This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This salmon salad recipe is made with canned salmon and comes together quickly! It’s similar to tuna salad, so it’s great in sandwiches for easy lunches.
You may also like my Easy Chicken Salad and Canned Salmon Pasta next.
Why you’ll love it
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!
I love how flavorful this easy canned salmon salad is with bright lemon juice, fresh dill, and crunchy onion. They might be your new favorite way to use a can of salmon. It may even rival my Easy Tuna Salad recipe.
What you’ll need
- Salmon – I used canned sockeye salmon (Cloverleaf brand here in Canada)
- Mayo – for creaminess without drenching it
- Dijon mustard – it gives savory depth but doesn’t make it taste like mustard!
- Lemon juice and zest – I add lemon zest to many of my salmon recipes since it really adds a ton of freshness that pairs well with the fish
- Capers – a burst of bright, briny flavor
- Celery and red onion – it adds crunch
- Fresh dill – it’s the perfect complement to salmon
Pro tip
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.
How to make salmon salad
This is an overview, and full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Drain the salmon, and mash it in a prep bowl. Prep the other ingredients and add to the bowl.
- Mix together, season with salt & pepper, and adjust as needed.
- Assemble into sandwiches with your favorite bread, baguette, buns, etc.
Substitutions and variations
- Can you use fresh salmon? Yes! I recommend using about 1 pound of fresh salmon (you could definitely use leftover Cooked Salmon for this recipe).
- 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!
- 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.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- I use my Microplane zester/grater to zest the lemon.
- Here’s a quality bread knife if you don’t have one and a chef’s knife for chopping.
- Pictured is one of these glass prep bowls, and this is my fave can opener that’s been going strong for years.
What to serve with salmon salad
- I just included butter lettuce in the sandwiches pictured, but feel free to add more stuff like tomatoes, arugula, cucumber, a different kind of lettuce, a slice of cheese… anything goes!
- Try my light Potato Leek Tomato Soup for a soup and sandwich combo, or make this Super Simple Parmesan Arugula Salad on the side for more fresh goodness.
Leftovers and storage
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. I would probably eat any leftovers faster if using fresh salmon, however (within a couple of days).
- Make sure to not leave it sitting out and refrigerate promptly.
More easy seafood recipes
Leave a star rating and review below if you made these canned salmon salad sandwiches! Questions? Talk to me. Give me a follow on Instagram as well.
Canned Salmon Salad
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!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.
My grandson is allergic to eggs. What can I substitute for the mayonaise?
Maybe vegan mayo?
Yes, Even Hellman’s makes an eggless, vegan mayonnaise.
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!
That’s so great to hear!! Thank you, Linda! 🙂
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!
You’re very welcome!! I’m so pleased you enjoyed it, Sean! 🙂
This was a nice change from tuna. Definitely added my menu.
Great!
Really good recipe…loved it! I’m sick of tuna and have a ton of canned salmon. Thank you!
I’m so pleased you enjoyed it!! 🙂
Delicious put in rye bread add green pepper to salad instead of caoers serve with dill picke
Great!! So glad you enjoyed it, Mary!
really yummy, thank you!
You’re welcome! 😀
Finally, a good recipe for canned salmon! It turned out wonderful. Thank you!
You’re very welcome! 🙂
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.
I’m so happy to hear that!! 🙂 And enjoy your Microplane… I use mine often!
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.
Well I’m so glad you enjoyed it with tuna!! 🙂