It seems that spring has arrived to our next of the woods, and although it’s a bit early, I’m not complaining. What I am complaining about is all the rain. Weeks and weeks of rain has turned my yard into a giant mud hole that desperately tries to suck the shoes off of your feet and threatens to send you flying through the air into a sloppy puddle. My house is covered in muddy foot prints from children who never remember to wipe their feet and pets who don’t know any better. Every egg from our chickens is covered in a layer of mud so thick that it’s nearly impossible to wash it off.
At least, I hope it’s mud.
There has been enough nice weather to start a few seeds. My little hopes and dreams for a fruitful garden being put off until the ground dries out a little. Fortunately, someone in the world is able to grow a few things and spring vegetables are beginning to show up in places.
I’m always so excited in the spring to have more (and cheaper!) vegetables at my disposal. And I do love throwing them all into a big pan together. A “primavera” (literally “spring” in Italian) of pasta is the best way to showcase all of the veggies you can gather up. And because it’s still Lent that means that seafood is on sale everywhere, adding a little salmon to the pot is a nice change of pace. You could easily substitute shrimp in this dish. Chicken would work, too, for those who aren’t a fan of seafood. The sauce on this easy pasta dish is really a mixture of the ricotta cheese and the pasta water. Use a few ladles of the pasta water to help thin out the cheese and coat every strand of vermicelli in creamy goodness.
If you, like me, are on a low carb or ketogenic diet this is an easy meal to make for everyone. Simply divide your portion of the meal into a dish before you add the pasta and toss with 1 cup of hot zucchini noodles instead of pasta. Use a little of the hot cooking water to thin it out if needed. The carb count on that variation would be 25 grams total carbs or 17 grams net carbs with 17 grams of fat. You can see the total nutrition estimate for that variation on MyFitnessPal.
Looking for more Easy Salmon Recipes? Try these!
- DIY Foil Packet Salmon
- Garlic Butter Sheet Pan Salmon
- Low Carb Salmon Croquettes with Spicy Remoulade
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon chopped
- 1 pound asparagus chopped
- ½ pound vermicelli
- 1 shallot sliced
- 1 pound skinless salmon fillet cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium squash grated
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat cook the bacon until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
- While the bacon is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus to the boiling water and blanch for 3 minutes. Remove the asparagus with a slotted spoon to a bowl of cold water. Add the pasta to the boiling water, cook for 8 minutes.
- In the skillet with the reserved bacon grease, add the salmon and shallot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the salmon is nearly opaque all the way through. Add in the drained asparagus, squash and peas and cook for an additional 5 minutes until the fish is cooked through and the vegetables have softened.
- For a low carb option, scoop out your portion of the meal into a dish. Add in hot zucchini noodles and 1/4 cup of the ricotta cheese and continue with the recipe.
- Add the pasta directly from the cooking water to the skillet with a pair of tongs. Turn off the heat then add the ricotta and the parmesan to the skillet. Toss the pasta until everything is coated. If it’s too thick, add in a ladle or two of the pasta cooking water to thin it out. Season with salt and pepper, top with the reserved bacon and serve!
Nutrition
Please note that all nutrition calculations are estimates. I am not a doctor or a nutrition scientist and the nutrition label provided is merely as a convenience for our readers. Please use your own calculations to determine nutrition for yourself.
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