Salmon Salad
This Salmon Salad is easy to make and wonderful to keep on hand in the fridge. There are many different ways to eat it, and it has great crunch and flavor from celery, herbs, and a creamy homemade dressing.
While tuna salad is the more common seafood salad, I think salmon salad is so much better.
First, salmon doesn’t have the mercury problems that tuna has, and it has more nutritional benefits than tuna with its wonderful Omega-3 fats.
I also think it’s more delicious. Let’s not forget that, for it’s probably the most real reason.
I first tasted salmon salad at my local grocery store 10 years ago, where they had samples of their Whole Foods salmon salad with crackers. I had the hardest time not taking seconds (okay, I did anyway and felt rude but it was SO good), and grabbed a tub of it to take home with me. From that day I was hooked, and eventually I started making it myself to save money. It’s so easy anyway!
Salads like this are pretty popular in our house, and we regularly alternate between Egg Salad, Chicken Salad, Shrimp and Avocado Salad, and this salmon salad for our main “protein salads.”
While we make potato salad and pasta salad too, you don’t really put those into sandwiches or wraps, like you can with protein-based salads.
There’s so much you can do with this salmon salad, and I’ll include all those suggestions further down.
How to Make Salmon Salad:
To get started, cook some salmon any way you wish…grill it, bake it, poach it, saute it. It doesn’t really matter since we’ll be flaking it up anyway.
If cooking it in a skillet, cook for about 5-10 minutes (depending on thickness) over medium high heat, until the interior reaches 140F and is no longer pink.
Most of the time I just use the method from my Baked Salmon, at 425 degrees F for about 12-15 minutes, until no longer pink inside.
While the salmon cooks, prep your veggies.
For my salmon salad ingredients, I like scallions, parsley, celery, and dill:
You can do minced shallots if you prefer them over green onion.
Next, mix up your dressing, which includes mayonnaise, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, dijon mustard, salt and pepper:
If you have 10 minutes to spare, I recommend using homemade mayonnaise for the best flavor. Store-bought is fine though if you have one you really like.
Once the salmon is all cooked, flake it with a fork and add it to the dressing:
Add all the fresh green herbs and veggies too:
Stir it all together to combine well.
How to Serve Salmon Salad:
- With fancy crackers like rosemary croccantini, wheat crackers, or water crackers
- In a wrap for lunch. Spoon it into a wrap tortilla and add tomato, lettuce, onion, and whatever you’d like
- In endive cups for a healthier and light option. You can also do romaine or butter lettuce
- Make stuffed avocado halves with salmon salad in the middle
- Put a big scoop of salmon salad on cooked quinoa for a healthy grain bowl
- In sandwiches just like egg salad
How long does salmon salad keep in the fridge? You can keep it for about 3 days before it goes downhill.
Can salmon salad be frozen? Unfortunately it doesn’t freeze well, so I don’t recommend it.
Here’s a video I made for the recipe. Enjoy!
Salmon Salad
Ingredients
- 2 lbs salmon
- 1/3 cup sliced scallions
- 1/3 cup loosely packed fresh dill chopped
- 1/3 cup chopped celery
- 1/3 cup chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- a pinch of salt and pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Start by cooking the salmon using your preferred method. Much of the time I use my method from Baked Salmon, baking in a 425F oven for 12-15 minutes, but you can also cook in a skillet over medium high heat, which takes about 5-10 minutes depending on the thickness of your salmon. You may also grill it, poach it, etc. When the salmon is cooked through to 140 degrees F, flake the salmon with a fork (and discard any skin).
- In a big bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
- Add the salmon to the dressing, and toss. Taste and check for seasoning.
- It is now ready to be enjoyed warm, or you can pop it into the fridge until fully chilled. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
59 Comments on “Salmon Salad”
My daughter found this recipe to replace my tuna salad. An awesome choice!!!! We love it. Will definitely serve again and again…
this was so good. the mix of dijon mustard and cayenne. I think could make sauce and use as fish topper. I added capers, didn’t have dill. was sooooo good with Trader joes 3 seed sweet potato crackers.
Perfect way to finish off my baked salmon leftovers from last night! I added a little pickle relish to the mix and served it up on toasted ciabatta rolls with a bit of swiss cheese, lots of baby greens on the sandwich, and asian slaw on the side. My whole family loved it!! Thanks for sharing.
As with several other websites, I cannot figure out how to print the recipe. I have downloaded that recipe app that is in the ad but still no clue how to print.
Hi Linda, if you scroll down to the recipe box, do you notice the green button that says “print” in the upper right hand corner? I don’t have any recipe app affiliated with my website, so that won’t help you here.
I highlight the recipe text right click to select copy and paste by using into notepad again by right clicking. If your using a pc you can find it by searching in the start menu. In the file dropdown select print
Wow, just stumbled across this today because I am looking for keto meals. I made it and it is delicious! I added pickles because I am a pickle lover… Thank you for sharing!
Came out great. Had about a dozen salmon left over from a big party so made this with it. Very good thank you
really great! Not your run of the mill salmon salad!
I made it. Loved it!!! Especially the kick of cayenne. Yum!
Hi Joanne! I was wondering if the dish would still taste great, if I replaced mayonnaise for Greek yogurt?
Hi Rob, I think there’s only one way to find out! I think for my tastes, it’s not a swap I’d love because it’d take it into the sour side of things, but, I’m a big fan of experimentation and maybe you’d enjoy it.
I want to use canned salmon, drained. Are the amounts /weights equal?
Hi Michael, yes that is correct.
The taste of this salad was out of this world delicious!!! Thank you for sharing.
I just made this with canned salmon and some of my garden chives. It is wonderful! A perfect change for a hot summer day. Some fresh tomatoes and a glass of iced tea (or wine) and I have Sunday lunch.
Hi Peppi, that’s wonderful! Glad you enjoyed and could include some ingredients from your garden 🙂
This was so amazingly delicious! My parsley has “bolted” in the summer heat so I used what I had in the garden – basil and chives in place of the parsley and it was fabulous!
Hi Caroline, that is wonderful!! The basil and chives sound lovely too.
I’ve been making this for a couple of years and it is both me and my husband’s favorite way to eat salmon now. Looks like you took Stephen’s name out of the title though?
Hi Ariel, so glad you enjoy this recipe! Yes that’s right, it’s the same recipe. It used to be called Stephen’s Favorite Salmon Salad because he always requested I make it for him when he visited, but I took that out because people searching the recipe were confused by the title. Happy cooking!
First of all I have to admit I made from canned salmon because I had several cans and needed to use them as getting close to the best use by date. I immediately related to your comment about going back for a second bite. I am almost ashamed to admit that I planned on having this over three meals but will be lucky to stretch it into 1 and a half. I can barely wait to try with fresh salmon. I loved it!!!!!!
Hi Diana, I’m so glad you loved the salad! And no shame in using canned salmon. I often have it on hand for salmon cakes when I’m in a pinch and need something easy. I love fresh a lot more, but it’s nice to have the canned on hand. Happy cooking!