20+ Fabulous Recipes With Canned Salmon For Your Meal

While some people don’t really prefer canned salmon, I will never hesitate to use them with these recipes. As I’ve always thought, the crucial matter is not the ingredients but how you cook them.

With proper methods, even lower-ranking ingredients can outshine the first-class ones.

And that applies to canned salmon as well. Not only appetizers or snacks, but you can also even make it shine as main dishes with my provided ideas. So how about trying them now?

21 Flavorful Recipes Using Canned Salmon

Aside from being delicious, these canned salmon recipes are easy to make as well. You don’t have to be super skillful to master those dishes. And if you are still worried, I’ve included all my tips to perfect them in every part.

1. Salmon Salad
2. Salmon Sushi Bowl
3. Salmon Wraps
4. Salmon Spring Rolls
5. Salmon Hash
6. Salmon Spread
7. Salmon Dip
8. Salmon Melts
9. Salmon Burgers
10. Salmon Meatballs
11. Salmon Loaf
12. Creamy Salmon Pasta
13. Salmon Quiche
14. Salmon Frittata
15. Salmon Pie
16. Salmon Casserole
17. Salmon Pizza
18. Salmon Fried Rice
19. Salmon Chowder
20. Lohikeitto
21. Salmon-Stuffed Peppers

Scroll down to find out what those recipes are!

8 Canned Salmon Recipes For Your Side Dishes

Since canned salmon doesn’t have the same quality as the fresh one, many people use it to accompany their main dishes. However, that isn’t true with those recipes in this part. Instead, some of them are good enough to be the star of your meal

Salmon Salad

Canned salad is considered a convenient ingredient since you can eat it right away without any further cooking. And do you know what else is quick to cook? A bowl of salad! So why don’t you combine these two dishes to make one single simple yet nutritious meal?

There are tons of salads you can make with salmon. For example, a salmon macaroni salad for when I want something more filling than a regular salad. Or you can use kale and pasta to make a kale and salmon caesar salad. And if you feel only salad is not enough, you can put it between two bread slices for a sandwich.

Watch this video to know more:

Salmon Sushi Bowl

When it comes to sushi, most people would think of fresh fish slices. That’s not wrong. However, that doesn’t mean you have to use fresh fish, or in this case, fresh salmon, to make a sushi bowl.

A sushi bowl contains everything a sushi roll has: rice, salmon, seaweed. Adding some veggies like avocado, cucumber, carrot is never a wrong choice. Then top it with all the seasoning you want. As for me, I usually eat it with soy sauce and some red ginger to clean my palate.

Salmon Wraps

In this fast-paced era, a convenient meal is something everybody needs. And these salmon wraps are an ideal answer to your demand. Prepare the filling beforehand the previous night, and quickly wrap them when you are hungry. Here’s your dream lunch!

Also, you can change the content of these salmon wraps each day so you and your family will enjoy them for a longer time. One of my favorite combinations is canned salmon with the honey mustard sauce since it has both richness and heat at the same time.

Salmon wraps are easy and healthy Click right here to know how to make them!

Salmon Spring Rolls

Similar to salmon wraps, I have these salmon spring rolls for you. They may be unfamiliar to you, but people often eat them as a midday snack in Vietnam. Regular spring rolls would include shrimp or boiled pork. But in this recipe, I’ll use canned salmon instead.

The most essential factor in a spring roll is the wrap. Never use a tortilla for this recipe! Spring rolls require rice wraps and rice wraps alone! You can find them in Asian grocery stores. If you want more crunchy, wrap the filling with lettuce before rice wraps.

Salmon Hash

I think many of you grow up with hash as your breakfast, lunch, or dinner. However, traditional hash only uses potatoes and sometimes sausages. And you must agree, that could get boring after thousands of meals.

So, how about twisting things up for a bit with canned salmon? Leave your sausages aside, cook a typical hash with potatoes. And then, at the last minute, toss canned salmon in. Finally, you can add a poached egg to the dish for a heartier meal.

