Thai Curry Pasta With Blistered Tomatoes And Salmon Recipe

Thai red curry pasta with salmon may not be a combination you're likely to find in a traditional Italian or Thai cookbook, but that's exactly what makes it so uniquely special. This recipe pairs oven-roasted salmon and blistered cherry tomatoes and onions with fusilli, and all of it is tossed in a silky coconut milk curry sauce. The result is rich, spicy, and tangy, hitting all the spots for a complete dish.

As the food blogger behind At the Immigrant's Table, I am no stranger to combining dishes from different cuisines to produce surprising results that somehow feel familiar to all. Thai basil and cilantro on pasta may sound odd on paper, but once you see how well the tangy, funky coconut-tinged red curry sauce coats each curve of the fusilli noodles, you'll understand why we've become obsessed with this dish. The roasted tomatoes and onions mix with the red, creamy sauce to produce a jammy, sweet-acidic medley that would be at home in any typical Thai curry.

And the salmon? It brings the whole dish together, adding a fatty protein that stands up to the complex sauce and makes this feel like a complete dish. Whether you prep ahead for lunch or make this on a weeknight, the resulting Thai curry pasta with blistered tomatoes and salmon will fit right at home in any mealtime lineup.

For the pasta and salmon, you'll need fresh cherry tomatoes, a sliced large yellow onion, sliced garlic cloves, olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, salmon fillets, and fusilli pasta. If you don't have fusilli, you can also use penne or a more adventurous pasta like garganelli. 

For the curry sauce, you'll need Thai red curry paste, full-fat coconut milk, fish sauce, lime juice, and brown sugar. Make sure you choose a good, flavorful red curry paste, as it can make or break the dish. For serving, we suggest topping with fresh Thai basil, fresh cilantro, sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes.

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Prep a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Toss the cherry tomatoes, onion wedges, and sliced garlic with 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.

Spread the vegetables on the baking sheet and roast them for 12 minutes until the tomatoes begin to blister.

Pat the salmon fillets dry and brush them with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season them with the remaining ½ tsp teaspoon and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Push the tomato mixture to the sides of the baking sheet and nestle the salmon fillets in the center. Roast for 12-15 minutes until the salmon is cooked through and the tomatoes are deeply blistered.

While the salmon roasts, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente.

In a large skillet over medium heat, whisk together the Thai red curry paste and coconut milk until smooth.

Add the fish sauce, lime juice, and brown sugar. Simmer 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the drained pasta to the curry sauce and toss to coat.

Divide the pasta among four bowls. Top each with one salmon fillet and a generous portion of blistered tomatoes and onions (including all pan juices).

Garnish the pasta with Thai basil, cilantro, sesame seeds, and a pinch of red pepper flakes, if desired, and serve.

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If you would prefer not to bake the salmon, then we can suggest using a skillet or the air fryer. Both will produce juicy, flavorful pieces of fish that won't be dry on the inside or out.

For pan-seared salmon, choose fillets with the skin on, and pat them completely dry. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet, and cook the fish skin-side down. We recommend pressing it gently for the first half a minute, as this will prevent the fish from curving. Continue cooking for 4-5 minutes, then flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes. If the fish isn't lifting easily from the pan, lower the heat and wait another minute. The fully-cooked salmon should be opaque and measure 130 F before you take it off the pan, as it'll continue cooking for a bit.

For the air fryer, we're going to cook it at 375 F for 12-15 minutes, and you don't need to flip it. The air fryer is actually a great method for cooking fish, as long as you don't forget to preheat it. It doesn't overcook the fish and helps to keep it from drying.

The easiest way to change up this dish is to swap out the pasta. You can even skip the Italian pasta altogether and use Thai rice noodles for a more traditional Thai dish. The second easiest approach is to swap out the protein.

Changing up the salmon for shrimp is probably our favorite way to do this. Jumbo shrimp will soak up the sauce, require a very short cooking window, and still maintain the Thai-seafood spirit of the dish. Scallops would also work beautifully, instantly elevating the dish to the level of a special occasion meal.

If you want to go another route, chicken thighs are great here. Just make sure to roast them for longer, about 30 minutes in total. For a meat-free version, tofu is also great for soaking in the sauce. If you want to add vegetables, baby corn was our favorite addition. Snap peas, broccoli, and spinach are also all great, but need to be added at different times, with spinach requiring the shortest cooking time.

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