Viet-Cajun boils are not like regular Cajun boils and this dish takes everything you love about traditional Vietnamese Cajun boil and puts it in a mess-free dish! These Vietnamese Cajun garlic noodles with salmon are buttery, garlicky, lemony, and have a nice kick of sweet heat and umami. It comes together in 30 minutes and the best part is that you get all the flavor of Viet-Cajun boil without the mess!
These noodles are a combination of my favorite Vietnamese garlic noodles and Vietnamese Cajun boil! If you're looking for something with less heat, you'll have to give the garlic ones a try!
What are Vietnamese Cajun Garlic Noodles?
Vietnamese garlic noodles are a Vietnamese-American fusion dish born out of San Francisco in the 1970s, made famous by Chef Helene An at Thanh Long restaurant. The original garlic noodles are buttery, intensely garlicky and loaded with umami from the fish sauce and oyster sauce. It's one of my go-to noodle dishes!
This Viet-Cajun version takes that garlic butter base and combines it with a blend of spices for a mouthful of flavor in every bite! I used salmon in this recipe for some omega-3s (you know I love my omega-3s) but this would be delicious with shrimp, crab, or even lobster, if you're bougie!
Why you'll love this Viet-Cajun Garlic Noodle recipe
- Big, bold Cajun flavors!
- Fork friendly, which means no messy hands
- High in protein from the salmon
- Comes together in 30 minutes!
Jump to:
- What are Vietnamese Cajun Garlic Noodles?
- Why you'll love this Viet-Cajun Garlic Noodle recipe
- Ingredients
- How to make Vietnamese Cajun Garlic Noodles
- Top Tips for Success
- Substitutions and Variations
- How to store Viet Cajun Garlic Noodles with Salmon
- FAQ
- Other recipes to try:
- Vietnamese Cajun Garlic Noodles with Salmon (30 Minute Dinner)
Ingredients
- Salmon: Skin off filets work great! I'm using skin on so I can eat the salmon skin as a crispy snack :).
- Head of garlic: The star of the dish, really. Fresh is best. Buy pre-peeled garlic to make it easier!
- Spaghetti: Soaks up the Cajun garlic butter nicely.
- Old Bay seasoning: The backbone of the Cajun boil flavor. The right amount of saltiness so we don't need to add any salt!
- Sugar: To balance out the salt and heat. A critical ingredient for Vietnamese Cajun boils.
- Lemon pepper: Used to season both the salmon and the garlic butter.
- Paprika: For added color and subtle smokiness.
- Onion powder: Adds a little depth of flavor.
- Oregano: A classic in Cajun seasoning. Adds a herby warmth.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter.
- Fish sauce: Any fish sauce works, but I like using Red Boat Fish Sauce for its clean, salty, pungent umami flavor.
- Pasta water: Omit it if you prefer a drier noodle, but I love adding it to create a glossy and saucy pasta.
- Sriracha: Optional, for a kick of heat.
- Scallions: For garnishing.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Vietnamese Cajun Garlic Noodles
- Step 1: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook it according to package directions, but pull it 1-2 minutes before so it is al dente. Do not salt the pasta water - the seasonings will do the work. If we add salt to the pasta water, it will result in an overly salty finished dish. Reserve a ½ cup of pasta water.
- Step 2: While the pasta is cooking, pat the salmon filets dry and season them with a ½ teaspoon of lemon pepper.
- Step 3: In a pan over medium-low heat, add a little oil and sear the salmon, skin side down. Sear for a few minutes until golden brown and crispy. Flip the salmon and peel the salmon skin off. Enjoy the skin as a snack or discard. If using skinless salmon, sear on both sides until golden.
- Step 4: To the pan, add butter, Old Bay seasoning, sugar, lemon pepper, paprika, onion powder, and oregano. Use a spatula to break down the salmon into chunky pieces and sauté everything together until well combined.
