Smoked Salmon Rigatoni Cream

Name: Smoked Salmon Rigatoni Cream
Prep time: 6 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 28 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 4 1/4 cups rigatoni pasta; 1 cup heavy cream or half and half for lighter option; 2 garlic cloves smashed; 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for garnish; 1 1/2 cups frozen peas; 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper; 6 ounces smoked salmon (or wild sockeye salmon as twist); 12 ounce can straw mushrooms, drained; Pinch crushed red pepper flakes, optional for garnish

By Emma

Certified Culinary Professional

Published on 19 January 2026 • Recipe tested & approved

Rigatoni cooked al dente then tossed in a creamy sauce of heavy cream infused with garlic, Parmesan, peas, smoked salmon, and straw mushrooms. Salty, rich, with bursts of sweetness from peas; mushrooms add earthiness. Quick prep, around 25-30 minutes total. Heavy cream can be swapped for half and half for lighter version. Frozen peas keep a pop of color and texture. Smoked salmon folded in last to avoid drying, maintains silkiness. Perfect for when you want comfort but still a little luxe. Garnish optional but recommended for some heat.

Prep: 6 min

Cook: 22 min

Total: 28 min

Servings: 4 servings

#Italian American #seafood pasta #creamy sauce #quick meals #weeknight dinner

Smoked salmon cream sauce? Heard the fuss before. Blending smoky fish, rich dairy, and starch is tricky but rewarding. Rigatoni holds sauce like a champ — grooves catch cream that clings and bubbles. The garlic in cream isn’t raw bite but mellow garlic aroma. Frozen peas burst freshness, their sugar balancing salty cheese and fish. Straw mushrooms often overlooked; mild but earthiness grounds cream heavy with dairy. Timing’s everything: cook pasta a little early but don’t let sauce overreduce. Use pasta water magic for rescue. You want silky sauce that’s not gluey; salmon tender, peas tender-crisp. A personal go-to for weeknights that want a little wow but no drama. Tried wild sockeye swap some nights — ups the umami profile no joke.

Ingredients

4 1/4 cups rigatoni pasta
1 cup heavy cream or half and half for lighter option
2 garlic cloves smashed
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for garnish
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
6 ounces smoked salmon (or wild sockeye salmon as twist)
12 ounce can straw mushrooms, drained
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes, optional for garnish

About the ingredients

Heavy cream is base but half and half is a smart sub when you want a lighter sauce; less richness but still creamy enough. Parmesan must be fresh grated, powder ruins texture — it melts different, sometimes clumpy. Frozen peas straight from the bag; thawed is mushy, firm texture lost. Smoked salmon is already cured, so salt should be minimal or from carefully measured salt in pasta water. Straw mushrooms are delicate compared to button mushrooms; avoid cooking too long or they get spongy. Garlic smashed not minced — gentle infusion rather than harsh bits. For a twist swap smoked salmon with pan-seared sockeye chunks — adds char, innocent bite. Crushed red pepper optional but does wonders — smokiness loves subtle heat. Keep pasta water handy for consistency fixes.

Method

Boil salted water aggressively; you want it as salty as the sea. Add rigatoni — aim for just shy of al dente, maybe 7-8 minutes depending on package but taste as you go. Pasta should have a firm bite yet cooked through. Drain, save a small cup of pasta water if sauce needs thinning.
Return empty pot to medium heat. Pour in heavy cream and toss in smashed garlic cloves; let garlic infuse the cream quietly. Look for tiny bubbles forming at edges, not full boil — around 4-5 minutes. Cream will thicken slightly, smell will start turning soft garlicky and rich.
Whisk in Parmesan cheese until fully melted and integrated. It’ll loosen the cream just enough but start smoothing texture. Add frozen peas straight in; their bright green contrast before cooking is deceptive. Sprinkle salt and white pepper evenly. Stir gently for 3 minutes until peas are tender but still hold shape — popping with sweetness when bitten.
Fold in smoked salmon chunks and drained straw mushrooms last; keep heat moderate to prevent salmon breaking down into mush. Stir 4-5 minutes so mushrooms soften and salmon warms through, sauce thickens but still fluid enough to coat rigatoni. If sauce seems too thick, drizzle reserved pasta water a little at a time.
Plate pasta, spoon generous sauce over top. Add fresh Parmesan for punch and crushed red pepper flakes if you want bite. Salmon melds with pasta texture, mushrooms soak up cream. Good texture balance is key — salmon silken, peas pop, pasta toothy.
If using wild sockeye salmon instead of smoked, sear raw salmon chunks in pan with olive oil before adding to cream. Adds smoky sear, firmer bite. Frozen peas always better than thawed — hold their snap and color. Pasta water trick is kitchen magic fix if sauce clumps at any point.

