If you haven't experimented with canned salmon yet, your world is about to be rocked. These recipes are WAY easier than cooking a salmon filet—and much cheaper to shop for. You can use it like you would canned tuna: in healthy dinner salads, weeknight pasta dinners, as a burger base, or as a substitute for raw fish in sushi bowls. Check out our top 15 canned salmon recipes for ideas—we bet you’ll pick up a can or two on your next grocery trip.
While canned salmon is inarguably more convenient and affordable than its fresh counterpart, there are still some things to look out for. Most canned salmon consists of two types: farmed (usually Atlantic salmon) or wild salmon (Wild Alaskan is the best). Wild salmon has a better overall rating (no antibiotics added to their feed, more environmentally sustainable, less mercury etc.), but it can be more expensive. We think it’s worth the added price (considering how much you’re saving from not buying fresh!), but it’s something to keep in mind when you’re shopping. You’ll also encounter a variety of terms, like pink versus sockeye, skinless and boneless versus not, packed in water or oil, smoked, etc. It’s really up to your preferences which you prefer, so give them a try in these recipes to figure out your favorites.
You can pretty much use canned salmon anywhere you’d use cooked salmon, though admittedly it works better in recipes where the salmon is flaked rather than enjoyed whole. Treat it like tuna, and make a tuna salad with salmon (or add cheese, à la a tuna melt?). Not into mayo? Skip it, and put your canned tuna atop a rice bowl (or inside rice, like in onigiri!) or salad, like our Niçoise salad or salmon BLT salad. Want something heartier? Turn it into a burger, like our lemon-dill salmon burgers or Greek salmon burgers, or stir it into some pasta for added protein, like in our smoked salmon pasta or our lemon butter salmon pasta. Looking for an easy appetizer? Try it in our salmon patties, croquettes, or meatballs, or as a dip, like in our smoked salmon dip. The possibilities are endless, so get creative!
Not into the whole canned thing? Check out our favorite salmon recipes and healthy seafood recipes too.
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1
Lemon-Dill Salmon Burgers
The secret to this burger is using canned salmon. Now's the perfect chance to overhaul the bad reputation canned foods have and prove to y'all just how good canned fish can be! Not only is it fast and convenient, you also don't have to worry about the fish bones: the canning process makes them as soft and safe to eat as the fish filet itself.
Get the Lemon-Dill Salmon Burgers recipe.
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2
Onigiri
If you love rice, onigiri is a must-try: a humble rice ball accented by a variety of fillings, wrapped in roasted seaweed (nori), and perfect for snacking or a light meal. We give three different filling options here, including miso salmon (made with canned salmon!).
Get the Onigiri recipe.
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3
Salmon Patties
In this recipe, we’ve taken our salmon patties to France with dill and Dijon mustard, but if you want to have some fun, you can try out some other international flavor profiles. Leave in the scallions and add some finely chopped garlic and ginger, and a teaspoon of soy sauce for an Asian flavor profile. Or go Middle Eastern and “falafel” them by adding fresh cilantro and a half a teaspoon of cumin.
Get the Salmon Patties recipe.
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4
Tuna Salad
We know, we know, they're not the same, but trust us, it works—you CAN elevate your average lunch tuna sandwich with canned salmon!
Get the Tuna Salad recipe.
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5
Smoked Salmon Pasta
Smoked salmon pasta sounds really fancy, but the truth is, it's one of the easiest and fastest pastas we've ever made. It comes together in just under 30 minutes making it the perfect dish to whip up for a weeknight seafood dinner, but still good enough to impress your guests for holidays and celebrations.
Get the Smoked Salmon Pasta recipe.
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6
Niçoise Salad
Since no two Niçoise salads are exactly alike, we figured we could swap out canned salmon for traditional tuna! Add it to fresh, crunchy cucumbers, tender boiled potatoes and green beans, briny black olives and capers, jammy boiled eggs, and a punch of salty umami a la anchovy fillets, a mustard-spiked vinaigrette, and you'll have a very satisfying lunch.
Get the Niçoise Salad recipe.
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7
Salmon Chowder
This salmon chowder is packed with tender, flaky fish, fresh sweet corn kernels, and rings of spicy jalapeño. This chowder can also be prepared with smoked salmon, leftover cooked salmon, or canned salmon—just skip salting the fish if it's already seasoned and add the pieces to reheat with the corn.
Get the Salmon Chowder recipe.
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8
Greek-Inspired Salmon Burgers
OK, so pureeing a salmon fillet with egg isn’t the sexiest process, but it’s key in helping these patties hold together (and should work with canned salmon too!). You'll be so glad you did when you're eating this light, flavorful salmon burger sandwiched in fluffy pita.
Get the Greek-Inspired Salmon Burgers recipe.
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9
Greek Salmon Salad
Using leftover salmon (packed in oil for extra flavor), this dish comes together FAST. All you need to do is chop your veggies and whisk together the tahini-Greek yogurt dressing, and you'll be good to go.
Get the Greek Salmon Salad recipe.
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10
Lemon-Butter Salmon Pasta
We crave pasta most nights—that's just a given—but when we need our buttered noodles to turn into something a little more substantial, we add baked salmon and a delicious lemon-butter cream sauce. Try using canned salmon to make this come together even faster!
Get the Lemon-Butter Salmon Pasta recipe.
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11
Salmon Croquettes
The word croquette certainly has French origins, but we’ve taken these a distinctly Southern direction by using hot sauce and Cajun seasoning. We've used both panko breadcrumbs and flour to guarantee these don't fall apart, so you can fry without worry.
Get the Salmon Croquettes recipe.
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12
Salmon Meatballs With Avocado Crema
As much as we love baked salmon, every now and then we need to shake things up. Enter: salmon meatballs. With AVOCADO CREMA. The idea of processing the filets might seem a little weird at first, but we can assure you it's actually quite delish in the end.
Get the Salmon Meatballs With Avocado Crema recipe.
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13
BLT Salmon Salad
This BLT-inspired salad is SO flavorful and satisfying you'll forget it's a big bowl of lettuce. The combination of salmon (canned works too!), bacon, and avocado is unbelievable and the homemade creamy dressing takes it over the top.
Get the BLT Salmon salad recipe.
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14
TikTok Salmon Rice Bowl
We love toppings and the the customization options here are basically endless. You could do a buffalo version, a wasabi version, or you could try our kimchi and avocado twist.
Get the TikTok Salmon Rice Bowl recipe.
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15
Smoked Salmon Dip
For those of you who wouldn't dream of a bagel without smoked salmon or lox (my people!) this dip is for you. Turns out, it's as delicious on crackers and crudités as it is on a bagel. Try it with smoked salmon for a more affordable option too.
Get the Smoked Salmon Dip recipe.
