While still living and working on Long Island, one of my favorite restaurants near the office was a renowned Italian restaurant…Mamma Lombardi’s. My office went there frequently to celebrate special occasions. My friend & co-worker Sue Mercurio and I always ordered their Bow Tie Pasta with Fresh Salmon…our favorite dish. That dish was always a special treat for us and we savored every bite! Through the years I experimented with recreating this loved meal. So, whenever I make salmon for dinner I usually buy more than I need knowing the leftovers will be used to make a delicious creamy pasta meal. Farfalle is the name you usually find in the pasta section of your grocery store. It’s a medium size pasta in the shape of a bow tie.
I use leftover steamed salmon instead of fresh because it is a time saver; however, you can certainly cook it fresh and still be perfectly delicious.
Barbara and I welcomed in 2023 on New Year’s Day with our husbands & nephew. A special meal for a special day!

Creamy Bow Tie Pasta with Salmon, Peas, Sundried Tomatoes, & Capers
Equipment
- 1 large skillet
- 1 small bowl
- 1 8-qt pot for pasta
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs Steamed Salmon leftover
- 1 lb Bow Tie Pasta (Farfalle), Use Gluten-free pasta if gluten is a concern
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsps butter
- ½ cup onion sliced very thin or chopped
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 1 oz lemon juice
- 1½ - 2 tsp lemon zest
- 3 - 4 tsps frozen garlic, thawed
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 10 oz sundried tomatoes, packed in oil, use a fork to remove them from the jar
- 1 pint whipping cream
- ½ cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated, about 3 handfuls
- 2 - 3 tbsp capers
- 2 cups frozen peas thawed
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Bring an 8-qt pot of water to a boil. Salt well
- In a small bowl combine the defrosted garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, Italian seasoning & Dijon mustard. Set aside.
- In a large skillet on medium heat, add butter & olive oil. Saute onion until soft & translucent.
- Meanwhile, add pasta to the boiling water & cook according to the package directions. (About 12-13 minutes) Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water & set aside
- Add tomato paste, sundried tomatoes, and garlic mixture to the skillet then cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add cream to skillet and simmer until thickened.
- Add the grated Pecorino Romano & stir until combined.
- Add the thawed peas & capers Cook until heated through.
- Add the salmon pieces & cook until heated through.
- Drain the pasta. remember to reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water
- Add a few tbsps of reserved pasta water to the sauce to prevent sauce from getting too thick.
- Place pasta in dishes & top with salmon and sauce.
- Garnish with parsley & grated cheese. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Please note: Although the Nutritional Facts are provided, we are not nutritionists and therefore cannot verify the accuracy of these calculations. Please verify any data you see here with your favorite nutrition calculator.
Happy New year to Twiins and their loved ones. Do you think other fish might work with this? Ron doesn’t eat salmon. I have made many of the delicious recipes you post. DG
Hi Doris, Happy New Year to you and your family too. I think using any firm white fish your husband likes would work well as would shrimp, lobster, scallops, crab meat, and even leftover cooked chicken. Thanks for being such a great follower. We appreciate you!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. It was so good that my family wants it added to our weekly dinner night. I’m thinking I can use other firm fish too when salmon is not available near me. I definitely would recommend this diner. Delicious!
Carol, we’re so happy you and your family liked our Creamy Bow Tie Pasta with Salmon. You can absolutely use any firm fish like cod in place of the salmon. Thank you for your support.