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Canned Salmon Salad

Published: / Updated: / 72 Comments

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This salmon salad is made with canned salmon and comes together quickly! It's similar to tuna salad, so it's great in sandwiches for easy lunches.

canned salmon salad sandwich (two halves stacked)

I think canned salmon is somewhat underrated. Tuna gets all the glory, so if you want to change things up a bit, give this a try. Canned salmon is healthy and fairly inexpensive, and it's something I like to include in my diet every now and then. 

You may also like my Canned Salmon Pasta or this Easy Tuna Salad Recipe.

Can I use fresh salmon?

Yes! I recommend using about 1 pound of fresh salmon (you could definitely use leftover cooked salmon for this recipe). I would probably eat any leftovers faster than if using canned salmon, however (within a couple of days).

canned salmon salad in a glass prep bowl

A note on canned salmon

You can buy canned salmon without skin/bones, but I usually buy it with. Why? Because it's more flavorful, contains extra vitamins/minerals, and you don't even notice when you mash it all up. I know the idea may not be super appealing to some people (or if you think too much about it haha), but give it a try if you're curious! My mom always bought canned salmon that way, and so I continued as an adult. I used canned sockeye salmon (Cloverleaf brand here in Canada). 

Recipe notes & tips:

  • This salmon salad recipe is pretty flexible. Just like with tuna salad, feel free to add/omit ingredients based on what you've got on hand or prefer. I encourage you to taste and adjust ingredient quantities as needed!
  • I use my Microplane zester/grater to zest the lemon. I add lemon zest to many of my salmon recipes - it really adds a ton of freshness that pairs well with the fish. 
  • If you can't get fresh dill, dried dill will work in a pinch (but I do prefer the flavor of the fresh stuff). I'd start with 1 teaspoon, taste it, and add more if needed.
  • I just included butter leaf lettuce in the sandwiches pictured, but feel free to add more stuff... tomatoes, arugula, cucumber, a different kind of lettuce, a slice of cheese... anything goes. 

Give these similar recipes a try...

canned salmon salad in a sandwich

Let me know if you'll give these canned salmon salad sandwiches a go! Questions? Ask me in the comments below. 

canned salmon salad sandwich (two halves stacked)

Canned Salmon Salad

This salmon salad is made with canned salmon and comes together quickly! It's similar to tuna salad, so it's great in sandwiches for easy lunches.
4.97 from 26 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 10 mins
Total Time 10 mins
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 197 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 2 (5 ounce) cans salmon drained
  • 1/4 cup mayo
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice + zest of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 stick celery chopped small
  • 1-2 tablespoons capers drained & chopped
  • 1-2 tablespoon red onion chopped small
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill chopped
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Drain the salmon and add it to a bowl. Mash it with a fork. Prep the other ingredients and add them to the bowl, then mix it all together. Taste and season with salt & pepper/adjust ingredients as needed.
  • This recipe makes enough for 4 sandwiches (try adding some lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and/or sliced cheese to each sandwich). This canned salmon salad will keep in the fridge for 3-5 days.

Notes

  • Recipe is easily halved (just use one can of salmon and cut other ingredients in half).
  • This recipe is very forgiving. If you don't like an ingredient, you can definitely leave it out/sub as needed with what you've got on hand!
  • Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Nutrition

Calories: 197kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 17gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 437mgPotassium: 262mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 91IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 205mgIron: 1mg
Keyword canned salmon salad, salmon salad with canned salmon
Author Natasha Bull
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  1. Linda Lewis says

    5 stars
    Hey Natasha.....Was looking at what to do with canned Alaska wild sockeye salmon & you gave me the answer. I'm a cook with professional training & found your ingredients list spot on even before putting it together. I opted to not use (sm. dice) red onion or celery this time. No fresh dill on hand but had dried dill that had a smidgen of life left in it, so I knew it wouldn't be of much help & would not do any harm.
    Salt wasn't needed. I did add maybe a tsp of caper brine.
    Anyway, great recipe. I think it would be terrific for a quick appetizer on toasted artisan bread or even a neutral cracker. Thanks...Linda L

    Reply

  2. Donna Thornton says

    Does salmon have a fishy taste and or smell? I have a can of pink salmon in my cupboard and don't have a clue what to do with it. If so, how do I cover the taste/smell?

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi Donna! Well... it is an oily fish, so yes, it will taste/smell a bit fishy. I am not really sure how to answer your question. There's seasonings in here, but the recipe is for those who like salmon, so it won't erase its taste. If you give it a try, let me know.

      Reply

  3. Ted Lonnberg says

    5 stars
    Fantastic recipe - my family and I loved it. It has become a household staple and is super easy to make. Definitely deserves a 5 star rating.

    Reply

  4. TeresaS says

    5 stars
    I cut the recipe in half and served it on toasted triangle bread for one of our appy nights...really enjoyed the capers and the crunch of the cerery and onion...used dried dill...made for "Best of 2022" tag game per Kathy D's recommendation...

