In just 10 minutes, you can enjoy a healthy, easy, nutrient-dense Canned Salmon Salad that is creamy, crunchy, and packed with flavor. Perfect for a light lunch, dinner, picnic salad, or potlucks!
We love seafood salads around here. Smoked salmon salad, tuna salad or healthy shrimp salad, we love them all!
Table of contents
Easy Canned Salmon Recipe
With a combination of tender salmon, crunchy peppers and carrots, soft avocado, tangy capers, and a creamy Greek yogurt and mayo sauce, this 10 minute salmon salad is sure to delight your family. Plus, it’s packed with protein, healthy fats, omega-3 fatty acids, and several vitamins and minerals.
Believe it or not, not all canned foods are bad. The canned salmon used for this easy canned salmon salad recipe is delicious, preservative and chemical-free, and saves a ton of time and effort. Anyone struggling with time (so probably all of us!) will surely appreciate it.
In fact, it’s so handy that I find myself buying more on every Costco trip to make dishes like salmon patties or this salad. This salmon salad is also nearly always on rotation in my fridge with this similar (equally delicious) chicken salad and egg salad.
What Is Canned Salmon?
Canned salmon is pre-cooked and preserved in brine for long-term storage. For most recipes, you drain the salmon and then use it as it – but for this canned salmon salad, even the juices are included – meaning extra flavor, no waste, and less additional salt is needed.
The skin and bones are also both perfectly fine to eat and contain several essential vitamins and nutrients like calcium. Once they’re mashed into this salmon salad, you won’t even notice them!
When buying canned salmon, I have one main requirement; that it’s wild salmon (bonus if they contain no additives, are BPA-free, and tested for mercury!). Luckily, the majority of options available here are wild; either pink or sockeye.
Pink Vs. Sockeye Salmon
Whereas pink salmon has a light, mild flavor and softer texture, sockeye salmon (aka red salmon) is known for being more rich and flavorful with a brighter flesh and firmer “bite”.
However, other than sockeye having a slight protein increase, the two are fairly similar in nutritional value, and you can use either for this canned salmon salad. I often use pink salmon since it’s quite a bit cheaper!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Canned Salmon: Use wild pink or sockeye canned salmon. You could also use fresh boiled, grilled, broiled salmon or baked salmon (if you have time) or even omit salmon entirely for canned tuna.
- Greek Yogurt and Mayo: By reducing the mayo and increasing the yogurt, you’ll have a creamy sauce with less fat and calories! Just make sure to use Greek yogurt with at least 2% fat, for best results. I also use avocado oil mayo, for more healthy fats.
- Carrot and Bell Peppers: Will add crunch, color, and nutrients. You can experiment with other veggies, too; celery, red onion, olives, scallions, etc. Avoid ingredients like cucumber and tomatoes that will water down the canned salmon salad in the fridge, or add them just before serving.
- Avocado: Provides healthy fats and extra creaminess.
- Capers: Adds a unique citrusy, vinegary tang but can be substituted with other pickled vegetables like asparagus, olives, or pickles.
- Herbs and seasonings: I use a combination of parsley, salt and pepper. You could also experiment with other herbs like dill or cilantro.
How To Make Canned Salmon Salad
- Prepare the vegetables: Thinly slice the bell peppers, dice the avocado, and shred the carrots (if you aren’t using a pre-prepared package), then add these, along with the capers, to a large bowl.
- Prepare the canned salmon by lightly mashing it with a fork inside the can. Then add it to the bowl.
- Add all the remaining ingredients: First, add the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, parsley, salt & pepper. Toss it gently to combine. Then add the avocado and give it a few more stirs. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if necessary.
- (Optional) Refrigerate up to 2 hours if have time: Not only does the salmon salad taste better cold, but it allows the ‘sauce’ to combine and marinate the ingredients.
How To Serve and Store
Storing: Refrigerate any leftover salmon salad in an airtight container for between 2-3 days.
Freezing: I haven’t tried freezing this salmon salad, though I wouldn’t recommend it as it can affect the fresh veggies’ texture. However, let me know in the comments if you give it a try.
Leftovers: There are also several ways to use up the leftover canned salmon salad too:
- As a green salad – over a bed of lettuce, spinach, kale, etc.
- As a salmon salad sandwich.
- Made into healthy salmon lettuce wraps – as I have with these healthy chicken lettuce wraps.
- Served with whole grains – like quinoa or brown rice.
- Eaten on crackers or cucumber slices.
Top Tips For The Best Canned Salmon Salad
- Don’t leave out the mayonnaise! I’ve already reduced the amount to just a few tablespoons – but it will elevate the dish and shouldn’t be skipped.
- (Optional) Allow the canned salmon salad to chill before serving: Allowing it to chill in the refrigerator for just a couple of hours makes a world of difference in marinating the flavors and overall enjoyment of the dish.
- Top Reader Tip – Combine salmon and tuna: Use one can of salmon and one of tuna for a delicious twist on this canned salmon salad.
- (Optional) Add-ins: Add a squeeze of lemon juice for additional fresh flavor. For heat, add some chopped chilies or mix in a little hot sauce.
More Favorite Salad Recipes
Looking for even more ideas? Check out my 45 healthy salad recipes or fresh salmon recipes. And have you ever tried salmon soup? It is to die for!
Canned Salmon Salad Recipe {10 Minutes}
Ingredients
- 2 8 oz cans wild salmon not drained
- 10 oz carrot matchsticks or 2 cups shredded carrots
- 3 large bell peppers thinly sliced
- 2 large avocados diced
- 1/4 cup parsley finely chopped
- 3 oz jar capers drained
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt 2%+ fat
- 2 tbsp mayo
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add carrots, bell peppers and capers.
- Mash salmon a bit with a fork inside the can and add to the salad.
- Add parsley, salt, pepper, mayo, Greek yogurt and gently toss to coat. Add avocado and give a few more stirs.
- Refrigerate for up to 2 hours if have time (optional). Not only does the salmon salad taste better cold, but it allows the 'sauce' to combine and marinate the ingredients.
- Serve cold in a sandwich, in lettuce wraps, with cucumber slices, brown rice or quinoa, boiled potatoes.
Storing: Refrigerate any leftover salmon salad in an airtight container for between 2-3 days.
Freezing: I haven't tried freezing this salmon salad, though I wouldn't recommend it as it can affect the fresh veggies' texture. However, let me know in the comments if you give it a try.
Notes
- Don’t leave out the mayonnaise! I’ve already reduced the amount to just a few tablespoons – but it will elevate the dish and shouldn’t be skipped.
- Capers: Adds a unique citrusy, vinegary tang but can be substituted with other pickled vegetables like asparagus, olives, or pickles
- (Optional) Allow the canned salmon salad to chill before serving: Allowing it to chill in the refrigerator for just a couple of hours makes a world of difference in marinating the flavors and overall enjoyment of the dish.
- Combine salmon and tuna: Use one can of salmon and one of tuna for a delicious twist on this canned salmon salad.
- (Optional) Add-ins: Add a squeeze of lemon juice for additional fresh flavor. For heat, add some chopped chilies or mix in a little hot sauce.
Nutrition
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My name is Olena Osipov. I'm a mom to 2 boys, a wife to Alex and we reside on magical Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. This is our healthy family recipes blog. Originally from Ukraine, I grew up on real food. As an adult, I struggled with diets for years because none worked long-term. Now for over 10 years, I cook easy healthy meals for my family. I can help you with “What’s for dinner?” too.