HEALTHY RECIPES
Creamy Garlic & Herb Salmon Pasta with Baby Spinach
Medically Reviewed & Fact-Checked by FastingTracker Medical Board • Written by
Aly Owen •
Updated: September 21, 2026
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In This Article
Healthy
Al dente whole-wheat penne tossed with pan-seared wild salmon cubes, wilted baby spinach, and a light Greek yogurt-garlic sauce.
⏱ Prep: 10 min🍳 Cook: 12 min
Ingredients
- 60g Whole-grain penne or tagliatelle
- 110g Wild salmon fillet, skinned & cubed
- 50g Light Greek yogurt or light culinary cream (10%)
- 40g Baby spinach leaves
- 1 Clove garlic, grated
- 5ml Extra virgin olive oil
- Zest of 1/2 organic lemon
- Fresh dill, sea salt, black pepper
Instructions
- Boil pasta in salted water until al dente (9–10 min). Reserve 3 tbsp pasta water.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sear salmon cubes for 3 minutes until lightly browned on all sides.
- Add grated garlic and baby spinach; stir until spinach wilts (1 min).
- Turn heat to lowest setting. Stir in Greek yogurt, reserved warm pasta water, and lemon zest.
- Toss drained hot pasta into the skillet, coating every noodle in the creamy salmon sauce. Garnish with dill.
🔬 Nutritionist Note: Wild salmon provides docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which integrates into cell membranes to improve receptor sensitivity to insulin.
📖 Related Fasting Guides & Research
Total Time
22 mins
Phases
Prep: 10m
Cook: 12m
Yield
1 servings
Nutrition
450 kcal
Ingredients
- 60g Whole-grain penne or tagliatelle
- 110g Wild salmon fillet, skinned & cubed
- 50g Light Greek yogurt or light culinary cream (10%)
- 40g Baby spinach leaves
- 1 Clove garlic, grated
- 5ml Extra virgin olive oil
- Zest of 1/2 organic lemon
- Fresh dill, sea salt, black pepper
Instructions
- Boil pasta in salted water until al dente (9–10 min). Reserve 3 tbsp pasta water.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sear salmon cubes for 3 minutes until lightly browned on all sides.
- Add grated garlic and baby spinach; stir until spinach wilts (1 min).
- Turn heat to lowest setting. Stir in Greek yogurt, reserved warm pasta water, and lemon zest.
- Toss drained hot pasta into the skillet, coating every noodle in the creamy salmon sauce. Garnish with dill.
📚 Scientific Studies & Medical References (5 Sources) ▼
FastingTracker adheres to strict editorial standards, citing peer-reviewed clinical trials and authoritative medical institutions.
- New England Journal of Medicine (2019): de Cabo R, Mattson MP. Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Health, Aging, and Disease. N Engl J Med. 381(26):2541-2551. PubMed 31881139 • DOI
- Cell Metabolism (2014): Levine ME, Suarez JA, Brandhorst S, et al. Low Protein Intake and Periodic Fasting Promote Longevity and Autophagy. Cell Metab. 19(3):407-417. PubMed 24606898 • DOI
- Obesity (Silver Spring, 2018): Anton SD, Moehl K, Donahoo WT, et al. Flipping the Metabolic Switch: Understanding and Applying Health Benefits of Fasting. Obesity. 26(2):254-268. PubMed 29086496 • DOI
- Annual Review of Nutrition (2017): Patterson RE, Sears DD. Metabolic Effects of Intermittent Fasting. Annu Rev Nutr. 37:371-393. PubMed 28715993 • DOI
- Autophagy (2010): Alirezaei M, Kemball CC, Flynn CT, et al. Short-term fasting induces profound neuronal and systemic autophagy. Autophagy. 6(6):702-710. PubMed 20534972 • DOI
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