Can I cook smoked salmon like bacon?

[Diamondeye]

I want to make a salmon pasta dish but apparently you can’t heat up smoked salmon?

Yes you can heat up smoked salmon. You can't cook it like bacon, ie in a frying pan. But it's very tasty chucked in with pasta and some creme fraiche.

Cut the salmon up small and mix it with the pasta when it's still warm and serve immediately.

You dont cook smoked salmon. You can heat it as in make your pasta dish then add the salmon & stir it in

Can't you? I have done exactly what you wantto do. It was delicious. I'm off to Google now the risks I've taken!

Just add the smoked salmon to the pasta after pasta has been drained, it will be delicious!

put your pasta on separately.
fry some shallots in butter slowly, add glass of white wine, reduce, add some cream, then herbs, chopped up smoked salmon, season to taste, mix with your drained pasta, chuck some more herbs - dill or parsley on top and serve.

smoked salmon is also really nice in a tart which you would cook to set.

oh ok I see. Thanks very much

It wouldn’t taste awful with pesto would it?

It would , but that’s because pesto is gross.

I wouldn’t mix smoked salmon with pesto.

Salmon fillets yes, it goes nicely.

But pesto is quite salty from the parmesan and I think is too salty and strong a taste to go with smoked salmon.

Creamy sauces work much better

Smoked salmon goes well with eggs so it would probably make a nice alternative to bacon in carbonara.

I’d prefer creamy sauce but I’m doing it for a shredded diet (red lentil pasta too )

If the salmon is smoked you don’t need pesto as it has enough flavour. Mix with a little olive oil instead?

I’d prefer creamy sauce

Just egg, with a bit of milk, cooked very gently (the heat of the pasta may be enough)- high protein, not fatty. Toss in strips of smoked salmon, maybe some chives. That will probably give enough flavour that you won't need much, if any, Parmesan. I'd chuck something like cooked tenderstem broccoli in that too.

It will disintegrate if it's cooked too much -- as PPs have said, just fold it into the recipe at the end of cooking.
I prefer it uncooked for its silky texture which you lose when it's heated, so I'd probably just pile it up on top of the 'pasta'.
I think the strong flavours of smoked salmon and pesto might well fight TBH. But give it a go and report back!