Think of this canned salmon salad as an upgraded version of chicken/tuna salad packed with nutrients and flavor. Serve it as a salmon salad sandwich, salad, or with crackers as a dip. This salmon salad is one of my favorite canned salmon recipes, let me show you why!
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What’s in Canned Salmon Salad?
- The dressing – is made of mayonnaise, lemon juice, and pepper.
- The crunch – comes from diced red onions and celery.
- The flavor – capers and fresh dill are great salmon compliments.
What’s the Best Canned Salmon to Use?
If you’re anything like me, you probably wonder if canned salmon is healthy. I did some digging and was pleasantly surprised that canning salmon doesn’t deplete nutrients, when the right product is purchased. When buying salmon in a can, here’s what I look for:
- Wild caught salmon has a lower exposure to chemicals that can be used in fish farming
- Sodium is commonly used as a preservative in canned foods to extend their shelf life. Adding salt helps prevent bacterial growth and maintains the quality of the product over time. Look for products that are lower in sodium, or that don’t contain added salt.
- Products I like: Wild Planet Wild Pink Salmon (no salt added), Crown Prince Natural Pink Salmon, or Vital Choice Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon.
Can I Use Fresh Salmon?
Yes! If using leftover salmon, pan seared salmon, or baked salmon, just flake it and weigh 10 ounces for this recipe.
Variations + Tweaks
We love this canned salmon salad recipe as is; simple with flavors that complement salmon. But like other salad recipes (take chicken salad as an example), you can customize it any way you please. Here are some ideas for you:
- Swap mayonnaise with Greek yogurt or mashed avocado, as I do in my avocado chicken salad or avocado tuna salad.
- Add more mix-ins – different herbs, spices, pickles, etc.
- Swap the meat – this recipe would work as a canned chicken salad, tuna salad, or egg salad as well.
How to Make Canned Salmon Salad
Easy! All you have to do is mix your canned salmon salad ingredients together in a bowl. The flavor will only get better with time, so I recommend storing your salmon in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.
How to Serve (Salmon Salad Sandwich, and More!)
There are so many ways to serve the canned salmon salad and they’re all delicious. Our personal faves are:
- A salmon salad sandwich on toasted sourdough, with fresh green lettuce.
- Wrapped in lettuce or tortillas for wraps.
- Turn this into a salmon melt with cheddar cheese, tomatoes, and red onions.
- In a hollowed tomato, avocado, or even a bell pepper.
- With chips, celery sticks, or sliced bell peppers as a dip.
- Over a bed of fresh greens–butter lettuce is great for this.
More Canned Salmon Recipes
You may be wondering what to do with canned salmon, as I was when we loaded up on dozens of cans during the pandemic. This recipe, and a few of my favorite salmon recipes came to be as I cleared out the pantry. Lucky me!
Canned Salmon Salad
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 2, 5 oz cans of salmon well drained
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise or Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons celery chopped
- 2 tablespoons red onion chopped
- 2 tablespoons capers well drained
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Add salmon to a medium bowl, and flake into small pieces using a fork.
- Add all other ingredients and toss to combine. Taste and add salt and pepper to your liking. Bonus, the salad gets better after a few hours in the fridge. Enjoy!
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