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Dinner 25 min 2 servings

Salmon, Spinach & Walnut Pasta Salad

Omega-3s from real food, 34 g of protein, served warm or cold.

Salmon, Spinach & Walnut Pasta Salad
The dish, photographed by rawpixel (CC0 1.0). Our version may look a little different.

Per serving

Protein
34 g
68% DV
Calories
580
kcal
Fiber
8 g
29% DV
Omega-3
2.1 g
EPA + DHA

Carbs 51 g · fat 29 g · sugars 4 g (incl. natural) · calcium 80 mg · potassium 925 mg · sodium 95 mg. We did the math: each ingredient by weight with USDA FoodData Central values, and the protein powder from its label. Brands differ a little.

Fatty fish twice a week is one of the most repeated pieces of nutrition advice for a reason. This is an easy way to do it: leftover or quickly baked salmon, flaked into warm pasta with spinach, tomatoes and walnuts.

Ingredients

2 servings

  • 2 cups cooked whole-wheat penne (300 g, about 100 g dry)
  • 2 small salmon fillets, cooked and flaked (200 g)
  • 2 handfuls of baby spinach (60 g)
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (150 g)
  • a handful of walnuts, chopped (20 g)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • juice of ½ lemon

How to make it

  1. 1

    Cook the pasta; while it cooks, bake the salmon at 400°F (200°C) for 12–14 minutes, or use leftover salmon.

  2. 2

    Drain the pasta and toss it hot with the spinach so the leaves wilt slightly.

  3. 3

    Add the tomatoes, flaked salmon, walnuts, olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

  4. 4

    Eat warm, or chill for a meal-prep lunch.

Kitchen notes

  • Frozen salmon fillets are often cheaper than fresh and are frozen right after catch.
  • Canned salmon works too — and if it has the soft bones, they add calcium.
  • Walnuts add a plant omega-3 (ALA) on top of the salmon's EPA and DHA.

Going deeper: our label-checked guide →

More from the kitchen

Nutrition sources for this recipe
  • Pasta, whole-wheat, cooked — USDA FoodData Central #168910
  • Fish, salmon, Atlantic, farmed, cooked, dry heat — USDA FoodData Central #175168
  • Spinach, raw — USDA FoodData Central #168462
  • Tomatoes, red, ripe, raw, year round average — USDA FoodData Central #170457
  • Nuts, walnuts, english — USDA FoodData Central #170187
  • Oil, olive, salad or cooking — USDA FoodData Central #171413
  • Lemon juice, raw — USDA FoodData Central #167747