This easy canned salmon salad is made with onion, celery, cream cheese, mayo, a squeeze of lemon, dill, and canned salmon. It's budget-friendly, ready in just 15 minutes, and makes a terrific lunch, snack, or light dinner.
What's great about this recipe
- A tasty alternative to tuna salad. It has the same creamy, familiar style, but uses canned salmon for an easy way to switch things up.
- Quick and easy. It comes together with just a few minutes of prep.
- Budget-friendly. Canned salmon makes this an affordable way to add seafood to lunch or a light meal.
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Budget Check
- The full recipe is about $7.25-$7.50
- Per serving (4 servings): about $1.80-$1.90
Uses conventional ingredients. Based on recent U.S. averages. Actual prices will vary by store and region.
Ingredients you'll need
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- Canned salmon: Use skinless, boneless salmon packed in water. Canned or pouched salmon both work well.
- Onion: White onion has a mild flavor, but yellow or red onion can be substituted.
- Celery: Adds a fresh crunch.
- Cream cheese: Adds creaminess and a little body. Use regular or light cream cheese if you prefer.
- Mayonnaise: Use your favorite mayonnaise. Regular or light can be used.
- Lemon juice: Adds a little brightness and acidity. Fresh lemon juice is best.
- Dill: We use dried dill because we always have it on hand. Fresh dill can be substituted; use 1½ teaspoons fresh dill in place of the ½ teaspoon dried.
- Seasoning: Black pepper adds a little warmth. Add salt at the end only if needed.
- Garnish: Fresh parsley or dill, optional.
📖 See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
How to make canned salmon salad
If using canned salmon, drain it, but not completely dry. If using salmon in a pouch, don't drain it.
Add the softened cream cheese to a medium to large bowl. Stir well until smooth. Add the mayonnaise and stir well with the cream cheese to make a smooth, creamy base.
Add the salmon, white onion, celery, lemon juice, dried dill, and black pepper. Stir well until thoroughly combined.
Taste and add salt if needed. As a reference, we added a pinch to ours.
Serve right away, or cover the bowl or transfer the salad to an airtight container and chill for about 30 minutes, if desired.
Recipe tips and notes
- If using canned salmon, drain it well, but not bone dry. A little moisture helps the ingredients come together. Salmon packaged in a pouch doesn't need to be drained.
- Let the cream cheese soften before mixing. This makes it easier to stir smooth and combine evenly with the mayonnaise.
- Wait until everything is fully mixed before adding salt. Canned salmon packed in water typically contains salt. Taste at the end and add salt if needed.
- The salad may look a little loose when it's first mixed. You can serve it right away, or chill it for about 30 minutes to let it firm up a little.
Serving suggestions
This salad is easy to serve in a variety of ways, whether you're making lunch, a snack, or a light dinner.
- Serve it with crackers, bagel chips, carrot sticks, and celery sticks like we do. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice just before serving is fantastic.
- For a deli-style lunch, make a sandwich with sliced bread (I'm partial to rye) or a roll, and serve it with chips and a pickle on the side.
- Serve a scoop over lettuce or mixed greens with your favorite toppings for a simple salad.
- Make lettuce cups for a light snack.
Storing leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Keep it refrigerated until you're ready to serve.
I wouldn't recommend freezing it. The cream cheese and mayonnaise can separate, and the celery will lose its crisp texture after thawing.
Food safety: Don't leave the salad at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F.
More easy lunch recipes
If you enjoyed this canned salmon salad, try one of our other easy recipes. This tuna salad sandwich is a classic and just as easy to make. Our chicken salad sandwich, made with a creamy dressing, almonds, and grapes, is a delicious combination of savory and sweet. And a simple egg salad is always a great choice for an easy lunch or light meal.
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📖 Recipe
Canned Salmon Salad
Ingredients
- 10 ounces Canned Salmon in Water skinless and boneless (drain if using canned; don't drain if using a pouch)
- 2 tablespoons Finely Diced White Onion about half of a very small onion
- 2 tablespoons Finely Diced Celery about half of a celery rib, plus extra for serving, if desired
- 2 ounces Cream Cheese softened
- 2 tablespoons Mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
- ½ teaspoon Dried Dill
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- Salt to taste at the end, if needed
- Chopped Fresh Parsley or Dill for garnish, optional
Instructions
- If using canned salmon, drain it, but not completely dry. If using salmon in a pouch, don't drain it.
- Add the softened cream cheese to a medium to large bowl, making sure the bowl is large enough to stir everything comfortably. Stir the cream cheese well until smooth.
- Add the mayonnaise and stir well with the cream cheese to make a smooth, creamy base.
- Add the salmon, white onion, celery, lemon juice, dried dill, and black pepper. Stir everything together well until thoroughly combined.
- Taste and add salt if needed. As a reference, we added a pinch to ours.
- Serve right away, or cover the bowl or transfer the salad to an airtight container and chill for about 30 minutes, if desired.
- Serve with crackers, in a sandwich or roll, over a salad, or however you like.
Notes
- If using canned salmon, drain it well, but not bone dry. A little moisture helps the ingredients come together. Salmon packaged in a pouch doesn't need to be drained.
- Wait until the salmon salad is fully mixed before adding salt. Canned salmon packed in water typically contains salt, so you may not need much, if any. Taste first and add it as needed.
- Let the cream cheese soften before mixing. This makes it much easier to stir smooth and combine evenly with the mayonnaise.
- The salad may look a little loose when it's first mixed. You can serve it right away, or chill it for about 30 minutes to let it firm up a little.
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Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
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