Salmon Spread

Tired of all bread with butter and jam? Well, here is the salmon spread to elevate your breakfast! And though it’s fancy, making this spread is a piece of cake.

All you do is mix the canned salmon with cream cheese and maybe a bit of heavy cream for more texture. Then, add herbs to your preference, like red onions, dills, horseradish, mayonnaise, lemon zest, or lemon juice.

Aside from bread, you can even make a whole cheese platter to eat with this salmon spread for a midday snack or a light party.

Salmon Dip

Salmon dip looks quite similar to the previous dish. However, instead of spreading it on bread, people often use it as a dipping sauce in appetizers. Every house has its own recipe for salmon dip, but all in all, the basic components are salmon, cream cheese, sour cream, and dill.

Salmon dip is not very smooth. So, you can blend the mixture in a food processor for a creamier texture. However, even after blending, it’s still easy to break your food in the salmon dip.

It only takes 15 minutes to make this salmon dip! Check it out now!

Salmon Melts

When I was young, one of my little joys was having salmon melts for breakfast. And I think I can share this recipe with you. Despite its strange name, salmon melts are pretty easy to make.

Just mix canned salmon with other ingredients like onions, dills, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and fresh herbs. Then when it’s time to serve, you place the mixture on bread, top with some cheese, and bake them until the cheese melts. With some tomato slices or cucumber, this makes a beautiful breakfast.

13 Main Dishes With Canned Salmon As The Main Ingredient

As I’ve said above, canned salmon is ranked lower than fresh one. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be used to cook main dishes. You’ll be surprised with these ideas below!

Salmon Burgers

One practical way to elevate canned salmon is by making them into hamburger patties. Mix them with other ingredients like onions, salt, peppers, etc to your liking. Don’t forget some saltine cracker crumbs for more sodium.

For the best burgers, leave the plain buns aside. You’d better use toasted buns or English muffins instead since they’re more suitable with a moist patty like the salmon one. Top the cake with mayonnaise, veggies, and melted cheese, here is your hearty lunch or dinner!

Follow this guidance to make some salmon burgers for your family!:

Salmon Meatballs

Forget your regular meatballs. What I have here can make you no longer go back to the traditional ones anymore. Just imagine those salmon patties above but with smaller sizes and more of them.

And why would I say they are better than pork or beef meatballs? That’s because, with salmon as the main ingredient, their texture will be more delicate and tender but still substantial enough to fill you up.

Also, you can flavor these meatballs to your liking. For example, some spicy Asian seasonings like ginger and sriracha will make them more mouthwatering. Besides pasta, these meatballs match perfectly with rice too.

Salmon Loaf

Same as salmon meatballs, this salmon loaf can make you forget about the regular meatloaf immediately. Just as I’ve said, salmon is more delicate and tender than ground meat. So this version will be smoother and moister while still having the same richness.

Cucumber salad, mashed potatoes, or lemon cream sauce would be a great partner with this dish. However, remember to buy the boneless canned salmon or take all the bones out before mixing it into the loaf.

Detailed steps in making salmon loaf. Watch this video to know more:

Creamy Salmon Pasta

For me, nothing can hide the scent of canned salmon better than creamy pasta. With the proper cooking method, your guest wouldn’t even know you use the canned one to make this. All they can taste is the rich, smooth sauce and buttery salmon.

For this dish, long pasta like spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine is an appropriate choice as it can hold onto the creamy sauce. A rich dish like this should go with some green salads and iced tea to balance the flavor.

Salmon Quiche

From the original recipe with egg custard, bacon, and cheese, quiche has developed over years and years with different variants using various ingredients. And in this case, I present to you a salmon version of quiche.

For the best result, you should drain all the liquid, remove all skin and bones in advance. Well, you can leave the bones for more calcium, but not everyone likes having bones in their dish.

Once you’ve mastered the basic recipe, it’s time to customize the salmon quiche to your liking. For example, adding spinach, removing the cheesing, etc.

Salmon Frittata

Frittata is a traditional Italian dish, and nowadays, it has become many people’s favorite choice to clean up all the leftover foods in their fridge. I can’t blame them. Frittata tastes delicious no matter what ingredients you put into it.

