Creamy Trout and Spinach Pasta

Creamy Trout and Spinach Pasta is a dish that combines the comfort of pasta with a light creamy sauce, fresh tender spinach and flakes of delicious fish. It’s quick and easy to make with ingredients from your larder and refrigerator.

Why should I make Creamy Trout and Spinach Pasta?

The main reason you should make Creamy Trout and Spinach pasta is that it tastes so good! But it’s also a real store cupboard recipe.  The recipe uses simple ingredients that you are likely to have in your larder, freezer and fridge and it’s quick and easy to make.

What ingredients will I need?

You will need:

• pasta
• butter
• onion 
• reme fraiche
• baby spinach
• Scottish Trout
• dried thyme or dried mixed herbs
• lemon
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• fresh parsley

What is trout?

Trout is a freshwater fish that lives in rivers and streams. The most common trout in the UK are Rainbow Trout, they are the main farmed trout species. Rainbow Trout have a distinct red or pink line along with their bodies. You may also find Brown Trout which have black, red and orange spots. Any kind of trout is suitable for this recipe.

I use trout in this recipe because it has a mild taste and a delicate texture. Trout tends to be a little more expensive than salmon and you only need a small amount for this recipe

What can I substitute for trout?

Trout are very closely related to salmon and they have a similar taste and texture. As farmed salmon is very widely available it is the best fish to substitute for trout.

If you don’t like salmon or trout then you can use smoked fish like smoked haddock or smoked mackerel. Both of these fish have a stronger flavour than trout but they are very good with the creamy sauce. Whitefish like cod, pollock, and halibut are also suitable as substitutes for trout in this recipe.

How do I cook the trout?

I use trout fillets in this recipe, they are really easy to cook. Here are some different ways to cook them:

• You can pan fry them in a little oil or butter until the fish is opaque.
• Put the fish fillets in a microwave safe dish and cook on a medium heat for 1 – 2 minutes.
• Wrap the fish in foil with a little oil and seasoning, and bake in the oven or in an air fryer for 3-5 minutes.

If you use frozen fish you can cook the fillets from frozen, but they will take a little longer. They are ready when the fish has gone from reddish-pink to pale pink and flakes easily.

What kind of pasta can I use for Creamy Trout and Spinach Pasta?

I am not about to judge you on the pasta you choose to use in your cooking. I make this recipe with tagliatelle or linguine because I tend to have that in my larder anyway. However, the sauce can be served with pretty much any kind of pasta.

If you would like to know what kind of pasta is recommended for different kinds of sauces then Perfect Pairings – how to match pasta shapes to sauces is worth reading.

What is Creme Fraiche?

Creme Fraiche is a cultured cream that is high in fat. Even though it is rich, the acidity from the culturing process makes it a great choice for savoury recipes.

What can I substitute for creme fraiche?

Use double (heavy) cream or soured cream. If I use double cream I add more lemon juice to take the edge off the creaminess.

Yogurt is not a good substitute for creme fraiche in this recipe. It is likely to split and go granular. It will still taste okay but will not look appetising.

Why should I add spinach to the pasta?

Spinach is really good for you. It is low in fat and high in calcium, iron, fibre and vitamin C. I use baby spinach in this recipe and it has a milder taste than the larger spinach leaves.

Another good reason to use spinach is that it cooks very quickly. Add the spinach to the sauce, pop on the lid for a few minutes and the spinach will wilt and merge with the sauce.

Can I substitute other vegetables for the spinach?

If you don’t like or don’t have any spinach then I think that frozen peas are probably the best vegetable to substitute for the spinach. Put them straight into the sauce from frozen as the heat of the sauce will quickly cook them. Frozen or canned sweetcorn is also good in this recipe.

Can I make the Creamy Trout and Spinach Pasta ahead of time?

Yes, you can! I recommend that you make the recipe on the same day you plan to serve it. However, you can make it in the morning and serve it in the evening.

The key is to make sure that the pasta is not overcooked before you add it to the sauce. And, that you add double the amount of pasta water to the sauce. So in the recipe, I add 100 ml pasta water, but if you plan to reheat the dish later, add 200 ml of pasta water. Tip the completed recipe into a buttered microwave-safe dish, cover and store in the fridge.

