Creamy Salmon Pasta Bake (Dump & Bake!)
Developed and tested by Robyn Conley Downs
on Sep 8, 2025 
This salmon pasta bake uses salmon fillets, orzo pasta, and Boursin cheese for a one-pan, no-chop, dump-and-bake casserole dinner that basically cooks itself. Creamy and savory, it’s a full meal with almost zero effort!
5 star review
“PEOPLE! Make. This. Dish. I substituted the vegan version of Boursin and it was *chef’s kiss*. Definitely going to keep this one in regular rotation bc it was DEEEELISH.”
– Lily
The Easiest Weeknight Salmon Dinner!
I’m sooooooo excited to introduce you to my latest weeknight salmon dinner obsession! I created this salmon pasta bake as a fresh spin on my viral orzo chicken bake (which if you haven’t tried yet I highly recommend). For this version I’m using the same one-pan, no-chop setup; but this time with flaky salmon fillets, juicy cherry tomatoes, and a generous handful of spinach for a veg boost. The Boursin melts into the orzo and turns everything creamy and savory, without needing a separate sauce (love that!).
This salmon recipe is giving tuna casserole vibes, but lighter, fresher, and with (obviously) salmon instead of tuna. It’s definitely made for the nights when you need something warm and satisfying but don’t want to stand at the cutting board. Instead just dump everything in the baking dish, pop it in the oven, and get rewarded with a cozy, wholesome dinner everyone will devour!
Welcome to My Kitchen – Let’s Make Salmon Orzo Bake
Testing Notes from My Kitchen for the Perfect Salmon Pasta Bake
- If possible, I recommend using center-cut salmon fillets with the skin removed for more even cooking, as they tend to bake up flaky and tender without overcooking around the edges.
- In testing, I found that letting the Boursin sit right in the middle (without stirring) creates a richer, creamier base once you mix everything after baking.
- I’ve found that baby spinach wilts perfectly if you add it after the first bake; as adding it too early makes it a little too soft and dull in color.
- If your cherry tomatoes are on the larger side, I suggest halving them so they cook evenly along with other ingredients.
- Both Boursin and Trader Joe’s make a dairy-free version of Boursin, so look for it as a great swap to make this recipe dairy-free.
Creamy Salmon Pasta Bake (Dump & Bake!)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups orzo pasta
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ¼ teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
- 1 5.3 ounce package Boursin garlic & chive cheese
- 1 pound salmon, deboned and skin removed (fillets or whole)
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 2 cups baby spinach
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Prepare a 9×13 ceramic baking dish with cooking spray.
- Assemble: Add the orzo, chicken stock, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and pepper, stirring until well combined. Nestle the Boursin cheese into the middle of the dish.
- Sprinkle the salmon fillets with ¼ teaspoon of salt, and place around the edges on top of the orzo. Sprinkle the cherry tomatoes evenly over the top. Do not stir.
- Bake: Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, uncover, and add the spinach. Stir to break up the salmon into large chunks, and to evenly combine the orzo with the stock, cheese, and spinach. Bake, uncovered, for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the orzo is completely cooked through. Stir again to combine and serve.
Notes
- I like to give the orzo a quick stir before it goes into the oven and before adding the salmon and tomatoes to make sure it’s fully coated in broth, helping it cook more evenly and stay tender.
This was a great easy 1 dish meal my family loved it.
Beth, I’m so happy to hear this salmon bake was a hit with your family! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and for leaving a review!
Amanda B
PEOPLE! Make. This. Dish. I substituted the vegan version of Boursin and it was *chef’s kiss*. Definitely going to keep this one in regular rotation bc it was DEEEELISH.
Lily, YAY, so happy to hear you enjoyed this one, and thanks for your tips on how to make it dairy-free, so helpful!
That was good .I put two of the cheeses in the dish I used one garlic and herbs and the other one basil and herb.
Cindy, ohhhh, great idea to double up on the cheese, yum! Thanks for sharing your notes and for leaving a review!
The whole family loved this. Made it twice already! Used 200 grams of a different brand of cheese.
Yena, wonderful to hear this one was a hit with the family, and also nice to hear it worked with different brand of cheese. Thanks so much for sharing your tips and for leaving a review!
Well I’ve never used Boursin cheese or orzo before, so I felt like a serious chef making this. But oh my this was SO DELICIOUS!!! My whole family, even my 9 year old who doesn’t like salmon, loved it. I’m not sure how I found Robyn but I am LOVING your recipes!!! This was my second recipe of yours to try …tonight I’m making a third one.
Terri, I’m so delighted to hear you enjoyed this easy salmon recipe! I’m happy you found my recipes, and thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and leaving a review!
This looks delicious! What type of salmon do you use for this dish?
Any type of salmon fillet (fresh or frozen-defrost) will work, so chinook, sockeye, or even steelhead. I hope that helps!
Huge hit with my family & friends! I even made it with gluten free orzo for my daughter and it was great. Appreciate such an easy meal that includes everything-protein, starch & veggies!
Heidi, fantastic to hear this one was a dinner favorite with family and friends! Do you mind sharing which type or brand of gluten-free orzo you used? I know others will appreciate it! Thanks for sharing your notes and for leaving a review!
I scrolled down just to see if anyone had attempted this with GF orzo! I’d love to know what brand so I can copy you 😅
Danielle, I’d recommend Jovial brown rice gluten-free orzo! I believe you can order it if you can’t find it in stores. I don’t recommend chickpea based orzo for this particular recipe, as it can get gummy.
This is a big hit with my family. We eat fish every Friday. This is now our favorite dish in the rotation and it is easy to prepare. Even my 18 month old grandson loves this. We do substitute vegetable broth with instead of chicken.
Kathi, yay, I’m so happy to hear this was a hit for Fish Friday Dinner! Great idea to swap in vegetable stock, too. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and leaving a review!
My whole family loved this and it was really easy! I followed the recipe exactly. After cooking covered for 25 minutes, I cooked uncovered for the full 10 minutes. I’ll be making this again soon!
Audrey, yay, so happy to hear this easy salmon dinner was a hit for the whole family! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and leaving a review!