So if you don’t know what to do with your canned salmon left, make them into a frittata. The cooking process is really simple. Place diced potatoes with salmon and asparagus in a skillet, top them with an egg mixture. Now, all that’s left is waiting until it’s baked thoroughly.

You should see the video below:

Salmon Pie

If you like meat pie, then this salmon pie is for you! People in the French-Canadian community say it’s a seafood version of tourtiere, a traditional meat pie for every Christmas Eve and New Year Eve. So you can use this salmon recipe for your family celebrations.

And it’s no rocket science to make this pie. You just need to mash the canned salmon with potatoes and onions. Then, put them in the oven until they turn golden brown. While you should remove the skin and bones, keep the stock to enhance the pie’s flavor.

Salmon Casserole

Compared with salmon quiche or pie, this casserole is much more simple. A classical casserole contains only three parts: protein part, vegetables, and a starchy binder. Sometimes, people would make a crunchy or cheesy topping for more texture.

In this recipe, I will use salmon for protein. Feel free to use any veggie in your fridge for the vegetables: green peas, broccoli, or green beans. You can add other liquids to this casserole like wine, beer, gin, vegetable juice, or water.

Salmon Pizza

Frozen pizza can’t beat handmade ones, and canned salmon seems pretty inferior to fresh ones. However, when you combine these two underdogs, they can make a delicious dish called “salmon pizza” that everyone would love to have a bite.

And since you use a frozen pizza crust, this dish is much easier than making one from scratch. You just need to place canned salmon, cream cheese, and vegetables on top for the toppings. Then, bake the pizza for several minutes, and here is your high-quality meal!

Your salmon pizza will be better than any take-out ones with this instruction. Watch this video to know more:

Salmon Fried Rice

Fried rice is one of the most forgiving recipes that I’ve ever seen. You don’t have a wok, use a skillet instead. Forget to make some leftover rice? It’s okay to use freshly cooked rice, just let it cool down to room temperature. No matter what you lack, fried rice still turns out delicious.

And now, it can even become more delicious with canned salmon. Some may think it’s better with fresh salmon, but there’s no difference between the canned and fresh one once you mix all the ingredients.

Also, for me, fried rice is an excellent chance to clean up all leftover foods in the fridge. So don’t hesitate to toss any refrigerated food you’ve found to the fried rice. In the end, it’s still tasty as ever.

Salmon Chowder

On chilly, rainy days, all I want is a bowl of chowder. This thick, creamy stew can warm you up in an instant. And though its origin is quite vague, no one can deny its deliciousness. With all the seafood simmered in broth, just one sip of chowder can take you to the vast ocean.

Chowder has many variants like clam, lamb, potato, or corn one. Here I’ll use canned salmon to make one for myself. Without any side dish, this chowder is already enough on its own. However, you can still eat it with salads for a healthier meal.

Watch this video to know more:

Lohikeitto

Despite its strange name, lohikeitto is not too challenging. It’s like a Scandinavian version of the salmon chowder but with only salmon, potatoes, and cream.

Lohikeitto’s traditional recipes require fish broth, and you can use the oily liquid in salmon cans to make it. But if you don’t like the taste, feel free to swap it with chicken or vegetable broth.

Salmon-Stuffed Peppers

When you are too tired to bother with all the plates and bowls, my recommendation is to make these stuffed peppers. Just put everything for your dinner in peppers and top with some cheese. There’s no need for any utensils.

And in this recipe, I usually stuff them with salmon, breadcrumbs, and broccoli. Sometimes, I will add brown rice for a more satisfying feeling. You can make these peppers without cheese in advance and freeze them for later use.

What Are Your Favorite Recipes?

When cooking canned salmon, remember to remove their skin and bones. Of course, you can leave them if you want. But not everybody feels comfortable eating those. So, consider this when you cook for a party.

So, what recipes do you like? Do you have any other ideas besides those? If yes, please write them down in the comment section below. And don’t forget to share this article with your family and friends.