Cooking tips

Salting water profusely is essential — think sea salty. Pasta should be judged by feel not clock; too soft ruins the dish texture. Return pot for sauce keeps cleanup low and saves heat. Infusing cream with whole cracked garlic cloves imparts mellow flavor without garlic chunks losing the sauce smoothness. When adding Parmesan, low heat prevents grainy separation — stir constantly. Frozen peas added cold, stirring gently to avoid breaking peas before cooking them just right. Add smoked salmon last, stirring gently just enough to warm it. Mushrooms drained thoroughly to avoid watery sauce; cooking avoided too long keeps texture pleasant. Consistency should coat spoon ribbon-style; too thick? Splash pasta water gradually. Garnishing is where you add personality — Parmesan adds brightness, red pepper a whisper of heat.

Chef's notes

💡 Salt pasta water heavily. Like ocean salty. This impacts flavor inside pasta, not just surface. Watch pasta closely. Seven to eight minutes usually hits just shy of al dente. Bite should resist but lose rawness; no mush. Save some pasta water. Thin sauce if it tightens too much. Critical move—water rescues dry sauce instantly.
💡 Use smashed garlic cloves, not minced or chopped. Infuse cream gently. Medium heat, gentle bubble edges, no rolling boil. Smell changes first—soft garlic aroma, not sharp. If garlic cooks too hard, flavor gets bitter and sauce grainy. Infusion means texture smooth, flavor mellow.
💡 Add Parmesan low heat, whisk constantly. Powdered cheese ruins texture here. Fresh grated melts within seconds, loosens cream slightly. Stir until silky, not clumpy or grainy. Sharp heat kills smoothness fast. Cheese timing crucial or sauce separates and clumps.
💡 Frozen peas straight in, no thaw. Bright green contrast, unexpected sweetness. Stir gently; too hard breaks them. Cook till tender but snap remains. Gives layers to texture—creamy sauce meets popping sweetness. Peas keep color punch in pale cream base.
💡 Add smoked salmon and drained straw mushrooms last. Keep heat moderate. Salmon breaks apart if stirred too much or overheated. Mushrooms soak cream flavor but are delicate. Overcook; get marshmallow texture. Salmon warming time short but enough to melt cream flavor and keep silkiness.

Common questions

What if salmon breaks down?

Lower heat, fold gently, short heating only. If mushy, texture lost. Can switch to seared sockeye for firmer bite. Saute chunks then add to cream off heat to keep shape.

Can I use fresh mushrooms?

Straw mushrooms mild, fresh might overpower. Button or cremini tougher, longer cooking, changes sauce. Drain fresh mushrooms thoroughly. Watch moisture levels so sauce stays creamy, not watery.

Sauce too thick or clumpy?

Reserved pasta water is fix. Add teaspoons gradually. Sometimes whisk to rescue curdling. Low heat helps. Avoid high flame after cheese added; burns cause clumps. If all fails, add splash of half and half to loosen.

How to store leftovers?

Refrigerate tightly covered, reheat gently on low heat. Add splash cream or water to restore silkiness. Avoid microwave high power—sauce breaks. Can freeze but texture changes. Use within 2 days best for freshness.