    Reply

  5. Michele says

    5 stars
    I laughed at this being listed as American cuisine. Most Americans I know have never tried it. Definitely Canadian!
    One of my favorites!!

    Reply

    • Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says

      Very interesting! We're Canadian, and we haven't actually heard of anyone eating it here haha. 🙂 So happy it's a hit, Michele.

      Reply

  8. Shan Gibson says

    I grew up eating canned salmon with Miracle Whip , lemon ,lettuce and lots of fresh ground black pepper in Manitoba ; we ate white bread back then ,it was the style. I don't eat very much bread anymore , but when I do, I eat real Sourdough Bread or sour Rye Bread,toasted. I don't eat many processed foods either so I use half of an Avocado in place of the MW. The salmon & avocado go very well together. (It is the mouth feel that is important to me). Instead of salt I use salt-free chilli powder for a kick. I don't eat 3 or 4 sandwiches like I used to , now I would have a fresh broccoli salad first ,then a sandwich.

    Reply

  9. Micky E says

    5 stars
    So easy to make. Had all the ingredients on hand. Such a good flavor.
    With the capers and dill. Will definitely make again.

    Reply

  12. Angeline Churchill says

    5 stars
    On the advice of my doctor, I needed to add some oily fish to my diet. I'm not a big fish fan, but I decided to give this a try. Left out the onions (personal taste) and added a boiled egg for more protein. Excellent flavor and easy to prep. My doc and I thank you!

    Reply

  14. Ter says

    5 stars
    Never could find a canned salmon recipe and now, this is phenomenal! Much better than tuna! Thanks!

    Reply

  15. KathyD says

    5 stars
    Another of your recipes that made it into my Best of 2022 recipe file! This was soooooooo good. It was super easy to prep in the morning and take to work. The flavor combination is absolutely perfect. Thank you!

    Reply

  16. Ellen Shaw says

    5 stars
    Loved this recipe been wanting salmon salad but wasn’t sure about the taste. This recipe taste great!!! It was so refreshing !!! Thank you!! I look forward to more of your recipes!!!

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      I'm so happy to hear that! 😀 You're very welcome. I appreciate your 5-star review! Let me know if you try anything else.

      Reply

  17. AP says

    5 stars
    Amped up the lemon juice and dill, skipped zesting, and made open faced melts with a slice of tomato and cheddar 🤤

    Thank you!!!

    Reply

  19. Doni says

    Added 3 cans of mushrooms and 9 boiled eggs for a family dinner (tripled the recipe). Plugged it into my weight loss program and under 150 calories per serving! Excellent! Next time the reduced calorie mayo/ miracle whip

    Reply

  20. Elaine Wise says

    Delicious!! I made it with wild sockeye salmon, canned. The brand I used was Wild Planet. Skinless and boneless. I loved it!!

    Reply

  22. Kay says

    5 stars
    Excellent ! Added water chestnuts and a Serrano chili pepper - just because they needed to be used up. Going to make grilled salmon/cheese sandwiches tonight. 😊👍 Thanks!!

    Reply

  23. imnotcocteau says

    5 stars
    Easy, breezy, delicious, Glad I could finally use my capers. The range of textures and tastes, especially when placed on my English muffin, was joyous. I'm glad I live alone so I can get one or two more sandwiches out of this.

    Reply

  26. Morris says

    5 stars
    Fabulous recipe! So fresh and delightful!
    I didn't have fresh lemon on hand so used fresh lime. Worked great! I used baby spinach leafs from the garden for greens (fenugreek sprouts worked okay but I preferred the spinach). Not only delicious but healthy as well. Can't wait to try it on rye bread. Many might not need any salt, so taste it before adding salt.
    Thanks for sharing this "keeper" recipe!

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      I'm so happy you enjoyed it, Morris! 🙂 Yes, it's definitely easy to customize to your liking. Thanks for taking the time to write me a review!

      Reply

  28. Linda says

    5 stars
    This is seriously the BEST salmon salad I have ever had! Very fresh tasting. I made the recipe as written - just cut everything in half cause I only had 1 tin of salmon. I will make it again - served with a salad this is a delicious fast meal. Thank you!

    Reply

  29. Sean says

    5 stars
    I was looking for a Salmon Salad Sandwich recipe and found this one. I wanted to use leftover salmon from last night. EXCELLENT! Thank you!

    Reply

  35. Kenneth Clark says

    5 stars
    I had no idea how good a canned salmon salad could be. I purchased a micro-plane just for this recipe. So much better than the grader I used to use.

    Reply

  36. HRHLeesa says

    5 stars
    Sadly didn't have any Salmon...but had two pouches of albacore tuna and used them instead and loved this recipe. Can't wait to try with Salmon.

    Reply