Tagliatelle with Salmon & Horseradish Sauce

This is weeknight elegance from the Dutch culinary tradition, where poached salmon meets a quick cream cheese sauce spiked with horseradish and dill. The flavor combination is a direct riff on the classic Scandinavian pairing of salmon, cream cheese, and sharp root, but served hot over ribbons of tagliatelle instead of on a bagel.

Poaching the salmon gently in salted water rather than pan-searing is the move that keeps this dish elegant. The low heat cooks the fish tender and moist without browning, so the clean salmon flavor comes through cleanly against the creamy sauce. Ten minutes is usually enough; pull the fillet before it flakes too easily.

Cream cheese makes the sauce base creamy without requiring a roux or heavy cream reduction. Thinning it with milk while melting gently over low heat produces a smooth, coating consistency that clings to pasta beautifully. Fresh dill and horseradish stirred in off the heat preserve their punch; adding them earlier dulls both flavors.

Whatever you do, use wide ribbon pasta here. Tagliatelle or fettuccine has the surface area to grab the cream sauce and each flaky piece of salmon.

Kitchen Tips

• Use prepared horseradish in a jar, not horseradish cream; the sauce already has plenty of cream, and you need the sharp bite
• Do not boil the cream cheese sauce; high heat will break it into greasy curds, keep it on low and just barely simmering
• Bring cream cheese to room temperature before cooking; cold cubes refuse to melt smoothly and create lumps
• Reserve a cup of pasta water to loosen the sauce if it thickens past coating consistency

Variations

• Use smoked salmon cut into ribbons instead of poached fresh salmon for a cold-and-hot flavor contrast
• Stir in a handful of baby spinach when tossing the pasta; it wilts instantly in the hot sauce and the recipe suggests this as a classic Dutch pairing
• Garnish with capers and a squeeze of lemon to brighten the rich sauce