How do I reheat the Creamy Trout and Spinach Pasta?

When you are ready to eat, heat the dish at full power for 8 minutes (times may vary depending on your microwave). Test to see if the pasta is fully reheated and if necessary, put it back in for another minute or two.

Can I freeze Creamy Trout and Spinach Pasta?

This recipe is not suitable for freezing. The texture of the pasta would not be good and the sauce may split.

Vegetarian

The recipe for Creamy Trout and Spinach Pasta contains fish and is not suitable for a vegetarian diet. However, pasta and the sauce can be served without the fish or with a fish substitute.

Gluten Free

I use standard wheat pasta in this recipe, but gluten free pasta is widely available and can be used instead. There are no other obvious wheat products in the recipe, but please check the packaging of any manufactured products to ensure that they are suitable.

How do I serve Creamy Trout and Spinach Pasta? 

I serve this dish just as it is with a little more chopped parsley on top and some lemon zest. Everything you need is in the dish, protein, carbs and vegetables. But you may wish to add some crusty bread to mop up any juices and a crisp green side salad.

Serve the pasta in small portions as an appetiser. Creamy Trout and Spinach Pasta is simple enough for a midweek supper and fancy enough for an informal dinner with friends, just add wine!

More Easy Fish Recipes

Foil-Baked Scottish Salmon with Herbs is really easy to make, looks impressive and feeds a crowd.  

Honey & Balsamic Glazed Salmon is a very simple way to add flavour to farmed salmon. The sweet and sour glaze makes a tasty sauce that turns this quick and easy recipe into an instant hit with all the family.

Low-Calorie Fish Pie has everything you expect of a fish pie with tasty chunks of fish, in a creamy sauce topped with mashed potatoes. It is really easy to make and has less than 300 kcal per portion.

PIN FOR LATER

Creamy Trout and Spinach Pasta

Janice Pattie

Creamy Trout and Spinach Pasta is a quick and easy pasta recipe dish with a light creamy sauce, fresh spinach and flakes of delicious fish.

5 from 6 votes

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine British, Italian

Servings 4

Calories 487 kcal

Ingredients

• 250 grams (9 oz) tagliatelle or linguine pasta
• 10 grams (0.75 tbsp) butter
• 1 (1) onion finely chopped
• 150 millilitres (0.6 cups) creme fraiche
• 240 grams (8 oz) baby spinach
• 220 grams (8 oz) trout fillets
• 1 tsp (1 tsp) dried thyme or tsp dried mixed herbs
• 50 ml fish or vegetable stock
• Juice of half a lemon
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp (1 tbsp) fresh parsley
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest optional

Instructions

 

• 10 grams butter, 1 onion
  Melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat and gently saute the onion.  It should start to soften and become translucent and not brown.
  
• 250 grams tagliatelle or linguine pasta
  Put on a pan of water and heat until boiling, add a little sea salt and then the pasta, cook for around 10-12 minutes until just cooked.
  
• 220 grams trout fillets
  Cook the trout. Wrap in foil with a little olive oil and bake in the oven or in an air fryer at 180C for 3-4 minutes. Flake the fish.
  
• Alternative Cooking methods for the trout: Pan fry the trout in a little butter or cook for 1-2 minutes on medium in the microwave until the salmon is opaque.
• 150 millilitres creme fraiche, 50 ml fish or vegetable stock, 1 tsp dried thyme
  When the onion is soft add the creme fraiche, the stock and the dried herbs. Stir to combine.
  
• 240 grams baby spinach, Juice of half a lemon, 1 tbsp fresh parsley
  Add the spinach and put the lid on the pan until the leaves wilt down.
  
• Add the lemon juice and the chopped parsley and stir to combine.
  
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  Taste the sauce and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Drain the pasta reserving 100 ml of the pasta cooking water. Put the cooked pasta into the sauce and add the water. Mix to coat the pasta in the sauce.
  
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest
  Add the flaked trout to the sauce and mix gently.
  
• Serve in bowls with extra chopped parsley and lemon zest if using.
  

Nutrition

Calories: 487kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 22gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 89mgSodium: 164mgPotassium: 750mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 6392IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 134mgIron: 4mg

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This recipe was first published in November 2014