Vietnamese Cajun Garlic Noodles with Salmon (30 Minute Dinner)
All the flavors of Vietnamese Cajun Boil in a mess-free pasta dish! These Vietnamese Cajun Garlic Noodles with salmon are garlicky, buttery, and have a nice kick of sweet heat. It's an easy and flavorful weeknight dish that comes together in 30 minutes!
Servings: 2
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.
