Is it difficult for you to get fresh salmon in your neighborhood store, or is it simply too pricey for you? You are not alone if you are one of the persons that struggles with this. Many individuals, like myself, look to canned salmon as a great alternative.
Canned Salmon Recipes
Yes, you read it right. I had the idea of writing about canned salmon the other day when my kids mentioned how they miss my salmon burgers.
Keep in mind that neither of them ate fish until I was recommended to try canned fish. Needless to say, it was a great idea and I’m sticking with it ’til this day.
There are a lot of discussions about whether canned fish is equally good and healthy, and, in the end, if it’s as delicious as fresh fish. Therefore, I will first tell you about the benefits of canned fish in general, but more specifically salmon.
Canned Salmon Benefits
In general, canned fish is a practical way to increase your consumption of protein and good monounsaturated fats. Salmon in a can is not an exception.
According to some study, canned pink salmon may occasionally have even higher levels of nutrients than fresh salmon. One thing is clear, even if we took this with a grain of salt: canned salmon contains the same nutrients and health advantages as fresh salmon.
It’s crucial to note that canned salmon is far more reasonable and less expensive than fresh salmon, which is typically one of the primary reasons people don’t consume fish as frequently as is advised (especially more expensive ones, such as salmon).
I know many parents will be reading this, so I need to mention something that almost every parent struggles with. Children are usually not fond of fish. My kids always gave me a hard time when it came to eating it, whether it was the bones, the smell, the taste… And I know many of you have this problem.
The good thing about canned salmon is that it has fewer bones (what’s left of them is soft and small), it can be used in many dishes, and it doesn’t have the shape and form of fresh fish. I always have this trick up my sleeve and regularly recommend it to all parents with picky kids.
Further Reading: What Goes Well With Salmon?
The Best Canned Salmon Recipes
As I didn’t have much experience with canned fish, I dedicated some spare time to searching the internet and finding some fantastic recipes for canned salmon.
All of those that have a place on this list I have personally prepared many times, and I made some slight changes to enhance the flavor. Now, let’s start with some wonderful canned salmon recipes!
1. Canned Salmon Burgers
I already mentioned these burgers in the beginning. It’s sufficient to say they are one of my children’s favorite meals. This is a meal that everyone is amazed by, and people keep asking me for the recipe! So, I’m going to share it with you guys.
What you need:
- 1 can of canned salmon, drained
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 c. breadcrumbs
- 1 Garlic clove, minced
- lemon zest, and lemon juice (1 lemon)
- 2 tbsp. Dill, minced
- 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard (see more for dijon mustard substitutes)
- 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Hamburger buns, mayonnaise, tomatoes, and red onion for serving
How to prepare my canned salmon burgers
- Take a large bowl and just put all the ingredients in. There is no particular order, but I prefer putting salmon first and then adding an egg, breadcrumbs, lemon zest and juice, some garlic, Worcestershire sauce, dijon, dill, and red pepper flakes.
- Stir all the ingredients together. My tip for preparing any kind of meat and patties is to mix it with your hands (of course, well-cleaned). It combines the ingredients better, and you are more confident of getting it right.
- After you have a uniform mass, add salt and pepper and your patties are ready for frying. Keep in mind that this is enough for 4 patties, so just double the ingredients for 8 of them (which I would recommend for families).
- I put the patties on a previously oiled skillet, but any kind of frying pan will do just fine. Cook the patties until golden, which usually takes around five minutes (or less), and serve them in hamburger buns filled with mayonnaise, garlic, romaine, and onions. You can add more greens, such as Iceberg salad, for example.
This recipe is extremely straightforward and easy to prepare, yet the taste is fantastic!
2. Canned Salmon Fried Rice
This recipe, in particular, is one of my favorites because I can use leftovers from yesterday’s lunch! I know it might sound strange, but how many times did it happen to you – having a whole bunch of leftover rice, and you have no clue what to do with it?
Well, I have a fantastic idea! Why not make some fried rice with salmon?
Of course, if you don’t have day-old rice, you can cook some rice and spread it out so it can dry a bit – this is important because the dried rice will fry better and become golden.
What you need:
- 2 cans of canned salmon
- 3 tbsp of soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon of brown sugar
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2/3 cup diced red onion
- 2/3 cup diced red bell pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- a bit of ginger, grated
- 3 eggs, well beaten
- 4 cups of day-old cooked white rice
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced, including the greens
How to prepare it
- Take a bowl (smaller one) and mix brown sugar and soy sauce. Sugar needs to dissolve in the soy sauce, so make sure to stir well, and when done, set the bowl aside.
