Angel Hair Pasta with Salmon, Arugula, and Creamy Lemon-Parmesan Sauce Recipe

Set the oven to its lowest setting to keep the salmon warm once it’s cooked.

Start the water for pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.

Rub both sides of the fillets with 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt and a half a teaspoon of the black pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large sauté pan (preferably nonstick). Once the oil starts to ripple in the pan, place the salmon fillets into the pan, skin-side up.

Press the fillets down gently to make sure the entire surface makes contact with the pan. Sear the salmon fillets for 3 minutes, or until the flesh turns an opaque pink ¼ of the way up the sides of the fillets.

Use a spatula to flip the salmon and sear it, skin-side down, for an additional 3 minutes.

Transfer the fillets to a sheet pan and place them in the heated oven while finishing the dish. It’s okay if the salmon is not cooked completely through just yet—it will continue to cook in the oven.

In the same pan used to sear the salmon, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and the garlic to the pan and sauté for 3 minutes, or until glossy and fragrant. Pour the white wine and lemon juice into the pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any bits of food that have stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add the lemon halves and bring the mixture to a boil.

Reduce the sauce in the pan by half by maintaining a boil. This should take 3 to 4 minutes.

By now, the pasta water should be at a rolling boil. Add generous tablespoon of salt to the boiling water and drop the pasta into the middle of the pot. Stir the pasta immediately to separate the noodles.

Lower the temperature slightly to prevent the water from boiling over and cook the pasta for 4 to 5 minutes, until al dente (or according to package directions). Drain the pasta.

Once the liquid in the pan has reduced by half, reduce the heat to medium-low. Remove the lemon halves. Slowly stir in the heavy cream and the remaining butter. Allow the sauce to come to a simmer, then add the arugula. Stir to coat the arugula in the sauce and allow it to wilt slightly—this should only take a minute or so. Add the Parmesan, along with the remaining salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary, by adding a bit more salt or pepper.

Add the pasta to the pan with the sauce. Using tongs, toss in the pasta in the sauce until it is evenly coated.

Remove the warm salmon fillets from the oven and arrange on top of the pasta. Serve immediately.