Grilled Blackened Salmon Pasta
Packed with big flavors, this Grilled Blackened Salmon Pasta is a tasty way to enjoy summer grilling season!
This post may contain paid links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.
It’s no secret that I love my cast iron skillets – I have one big one and one medium one. They see a lot of action in our kitchen. I’ll make pizza in ’em. I’ll cook steak in ’em. I’ve even used those cast iron skillets for buttermilk biscuits and apple pie. But seeing as how we’re in the middle of the summer right now, those cast iron skillets have gotten mighty lonely.
That’s because we grill nearly every night in the summer. Whether it’s charcoal grilling on the weekends, or gas grilling on the busy weeknights, you can bet on me being outside on the back porch nearly every evening. Sorry, cast iron skillets. I’ll show you more love as soon as the leaves start to fall.
Today’s post is all about the Grilled Blackened Salmon Pasta. To be fair, the blackening technique traditionally calls for a cast iron skillet. Cast iron gets extremely hot, and you just heat that skillet up until it’s screamin’ hot. Whatever meat or seafood you add to the skillet cooks really quickly and turns black, thus the name. However, since we’re in grilling season, I made a slight adaptation to this blackened salmon. Yup, I cooked it on the grill.
Grilled Blackened Salmon Pasta
Grilled Blackened Salmon PastaI used a traditional blackening spice rub on this salmon before grilling it. Several companies sell blackening rub, so you can pick up a container from the store. However, I find it just as easy to mix my own version. (Plus, that way you can adjust the cayenne pepper to your own tastes. I found that ¼ teaspoon is enough to notice the heat but not so much that it burns. You do you, though.)
Blackened salmon alone is quite delicious, but I wanted to incorporate it with some grilled veggies into this Grilled Blackened Salmon Pasta. I love (love!) grilling veggies in the summer and then mixing them into pasta with just a bit of olive oil and Parmesan cheese. No sauce needed when you’ve got all of that grilled flavor in play!
For this recipe, I used yellow squash, onions and tomatoes. However, use what you’ve got. If zucchini is taking over your garden, use that. If asparagus is on super sale at the store, use that. The grilled flavor – plus the generous amount of fresh basil – really makes this dish shine! The key is just leaving the veggies as large pieces so they don’t burn on the grill. (I find that cutting everything in half works well.) Oh, and if you love grilled veggies, then you have to try this Grilled Guacamole recipe sometime. It’s unique – and delicious!
In addition to the grilled flavor itself, I boosted the flavor of the veggies by adding a bit of the same blackening mixture that I used on the salmon. Trust me, one bite, and you’ll be wishing you added more veggies to the grill. Enjoy!
Did you make this Grilled Blackened Salmon Pasta at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog). I’d love to see your version!
Grilled Blackened Salmon Pasta
Ingredients
For the Blackened Seasoning
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1½ tsp onion powder
- 1½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried basil
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
For the Salmon, Veggies and Pasta
- 4 6 oz. salmon filets, skin-on
- 2 medium yellow squash halved lengthwise
- 1 medium red onion halved
- 4 Roma tomatoes halved
- 3½ Tbsp canola or vegetable oil divided
- 1 16 oz. box penne pasta
- 1 ½ Tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup fresh basil chopped
- 1½ tsp garlic minced
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
Instructions
For the Blackened Seasoning
- Using a small bowl, add all of the seasoning ingredients; stir until well combined.
For the Salmon, Veggies and Pasta
- Cook pasta in boiling water according to package instructions.
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat (~375°F).
- Brush squash and red onion with 1 Tbsp of oil. Sprinkle tops of veggies with ~2 tsp of blackened seasoning. Set veggies aside.
- In a separate bowl, toss Roma tomatoes with ½ Tbsp oil and 1 tsp of blackened seasoning. Set tomatoes aside.
- Finally, brush salmon fillets evenly with 1 Tbsp of oil. Press remaining seasoning mixture evenly into skinless sides of each fillet.
- Brush grill grates with the remaining 1 Tbsp of oil (to prevent salmon from sticking).
- Plate a large pot of salted water on stovetop over high heat to begin boiling.
- Place squash and onion on grill cut-sides down. Place salmon on grill skin-side down. Grill for 4-5 minutes, flip and continue grilling for 2-5 more minutes, or until salmon is fully cooked. (Note: The timing on the salmon will depend on the thickness of the filets.)
- Once salmon and veggies have been flipped, place tomatoes on grill cut-side down. Grill for 4-5 minutes. (Note: This means that squash, onion, salmon and tomatoes should all come off the grill at approximately the same time.) Set salmon aside to rest.
- Slice the vegetables into smaller pieces. Using a large bowl, add cooked pasta, olive oil, sliced vegetables, chopped basil, garlic and Parmesan cheese; Toss until well combined.
- Divide onto plates and top each with a spoonful of ricotta and salmon.
Looking for more fun grilling recipes? Check out these other favorites, too:
Like you, love my cast iron skillet and also love my grill! This looks like such a jam packed with flavour meal, David! Love all the veg and of course, that blackened salmon. This would make for such a great date night meal! Pinned 🙂
I love recipes with big flavors, and this blackened salmon totally fits. It’s packed with delicious summer flavors! You’re right that this would be a fun one for date night. Perhaps with a bottle of wine? 🙂 Thanks, Dawn!
David my friend, you’ve cooked many fine dishes for us, but this one is right up there at the top. I can’t wait to try your blackened salmon recipe on my stekhäll (like a discada), as for the pasta we love grilled veggie pasta. We don’t get yellow squash here but we have other to grill up. Thanks for sharing and keep calm and grill on.