- Next, you’ll need a large sauté pan or wok. Put some olive oil and heat it on medium-high heat.
- Add the bell pepper and the diced red onion, and sauté until lightly brown. It should be ready in about 5 minutes.
- Then, you need to lower the heat to medium and put the garlic and grated ginger into the mix. Cook for one more minute.
- In that same mixture, you add the beaten eggs and stir until they are cooked.
- Immediately add the cooked rice and increase the heat again, cook for a couple more minutes, and stir often.
- The last part includes adding green onions, peas, and salmon. They don’t need to be cooked with the rest of the mix, so just add the soy sauce mixture, stir it in and remove the wok from heat. Your meal is ready to go!
3. Salmon Macaroni Salad
I got the idea of a salmon macaroni salad while I was eating a tuna salad that one of my friends made. The color of the tuna reminded me of salmon, and I decided to make my own rip-off!
This salad is easy to make and is suitable for making ahead, too. It can be a fantastic dinner or a light lunch, and the kids love it as well.
What you need:
- 1/2 pound dry macaroni pasta
- 2 cans of drained salmon
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise (or more to taste or for added smoothness)
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/3 cup chopped shallots, red onions, or green onions
- salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill (or 1/2 teaspoon dried dill)
- 2 stalks of celery, chopped
- Tabasco (by taste) – salt and black pepper
Hungry for more tuna? Check out Subway Tuna Recipe!
How it’s made
- The first step is to boil the macaroni pasta. Take a pot filled with 2 quarts of water and bring it to a boil.
- Add some salt and the pasta. Cook for about 10 minutes until the pasta is “al dente,” or slightly firm.
- Remove the pot from the heat, and most importantly, rinse briefly in cold water. This stops the evaporation, and your macaroni pasta won’t be sticky or overcooked.
- Put the macaroni aside and take a large bowl. Mix the canned salmon, lemon zest, mustard, mayonnaise, and lemon juice. Stir well and when you have a uniform mass, ad the shallots, dill, celery, and parsley.
- Mix in the cooked macaroni pasta while it is still warm. Add Tabasco and some ground black pepper to taste. Keep in mind that the macaroni will absorb the mayonnaise, so you may need to add some water to the salad to keep it from being dry, or just go for more mayonnaise if you enjoy the taste.
It’s essential for the salad to stay in the fridge so it can last longer, and as well because of the taste-it’s much better cold.
4. Salmon Chowder
This recipe is a true example of a simple and healthy meal. Salmon chowder is an excellent meal that is quickly prepared but immensely satisfying and enjoyable. This chowder is based on canned salmon and a few other pantry staples that you most likely already have laying around.
What you need:
- 2 cans of drained salmon
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 4 strips of bacon, chopped
- 2 small onions, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 tbsp flour
- 3 cups chicken stock (chicken base)
- 1 large Russet potato, roughly diced
- 2 cups half-and-half cream
- 2 cups frozen whole kernel corn
- seasoning
How to make this fantastic salmon chowder
- Take a large stockpot and set it over medium-high heat. Melt some butter and olive oil together (the combination of these two gives a unique aroma).
- When heated, add the diced bacon and fry it until it’s brown and crispy (it shouldn’t take more than 5-7 minutes).
- Put the onion and garlic, stir them carefully and saute for 2-3 minutes, until the onion becomes translucent and soft.
- Add the flour and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes, while constantly stirring to prevent cluttering.
- Pour the chicken stock into the mixture and bring it to a simmer.
- After that, reduce the heat from medium-high to low, and stir in the salmon, potatoes, and corn.
- Leave the chowder to simmer for about 15-20 minutes, until you see that the potatoes are cooked and tender.
- The only thing left is to stir in the cream, and let it simmer for additional 2-3 minutes.
- Add some seasoning by choice (I use salt and pepper), and your salmon chowder is ready to go!
I hope you enjoyed these recipes!
There are numerous ways to use canned salmon, and even more fantastic and delicious recipes with it. I can’t even begin to explain how healthy salmon is, and as a mother I always want my children to intake a lot of vitamins and valuable nutrients.
That’s why canned salmon is my go-to choice whenever I want to prepare a meal quickly, without needing to clean and chop fresh fish, but also to be sure that it will be tasteful.
I chose the four recipes that I probably use the most, but there are dozens more so feel free to ask me anything you want or just go to the good old internet and find stunning recipes with canned salmon.
I hope you like these recipes and that you give at least one of them a try because they really are worth it. 🙂
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