Best Canned Salmon Salad
on May 22, 2025, Updated Aug 15, 2025
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This canned salmon salad is a pantry staple turned superstar -- creamy bright, and fast. Made in 10 minutes with canned salad, mayo, lemon celery and herbs, it’s a hearty high-protein lunch or light dinner. Keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days – perfect for meal prep, sandwiches, salads, and crackers.
Here’s a trick for turning an ordinary pantry staple into something delicious: whipped-up canned salad salad that’s creamy, bright, and ready in about 10 minutes. It’s the perfect high-protein lunch that needs zero cooking, just mayonnaise, a squeeze of lemon, crisp celery and onion, a hit of herbs, and canned salmon. It keeps for up to five days, which means savvy lunch-making just got a whole lot easier.
Serve with old-fashioned potato salad, cole slaw, or macaroni salad on the side.
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Ingredients
- Canned salmon – See above for more info! This recipe calls for two 6-ounce tins, but you can also use four 3 1/2-ounce tins or whatever gets you to the equivalent of about 12 ounces of canned salmon.
- Mayonnaise – This is the main binder, and I prefer using full-fat mayo, but you can use any mayo you like. Olive oil mayo, low-fat mayo, and avocado mayo — they all work.
- Fresh parsley – I prefer flat-leaf parsley over curly. It has a better texture and flavor. Mince it fairly well so it blends into the salad.
- Onion – Adds a sharp, crunchy bite.
- Celery – This is optional, but I love the fresh crunch it provides.
- Lemon juice – Use fresh if at all possible. The acidic tartness creates a sweet relish and adds a little more texture and a sweet-tangy flavor note.
- Dijon mustard – Just a touch elevates all of the flavors, with some acidity and sharpness.
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper – Be generous with the pepper, and see how salty your salmon is before adding the salt.
How to Make Canned Salmon Salad
- Make the salad: Mix the salmon, mayonnaise, parsley, onion, celery, lemon juice, relish, and mustard in a medium-sized bowl. Add the salt and pepper and blend well.
- Serve: Serve on a lettuce salad, in a sandwich, or with crackers.
Fresh Salmon Salad Variation
If you want to use cooked fresh salmon instead of canned salmon, this salad will take on a whole other level of luxuriousness. Try poached salmon, air fryer salmon, grilled salmon, or baked salmon.
What to Serve With Canned Salmon Salad
I don’t think anyone would object to a handful or two of crunchy potato chips on the side (or tuck them right into the sandwich!).
If you want to make a lunch sandwich salad-themed buffet, consider offering a selection, including Best Egg Salad, Italian Tuna Salad, Chicken Salad with Grapes, and Best Chicken Salad. And, for something similar yet different, try Salmon Spread made with fresh salmon and smoked salmon combined! You could also serve the salmon salad with…
Canned Salmon Salad Questions!
There are a lot of sustainable, wild-caught options, such as Wild Planet. It has a clean flavor, firm texture, and is better for the environment. Look for the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) blue label, which signifies sustainability. Sockeye and pink salmon are both great.
It will last for up to 5 days in the fridge. Stir before serving. If anything smells off or the texture changes, toss it.
Yes, you can. Try this Italian tuna salad, but use canned salmon instead.
Very. It’s high in Omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin D. If you keep the bones in (a very personal preference!), you also get a boost of calcium (via the Cleveland Health Clinic). One 5-ounce can of salmon provides between 19 and 23 grams of protein.
Nope! It’s cooked.
Quick Variations
- Swap mayo for whole-fat Greek yogurt
- Add capers
- Switch the parsley for dill, chives, or tarragon
- Add some hot sauce or minced jalapeno
- Use vinegar instead of the lemon juice.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve this salad over greens
- Make sandwiches using whatever bread you like, such as country wheat, whole wheat, sourdough, or multi-grain. Add lettuce and sliced tomatoes.
- Make lettuce wraps using large crisp lettuce leaves, such as romaine or butter lettuce.
- Make a salmon salad melt — just like a tuna salad melt, but with salmon.
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Quick & Easy Canned Salmon Salad (10-Minute High Protein Lunch)
Ingredients
- 2 (6-ounce) cans salmon (drained, any extra bits of skin and bones removed)
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tablespoons minced onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped celery (optional)
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon sweet relish
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Mix the salmon, mayonnaise, parsley, onion, celery, lemon juice, relish, and mustard in a medium-sized bowl. Add the salt and pepper and blend well.
- Serve on a lettuce salad, in a sandwich, or with crackers.
Notes
Nutrition
You can, but because it has mayonnaise, it might become a bit watery when defrosted, and the texture of the fish can become a little mushy. However, if you have leftover salad and can’t use it up within 4 days, freezing is an easy way to preserve extra salmon salad.
Store for up to 3 months in a freezer-proof zipper-top bag with any excess air pressed out of the bag. Defrost overnight in the fridge.
More Salmon Recipes
- Get tips for cooking perfectly grilled salmon.
- Put that favorite small appliance to work and enjoy Air Fryer Salmon — quick and simple.
- The Salmon with Lemon Butter Sauce recipe is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner.
- Use the Simple Asian Salmon recipe when you want a different flavor profile.
- Dedie’s Herbed Salmon will always remain a favorite recipe. Once you try it, you’ll know why!
Love a good no-cook lunch, and this hit the spot.