A very easy and quick recipe for a tasty canned salmon salad. One of my favorite canned salmon recipes, I make it often for lunch.
I make this recipe often for lunch. It’s so easy and delicious, and I always have the ingredients on hand. I almost always have canned salmon in the pantry and mayonnaise or Greek yogurt in the fridge.
The remaining ingredients are very flexible, so if you don’t have them, you can simply use what you have!
The ingredients you’ll need
Happily, this canned salmon recipe only has six simple ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need (exact amounts are in the recipe card below):
- Canned salmon
- Black pepper
- Mayonnaise
- Dijon mustard
- Capers
- Scallions
How to make canned salmon salad
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full details. It’s a truly easy recipe! Here are the basic steps:
- You start by draining the salmon well – you don’t want a soupy salad – then flake it with a fork.
- Next, mix in the remaining ingredients. That’s it! Your tasty and healthy lunch is ready.
- You can either serve it immediately or cover and place in the fridge until ready to serve. This will improve the salad’s flavor, as it will allow the flavors to meld.
I like to add capers and scallions to the salad, but you can use lots of other things. Over the years, I tried and liked chopped olives, chopped cucumber pickles, diced celery, and diced red onions.
You can also add chopped eggs for a super filling and nutritious meal – but then add a bit more mayonnaise.
You can substitute Greek yogurt for the mayonnaise if you’d like. But mayonnaise is tastier and creamier, and I think that avocado oil mayonnaise is OK in terms of health.
Another option is to use sour cream. I haven’t tried that, but it sure sounds good.
How to serve canned salmon salad
I usually serve it on toasted low carb English muffins. Sometimes I stuff it inside bell peppers, tomatoes, or a lettuce wrap sandwich.
It’s also good when scooped out with almond flour crackers. But when I’m super lazy, I just eat it out of a bowl with a spoon!
Can I use tuna instead of salmon?
Obviously, you can use the same recipe with canned tuna and make a tuna salad. But in my opinion, salmon tastes better, and it’s probably also healthier, especially if you choose wild salmon.
Is canned salmon healthy?
Yes! Like many, I tend to be suspicious of canned foods. But as it turns out, canned and fresh salmon are equally nutritious. The canning process doesn’t affect the nutrients in fish.
I would recommend, however, that you try to find BPA-free canned salmon, and that you use wild salmon if you can.
What about leftovers?
You can keep leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days. Give the leftover salad a quick stir before you use it.
More tasty recipes
Enjoyed this canned salmon salad? I have several more tasty canned salmon recipes that you might like.
A couple of my favorites are these salmon muffins, which are essentially baked little salmon quiches. And these salmon cakes are so easy to make and so delicious!
Canned Salmon Salad
INGREDIENTS
- 1 (7.5 oz can) canned salmon
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup avocado oil mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions, green part
INSTRUCTIONS
- Drain the salmon. Transfer to a small bowl. Flake with a fork.
- Add the black pepper, mayonnaise and Dijon mustard. Mix well.
- Mix in the capers and scallions.
- Serve immediately, or cover and chill to allow flavors to meld.
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NOTES
More Healthy Recipes:
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., has been following a healthy real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She has taken 
