Salmon Salad: The Cheap & Easy Way to Eat More Fish

You’re probably used to eating canned tuna — on sandwiches, melts, salads, and in your mom’s casseroles.  But canned salmon?  Maybe not. It’s time to start!

Why Canned Salmon Rules

• It’s the freshest fish you can get, since it’s caught and canned immediately on site
• It’s cheap, at about $2 per 6oz can (that’s less than $6/lb) for wild Alaskan salmon
• It’s high in protein, calcium, and Omega-3 fatty acids
• It’s low in mercury (significantly lower than canned tuna)
• It’s versatile, so you can turn it into all sorts of healthy meals, like these…

What to Do with Canned Salmon

Salmon Salad: Mix 2 cans with 1/4 cup plain yogurt, 2 Tbsp Light mayo, juice of half a lemon, handful of chopped fresh parsley and/or dill, 1 Tbsp capers, chopped green onions or chives, salt, pepper, and celery, cucumbers, or pickles.  Serve over a bed of greens with tomatoes and a vinaigrette dressing, like one of these.
Salmon Sandwiches: Follow instructions above for making salmon salad, but serve on whole wheat bread with lettuce and tomato, or make a salmon melt like you would a tuna melt.
Salmon Burgers: Mix 2 cans with 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper, 1/2 cup chopped scallions, juice of half a lemon, 1/4 cup Light mayo, 1/2 cup bread crumbs, 1 raw egg, handful of chopped fresh parsley, and a generous sprinkle of salt & pepper.  Form into patties and cook in a saute pan with 1 Tbsp canola oil per batch.  Serve with tartar sauce, lettuce, tomato, and onion on a bun.
Salmon Pasta: Add 2 cans canned salmon to a creamy pasta sauce along with peas, sauteed mushrooms and onions, and fresh parsley and dill.  Toss with your favorite noodles.

Tips for Buying Canned Salmon

Buy Wild Alaskan salmon. It’s widely available and inexpensive, and wild is much healthier (for you and the earth) than farmed.
Look for boneless & skinless salmon, otherwise you have to pick through the meat and fish out the bones and skin (or eat then, which is nutritious but not necessarily delicious).
Trader Joe’s and Costco are my favorite places to find good quality, cheap canned salmon.