This recipe is inspired by my favorite dish at one of my favorite NYC restaurants. And dare I say that it might even be just as good.

We started going out to eat as a family pretty frequently on the weekends a little before my daughter turned 1.

It was the height of the pandemic and there really wasn’t much to do except to find any and all outdoor activities. Luckily, NYC adapted and created so many amazing outdoor dining spaces.

We started frequenting one restaurant that we now go to every week. And this salmon and farfalle dish is almost always my go to order.

I split it with my daughter and we both love it. It has so much goodness in it: pasta, super soft salmon, perfectly sautéed veggies and a light garlic and oil sauce.

The original version is actually meant to be spicy, but because I share it with my now 2 year old, we nix the spice :).

While my version will never compete with theirs, I do think it’s pretty good! In fact, a friend saw a photo of it and immediately knew which restaurant and which dish it was meant to be copying.

A big bonus here: this recipe makes a good amount of food! Feed it to your family or save some for later in the week. It’s bound to save you some time cooking in the long run.

Cook the pasta & prep ingredients

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook per package directions. Reserve about 3/4 cup of the pasta water, then drain and rinse and set aside.

While pasta is cooking, julienne the carrots and zucchini. Set aside.

Prepare the sauce

In a large pan over medium heat, add 1/4 cup of olive oil, the reserved pasta water, minced garlic and 1 tablespoon of the bouillon. Stir frequently until thickened for about 5 minutes. Pour sauce into a bowl and set aside.

Cook the salmon

Cut the salmon into 1-inch cubes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan over medium high heat. Add the salmon and the remaining 1 tablespoon of bouillon. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5-8 minutes until salmon is almost cooked through.

Add in the veggies

Add the julienned carrots, zucchini and the peas, plus salt and pepper to taste to the pan. Mix and cook until softened.

Add the pasta and mix

Add in the cooked pasta, plus the oil and garlic. Mix to combine. Top with fresh herbs and serve.

Notes

Protein: The cubed salmon is so key here. It gets perfectly soft and glazed with the garlic sauce. You can definitely swap for chicken though if you prefer – make sure to cut the chicken into cubes too and follow the same directions.
Vegetables: Make sure to julienne the carrots and zucchini very thinly. If you find it easier, you can also use a spiralizer to shape them into spirals, or even a peer to make thin ribbons. I used frozen green peas – a staple in my kitchen!
Storage: Store this pasta dish in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Course: Dinner, Lunch