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One Pan Salmon Bow Tie Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes, an Easy Weeknight Dinner for Busy Moms

Hey Sunshines,

If your evenings look anything like mine, practice schedules, homework, and a hungry family all land at the same time, and dinner has to be good, fast, and made with love. This one pan salmon bow tie pasta is my kind of weeknight answer. Everything cooks in one pan, the pasta simmers right in the sauce so it comes out silky and full of flavor, and the salmon sits right on top like the star she is. It is high protein, full of flavor, and on your table in about 30 minutes, start to finish.

Eat good, feel good, look good. That is the motto in this kitchen, and this dinner checks every box. It is on the healthish side, balanced and fresh, and nobody at the table will ever call it diet food.

This dinner at a glance: Prep time about 10 minutes. Cook time about 20 minutes. Total time about 30 minutes. Serves 5. About 35 grams of protein in every serving, because that salmon shows up to work.

Why busy moms love this one

  • One pan to cook in and one pan to wash, and that is a blessing on a school night
  • High protein salmon keeps everybody full and satisfied, with no snack requests an hour later
  • On the table in about 30 minutes, start to finish
  • The pasta cooks in the sauce, so there is no big pot of water to boil and drain
  • Salmon, spinach, and tomatoes make it colorful, fresh, and full of the good stuff
  • It feeds a family of five and still feels like a Sunday dinner

Ingredients

  • 5 salmon fillets, about 6 ounces each
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 to 5 cloves of garlic, sliced
  • 2 pints cherry tomatoes, cut in half
  • 12 ounces dry bow tie pasta, also called farfalle
  • 5 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  • 6 to 8 big handfuls of fresh spinach
  • Zest and juice of half a lemon
  • A third of a cup of grated parmesan, plus more for serving

Let us make it

  1. Season the salmon with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and sear the salmon until golden, a few minutes on each side. Set the salmon aside on a plate. If your pan is crowded, sear in two batches, because crowded salmon steams instead of searing.
  2. Turn the heat down a little. In the same pan, add the sliced garlic and the cherry tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes soften and burst and make the start of a sauce, about 5 minutes.
  3. Pour in the dry pasta and the broth. Stir well, bring it to a gentle simmer, and cook for 11 to 13 minutes, stirring now and then, until the pasta is tender and the liquid has turned into a glossy sauce that hugs every bow tie.
  1. Take the pan off the heat and fold in the spinach, a handful at a time, until it wilts into the pasta.
  2. Finish with the lemon zest, the lemon juice, and the parmesan. Lay the salmon fillets right on top of the pasta, whole and beautiful, cover the pan for 1 to 2 minutes so the salmon warms through, and take the whole pan straight to the table.

Watching your carbs? Swap the bow ties for spaghetti squash

Same dinner, lighter plate. If you are watching your carbs, swap the bow tie pasta for spaghetti squash and keep every bit of the flavor. Roast a spaghetti squash until the strands pull loose with a fork, sear your salmon and burst your tomatoes and garlic the exact same way, then toss the squash strands through that tomato sauce with the spinach until everything is warm and glossy. You will want less broth here, just a splash to bring it together, since the squash brings its own moisture. Finish with the lemon and parmesan, lay that salmon on top, and nobody at your table will feel like they missed a thing.

My little tips from my kitchen to yours

  • A big cast iron skillet works beautifully here. It holds heat like a dream for searing the salmon, just lower the heat before the tomatoes go in, because cast iron stays hot.
  • Taste the pasta near the end and add a splash more broth if your stove runs hot. Every stove has its own personality, just like our babies.
  • Serve it right out of the pan in the middle of the table. Family style makes an ordinary Tuesday feel like a gathering.

How I keep this one budget friendly

  • Buy the salmon on sale and freeze what you do not cook. A family pack on a good sale is a gift to your future self, and frozen salmon fillets are often the best price in the whole case.
  • Store brand bow ties, broth, and parmesan taste just as good here. Save the fancy labels for another day.
  • Frozen spinach works beautifully and costs less than fresh, and it is already washed and waiting in your freezer.
  • Cherry tomatoes on sale are best, and a can of diced tomatoes is a fine stand in when the fresh ones are pricey.
  • And remember what this pan replaces: when the salmon is on sale, this whole dinner for five can cost less than one takeout night, and it tastes like you meant it.

Why this dinner is on repeat all holiday season

Between the holiday parties, the school events, the shopping, and the big cooking days, weeknight dinner still has to happen, and it still has to be good. That is exactly where this salmon pasta earns its place. It is warm and a little bit special, it is high protein on the days the holiday treats have been calling your name, and it asks almost nothing of you, one pan and about 30 minutes. Consider it the deep breath between the celebrations.

Shop This Recipe

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Watch it come together

This recipe lives in Sunshine in the Kitchen, my cooking home here on the blog, where dinner is made with love and does not take all evening. Come watch me make it on TikTok and YouTube, and tell me in the comments what your family wants in the next pan.

Questions Sunshines ask about this one

Can I make this salmon pasta low carb? Yes. Swap the bow tie pasta for spaghetti squash, roast it, pull the strands loose with a fork, and toss them through the tomato and spinach sauce with just a splash of broth. Same seared salmon on top, same lemon and parmesan finish.

What other pasta works in this recipe? Any short pasta that cooks in about the same time, penne, rotini, or small shells all love this sauce. Just keep an eye on the simmer and add a splash of broth if it needs another minute.

Can I use frozen salmon? You can. Thaw it fully and pat it very dry before seasoning, so it sears golden instead of steaming.

What pasta goes best with salmon? Short pastas that catch the sauce, bow ties like these, penne, rotini, and small shells. The little shapes hold the tomatoes and spinach in every bite, which is exactly what you want next to tender salmon.

What should I serve with salmon pasta? Honestly, this pan is a whole meal, protein, pasta, and vegetables all together. If you want a little something extra, a simple green salad or warm garlic bread makes the table feel complete.

Is salmon pasta healthy? This one is built that way. Salmon brings protein and omega 3 goodness, the spinach and tomatoes bring the vegetables, and cooking the pasta in broth based sauce keeps it light instead of heavy and creamy. It is a high protein family dinner that still tastes like comfort food.

How long do leftovers keep, and how do I reheat them? Store leftovers in a covered container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of broth or water to wake the sauce back up, low and slow so the salmon stays tender.

Can I serve this salmon pasta for a holiday dinner? Yes, and it is beautiful for it. It looks elegant on the plate, it doubles easily for guests, and seafood at the holidays is a beloved tradition in plenty of homes. Make it for Christmas Eve, make it for the family night between parties, it dresses up or down as you need.

Sunshines, dinner does not have to be complicated to be full of love. One pan, real ingredients, and everybody around the table, that is raising greatness at dinnertime.

Much Love and Sunshine,
Karen

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