Simple salmon spaghetti

As much as I love cooking, sometimes nothing beats a recipe that is quick and simple, offering both nutrition and comfort. When you get home from a long day at work, you don’t want to be spending hours in the kitchen.

Often when we simply don’t have the energy or time, we reach for the local takeaway menus or something quick yet not-so-nutritious… But this isn’t your only option, there are plenty of healthy, simple recipes available, and this one, in particular, will be on the table quicker than you can choose pizza toppings!

With less than 10 ingredients and a 20-minute cooking time, this salmon and broccoli spaghetti is quick and delicious. It’s well-balanced, fresh and light, yet full of flavour.

Because this recipe is so simple, it’s easy to change up depending on your taste. If you like spice, add more chilli. Instead of salmon, you can try prawns or chicken, or swap the meat for another protein source. Whatever works for you.

Salmon and Broccoli Spaghetti

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 salmon fillets
• 160g broccoli florets
• 200g spaghetti
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 chilli pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper

If you don’t eat fish or want a simple, veg-only pasta dish, add 100g frozen peas and 100g chopped mushrooms. Delicious.

Method

Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.

In an ovenproof dish, lay a piece of baking parchment so the salmon won’t stick. Put the salmon skin-side down, and drizzle a little oil over the top. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes.

Chop the chilli pepper and garlic, and put aside. In a large pan of boiling water, cook the spaghetti for five minutes. Chop the broccoli and add to the pan for a further five minutes.

Meanwhile, heat some oil in a pan, and add the garlic and chilli. Sauté until soft. Drain the pasta and veg, and return to the pan, mixing with the garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve in bowls, and place the salmon on top.

I actually like to flake the salmon and mix it all together, but it’s up to you!

It’s well-balanced, fresh and light, yet full of flavour

Nutritional therapist and wellness coach, Sonal Shah says…

Ideal for lunch, dinner or your post-workout meal, this salmon spaghetti is perfectly balanced with the right nutrients, and tasty too. Traditionally, Italian spaghetti is made from durum wheat semolina, but elsewhere it may be made with other kinds of flour.

You can even find black bean spaghetti, which is higher in protein and gluten-free, so ideal if you’re vegan or short of a protein source. Buckwheat spaghetti is also widely available, and if you have a spiraliser, you can make spaghetti from vegetables such as butternut squash or courgettes.

For regular spaghetti lovers, please don’t worry about the carbohydrates! They are an essential macronutrient, are satiating, and also help to boost the ‘good mood’ hormone, serotonin, in the brain.

Salmon contains omega 3 essential fatty acids that are beneficial for healthy vision, brain, joints, and reducing inflammation and diseases in the body. One salmon fillet contains approximately 21g protein! If you dislike fish, substitute it with another protein of choice.

Broccoli is high in fibre and antioxidant phytonutrients, which are great for colon and liver health – helping to eliminate toxins out of the body. Furthermore, it is rich in vitamin C, vitamin K, folic acid and phosphorous, keeping the body’s cells healthy, including bones and teeth. Olive oil has wonderful health benefits, especially unrefined extra virgin. Where the salmon is abundant in omega 3s, olive oil contains omega 9 – a monounsaturated fat – and no cholesterol.

The fats in the oil aid the absorption of vitamins A, C, D, K and carotenoids from the vegetables in the body. Research also shows it helps heart health and reducing inflammation. The Mediterranean diet is flowing with olives and olive oil – locals drink it by the teaspoon to stay young and energetic. So, a drizzle of olive oil to your meal will not only make your spaghetti more appetising and improve the texture, it could keep you youthful too!

This article was originally published in Happiful Magazine. To purchase your copy, head to shop.happiful.com.