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. It only takes 20 minutes!

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 healthy fats.
I also think it’s more delicious. Let’s not forget that, for it’s probably the biggest reason of all.
I first tasted salmon salad at my local grocery store 10 years ago, where they were serving samples with crackers. I couldn’t help but have seconds, 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.
Salads like this are pretty popular in our house, and we regularly alternate between Egg Salad, Chicken Salad, Shrimp and Avocado Salad, and this 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 tasty recipe, and I’ll include all those suggestions further down.
Tips for Best Results
Use perfectly cooked salmon – Sounds a bit obvious, but your salmon salad will be far superior if the fish you start with is moist and tender, and never cooked past 140F. If you’re using leftover salmon that you’ve overcooked, this recipe is a good way to salvage it, but ideally you cook the fish well from the beginning.
Use the freshest herbs possible – Most people don’t realize how quickly fresh produce loses its flavor as it sits in the fridge. The fresh dill, parsley, scallions, and crunchy celery really make the salmon salad sing, so try to make your grocery trip pretty close to actually making this.
Let it sit – You are certainly welcome to enjoy the salmon salad as soon as it’s mixed up, and I often do. But like most salads, this will benefit from sitting time as the flavors meld and the dressing soaks into the fish. The difference of even 15-20 minutes is noticeable.
Step by Step Overview:
To get started, cook some salmon any way you wish. You can use leftover Grilled Salmon, Baked Salmon, poached, etc. 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, checked with an instant-read thermometer. I actually prefer to cook the fish to medium, about 125F, for a more tender salmon.
Much of the time I will also use the method from my Baked Salmon, baking at 425F for about 12-15 minutes, until no longer pink inside.
Can you use canned salmon?
In general, I think fresh salmon is the best salmon, for superior flavor and texture. But if you prefer to use canned fish, this recipe will still be delicious.
I recommended purchasing a boneless option, so you don’t have to pick out any bones. I’ve had good results with Wild Planet and Safe Catch brands.
Does wild vs farmed matter?
Truly any variety of salmon will work here, and it doesn’t matter if it’s wild salmon or farmed, or if it’s fresh or previously frozen. However, some varieties definitely taste better than others.
Most of the time I prefer to use an Atlantic farmed salmon from a reputable seller like Whole Foods, as farmed varieties are usually more moist and budget-friendly.
For wild options, your best bet for superior flavor will be the King variety which has more fat than other varieties like Sockeye or Chinook, but keep in mind it’s very expensive. I usually see it around $30/lb, and for me that is too pricy, especially for a recipe like this where the fish is flaked.
After cooking, let the fresh salmon fillets cool to room temperature while you prep your fresh veggies and make the dressing.
For my salmon salad ingredients, I like fresh scallions, parsley, celery, and dill:
You can do minced shallots or chopped red onion if you prefer them over green onion, but I think scallions have an amazing flavor here.
Next, mix up your dressing in a large bowl, which includes mayonnaise, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, dijon mustard, kosher salt and black pepper:
If you have 10 minutes to spare, I recommend using homemade mayonnaise for the best flavor. I make mine with olive oil. Store-bought mayo is fine though if you have one you really like.
If you don’t have lemon juice, you may also substitute a good quality red wine vinegar.
Once the fish 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, then taste a spoonful and make any necessary adjustments.
Does it need a little more black pepper, or an extra squeeze of lemon juice? Adjust to taste, though keep in mind that as the salad sits, the flavors will meld and it will taste more cohesive. The effect is noticeable in as little as 20 minutes.
Suggestions for How to Serve It
There are SO many ways to enjoy your salmon salad. Here are some ideas:
- With fancy crackers like rosemary croccantini, wheat crackers, or water crackers.
- In a wrap for an easy lunch. Spoon it into a wrap tortilla and add tomato, romaine lettuce, onion, sliced red bell peppers, avocado slices, or whatever else you’d like. When I add bell peppers, I also like to add crumbled feta cheese and kalamata olives.
- In endive cups for a healthier and light option. You can also do romaine or butter lettuce wraps.
- Make stuffed avocado halves with salmon salad in the middle.
- Get some shallow bowls, and put a big scoop of salmon salad on cooked quinoa for a healthy grain bowl.
- In sandwiches just like egg salad.
