Begin by boiling a large pot of salted water. Add your uncooked pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Reserve a splash of the pasta water, drain, and set pasta aside.

Trim the tough ends of the asparagus, cut into 1-2 inch pieces. Aim for tender yet crisp asparagus.

Season salmon with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. In a skillet, heat olive oil and butter. Cook salmon for about 3 minutes on each side until seared and cooked through. Remove from pan.

In the same skillet, add asparagus and sauté for 2-3 minutes until bright green and tender but still a slight crunch.

Stir in minced garlic, cooking until fragrant. Add lemon juice, zest, heavy cream, and parmesan. Stir and let sauce simmer until it thickens slightly.

Break cooked salmon into pieces, return to skillet, and fold into sauce and asparagus. Cook for additional 2-3 minutes, adding reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick.

Add drained pasta to the skillet, tossing to coat with sauce. Serve immediately while hot, garnishing with extra lemon zest or pepper.