- Step 5: Add in the minced garlic and cook until slightly softened and fragrant. Stir in the fish sauce and sriracha, if using.
- Step 6: Add the cooked spaghetti to the pan along with ¼ cup of pasta water. Toss everything together and gently simmer on low until the sauce begins to thicken and clings to the noodles. Add more pasta water as needed, for a looser consistency. Garnish with scallions and enjoy hot.
Top Tips for Success
- Bloom your spices in the butter to wake up the flavors.
- Don't salt the pasta water. This will result in an overly salty finished dish.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning! Some people prefer a spicier Cajun boil. Taste the dish as is before adding more sriracha or seasonings. If you're not a huge fan of heat, omit the sriracha and start off with half the amount of Old Bay and lemon pepper.
Substitutions and Variations
- Protein swap -
- Shrimp: Cooks quickly and can be added after adding in the garlic.
- Lobster: Cook it before adding it into the dish at the end.
- Clams: A sweeter protein that mimics spaghetti alla vongole.
- Noodle swap -
- Rice noodles: A great gluten-free option!
- Lo mein noodles: Similar to spaghetti but bouncier with more chew.
- Ramen noodles: Pantry staple that you always have on hand.
- Protein noodles: If you're looking to make this a protein packed dish!
How to store Viet Cajun Garlic Noodles with Salmon
Store the Cajun noodles in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. When reheating, add a splash of water or a pat of butter to loosen up the noodles. Heat it in a pan or microwave until warm.
FAQ
The fastest way to peel garlic is by separating the garlic cloves from each other and place them in a glass jar or in between two metal bowls. Give it a vigorous shake for 30 seconds and the garlic peels should come loose!
Simmer the pasta on low until the sauce thickens slightly. Give it a good stir and the sauce should start to come together!
Yes! You can make this gluten-free by swapping out the spaghetti noodles with rice noodles or your favorite gluten-free pasta brand!
This pasta dish is best enjoyed fresh, but you can prep the salmon and spices ahead of time and when it's time to cook, cook the pasta fresh and toss everything in a pan until it's combined!
Other recipes to try:
Vietnamese Cajun Garlic Noodles with Salmon (30 Minute Dinner)
Ingredients
- 2 4 oz salmon filets
- 4 oz spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1 ½ tablespoon sugar
- 1½ teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 head of garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- ¼-½ cup pasta water
- 1 tablespoon sriracha optional
- scallions for garnishing
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook it according to package directions, but pull it 1-2 minutes before so it is al dente. Do not salt the pasta water - the seasonings will do the work. If we add salt to the pasta water, it will result in an overly salty finished dish. Reserve a ½ cup of pasta water.
- While the pasta is cooking, pat the salmon filets dry and season them with a ½ teaspoon of lemon pepper.
- In a pan over medium-low heat, add a little oil and sear the salmon, skin side down. Sear for a few minutes until golden brown and crispy. Flip the salmon and peel the salmon skin off. Enjoy the skin as a snack or discard. If using skinless salmon, sear on both sides until golden.
- To the pan, add butter, Old Bay seasoning, sugar, lemon pepper, paprika, onion powder, and oregano. Use a spatula to break down the salmon into chunky pieces and sauté everything together until well combined.
- Add in the minced garlic and cook until slightly softened and fragrant. Stir in the fish sauce and sriracha, if using.
- Add the cooked spaghetti to the pan along with ¼ cup of pasta water. Toss everything together and gently simmer on low until the sauce begins to thicken and clings to the noodles. Add more pasta water as needed, for a looser consistency. Garnish with scallions and enjoy hot.
Notes
- Bloom your spices in the butter to wake up the flavors.
- Don't salt the pasta water. This will result in an overly salty finished dish.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning! Some people prefer a spicier Cajun boil. Taste the dish as is before adding more sriracha or seasonings. If you're not a huge fan of heat, omit the sriracha and start off with half the amount of Old Bay and lemon pepper.
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