- Place a big scoop on top of salad greens, and drizzle with Lemon Vinaigrette.
This is one of my favorite healthy recipes to keep in the fridge, and it’s a great source of protein. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips and FAQ
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
I don’t recommend it. The fresh herbs and celery will discolor and have an unappetizing texture upon thawing.
Here’s a video I made for the recipe. Enjoy!
Did you enjoy the recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Or, follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest!
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
- salt **
- black pepper **
Instructions
- Start by cooking the salmon using your preferred method, making sure to season the fish first with 1 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Much of the time I use the method from my Baked Salmon post, 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 fish. 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. If you seasoned the fish with 1 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper during cooking, I will usually add 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper to the dressing here.
- Add the salmon to the dressing, and toss. Taste and check for seasoning. Does it need more salt, pepper, or fresh lemon juice? Adjust now.
- It is now ready to be enjoyed warm, or you can pop it into the fridge until fully chilled. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
74 Comments on “Salmon Salad”
I made this salmon salad. It is so Good I sent the recipe to my family and friends. Thank you.
I have always loved fresh salmon salad. This recipe was inspirational.
My husband and I loved the results……added a few changes here & there, but overall concept of ingredients was fine… not a fan of celery so I left that out, made my own homemade mayo with plain yogurt and added some spice with chopped hot peppers.
Thanks for the idea❣
This was the 2nd time I made this recipe, so you know it’s good. It also serves well as a dip for shrimp.
What a great idea! I just made this. I added onion powder and garlic powder to the mix. Salmon adds such a nice refreshing taste with that dill. Don’t get me wrong, I love chicken or tuna salad but this recipe hits the spot! Thank you for this!
Stumbled across this recipe while looking for a salad idea for canned wild salmon. I made this using 3/4 tsp dried dill and red onion. It was so delicious! I love the little bit of heat and the tang of lemon. Will definitely make again. Thank you for the great recipe.
Terrific recipe, which I halved. Used with cold leftover fresh coho salmon that had been cooked on a cedar plank. Didn’t have fresh dill, and it was just fine. Served on warmed flatbread on a bed of greens with tomatoes and avocados topped with capers.
I had a 3oz packet of Salmon, so I used a tiny amount of the ingredients and it was a fabulous late night snack!
Very good. I just made this, the only change I made to it was adding some fig infused balsamic vinegar, and instead of scallions I used minced shallots. Instead of mayo I used aioli. Someone in the comments mentioned throwing in some hard boiled egg, that’s a cool idea too.
This is an absolutely fantastic use of leftover roasted salmon, it’s versatile, and crazy good on a toasted english muffin.
Very glad I decided on this instead of making salmon cakes.
I am funny about salmon as it has a strong flavor. That being said I love this recipe. So delicious!
Love this recipe! I usually toss salmon after a couple days, this is perfect! I added liquid smoke because I love the test of smoked salmon, just not the texture. I also added a pinch of sugar because it was a little salty from the way I cooked my salmon. Perfectly balanced the flavors! I’ll be using this all summer!
This seems like it should be low in carbs, buy I notice it is not listed in the nutritional information for some reason. Any idea what the carbohydrates and fiber numbers are for this?
I checked and it’s calculated as “0′ which is probably why it’s not showing. I will talk to my developer about that. I use a database and it’s calculated automatically…so I imagine it’s not truly zero but it’s not much.
Great dressing! I used individual ready pac salmon served on a lightly toasted (butter) croissant with a few Bibb lettuce leafs.
Omg that sounds like heavennnn and I love Croissants 😍definitely gonna try this
Looks really good, thank you for the recipe!
Your opening sentence about trying the sample at Whole Foods was EXACTLY what I was in search of. I need to make a run to get a few supplies – but can’t wait to try this! I’m loving the reviews!
Love this recipe! Very tasty, indeed! I love a recipe that’s quick and easy and has a big payoff in flavor! I threw a small hand, full of capers in mine and a hard boiled egg, as well, ‘cuz…. why not? Just perfect as presented, though!
Great way to use up the leftover salmon when I buy It at Costco. Added celery. Ideal for lunches. Wonderful recipe!
Thank you! My husband LOVED this recipe (as did I)!!! It was so easy and it’s so nice when you don’t want to spend a lot of time in a hot kitchen. A nice change from chicken. 🙂