH TIPS TO PREPARE AND ENJOY SALMON:

Below are a few articles I found helpful when I wanted to know more about the best way to sauté salmon!

• How to Cook Perfect Salmon Fillets, courtesy of The Kitchn
• What You Need to Know About Salmon Skin Before You Eat It, courtesy of Spoon University

ADDITIONAL SPAGHETTI SQUASH RECIPES:

If you’re feeling the spaghetti squash vibe, then you’ll want to try these recipes, too!

• Paleo Spaghetti Squash Noodles
• Paleo Spaghetti Sauce 

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