Why thank you so much for the kind words, Ron! I do love grilling, so of course I had to try to adapt this recipe for the grill. I mean cast iron is great for the winter, but it’s warm out…we need to use the stekhäll! 🙂
I love that you can make this on the grill! No need to heat the house up when it’s perfect grilling weather. This is a complete recipe – right down to the blackening seasonings. This would be perfect for Father’s Day! I hope you have a great Father’s Day weekend!
Exactly! I mean I still heat up the house in the summer because, well, homemade bread. 🙂 But I enjoy being outdoors, and the flavor that a grill brings is unbeatable! This would be a fun recipe for Father’s Day – good thinking!
Cast Iron Skillets are true kitchen treasures (I bought my favorite one in a thrift store when I was in college!). But, like you, I gladly ditch them for the grill in summertime. Especially when salmon is involved! This pasta is totally drool worthy, David. Beautifully done!
Oh man, that was probably a great find to get that cast iron skillet at a thrift store. I know some families argue about who gets the cast iron skillet when it’s passed down! But, yes, it’s summer, and that means I want to be out at the grill! This pasta + blackened salmon is a favorite for sure, Marissa. So much flavor going on here!
LOVE my cast iron skillet! 🙂 I could use it just about every day.
This pasta looks amazing – that salmon – wow! You can just see how full of flavour it would be!
I love my cast iron skillet, too, Alex! In the winter, this recipe works on a cast iron skillet…but in the summer, I’m all about the grill! 🙂
i love grilled veg.! and salmon of course. this sounds like a fabulous meal david.
Grilled veggies are definitely a favorite around here. It took a bit of playing around before I figured out that the best thing is to cut them very thick and then grill ’em on a lower temperature. But, yes, there is so much flavor there! 🙂 Thanks, Sherry!
David, you’ve got my mouth watering. I too am a cast iron fan. My 10 incher is my go to everyday pan. I make everything in it. I even boil pasta in it! I don’t do a lot of grilling though. You make me wish I did.
I’m with ya on the cast iron, Jeff. It’s amazing. But you know how to fix the grilling issue? Pull out that grill! It’s a hot weekend this weekend, so I think that’s your excuse. And the first recipe to make? This blackened salmon! Seriously – do it!
Mmm, this is my kind of meal, David! That gorgeous blackened salmon is calling to me – and I love that you can make this indoors and outdoors in all seasons. I love my cast iron skillet too and as it’s winter here at the moment, it’s definitely getting a lot of action. Thanks for the inspiration and enjoy your summer grilling!
Why thank you so much, Katerina! I’ve always been a sucker for blackening seasoning, but this recipe takes it to the next level thanks to the grill flavor. SO good! And those grilled veggies?? Mmmm. Since it’s winter down there right now, you could make this recipe indoor in a cast iron skillet. However, keep this same recipe in mind for when the summer grilling season returns! (And as much as I hate to admit it since we’re loving the warmer weather up here….that switch in seasons is coming soon!)
Love this. I don’t think I’ve ever mixed salmon and pasta together unless it was smoked salmon. But what a great idea. And those blackening seasoning. So much flavor!
The blackening seasoning adds so much flavor here, Mimi! And of course there’s the grill, too. This is definitely one of our favorites lately. 🙂
Years ago I had blackened salmon in a restaurant. It was delicious and spicy but not too much, this has made me think back to that. I cannot wait to unpack my cast iron and give this a try.
Hey! This isn’t a cast iron recipe, Matt. (Well, not right now…in the winter is a different story!) This one is on the grill. So unpack the grill first! 🙂
Sounds like a winner, David. I do love myself some grilled salmon!
Thanks so much, Frank! Grilled salmon is delicious in it’s own right, and the blackening seasoning just brings that much more flavor here.
I love cooking in my cast iron skillet too David, but I only have just the one skillet so I’m probably not as fanatical as you are with having two! Ha ha! As always I’m jealous of you being able to grill on your porch in the evenings. If only I had such a facility here. This grilled blackened salmon pasta looks amazing!
Hey, I think there’s always room for another cast iron skillet, Neil! You gotta have a really big one and then a normal-sized one. 🙂 So grilling is awesome for this recipe, but you could totally do it in cast iron – after all, that is the main way to make a blackened recipe. Either way, this salmon is delicious!
Oh my goodness!!! THAT salmon! Gosh- it is mouthwatering! I came to work with two cups of coffee in the tank – just wasn’t feeling breakfast- until I saw this!!!! Now am famished!!! And adding that blackening rub to those veggies is brilliant! I’m sitting here wondering if I can go home for lunch and whip this up… then I might not come back to work cos salmon coma! 🙂
Btw – just curious- you ever used your skillet in the grill?
Wasn’t feeling breakfast today!? What the heck, Shashi! Can I have your breakfast then? I love (!!) breakfast, and I look forward to it every morning. Then again, I look forward to lunch and dinner, too. Not sure what that says about me…haha! This one is a fun recipe for summer grilling indeed. And now you’ve got me thinking about using my cast iron skillet in the grill. I have done that before (I believe I made a smoked queso), but it’s been ages. Why didn’t I think of cooking this on the grill in my cast iron pan?? Now I just need to make it again! Why don’t you come on up for dinner tonight? 🙂
I love my cast iron skillet too, such a great tool to have in the kitchen, that charred bits give it so much flavour regardless its salmon or any meats. Great recipe BTW
I’m totally with ya on the cast iron, Raymund! I use that pan for lots of things…but in the summer months, I’m all about the grill. 🙂
I have never had blackened salmon, but I have other blackened fish. It is so good. I really need to try this blackened salmon, it has so much flavor.
Blackened anything is delicious if you ask me, but then add the grilled flavor in there, too? I’m sold! Definitely put this one on the list to try, Dawn!