Store cupboard meals can be the saviour of midweek meals. And while you may cook with tinned tuna on the regular, tinned salmon is just as versatile.
From freshly dressed zesty salads to crispy golden fish cakes, we've given tinned salmon a much needed update. Take inspiration from these frugal yet flavoursome recipes.
1 Toss a tasty salmon salad
Drain and flake a 213g can of salmon and mix in a bowl with 100g pack watercress, 150g/5oz halved boiled new potatoes and 125g/4oz blanched green beans. Make a dressing with juice of 1 lemon, 2tbsp extra-virgin olive oil and a small handful chopped fresh dill. Drizzle over salad and toss to mix well.
2 Make tinned salmon pasta
Cook and drain 200g/7oz spaghetti according to instructions on packet. Trim and chop a handful of asparagus into 4cm/1½in lengths and blanch for 3-4 mins in boiling water, then toss with the hot pasta, a 213g drained can of salmon and 4-5 tbsp hollandaise sauce. Season to taste before serving.
3 Serve up a salsa
Drain a 180g can of salmon and mix with 1 halved, stoned and chopped avocado, juice of 1 lime, 1tbsp chopped red onion and 1 deseeded and chopped green chilli. Cut a half baguette diagonally into slices, drizzle with olive oil and grill on both sides till lightly golden, then rub with a cut clove of garlic before topping with the salmon salsa.
4 Bake a fast fish pie
Peel, boil and mash 900g/2lb potatoes with 50ml/2fl oz milk and a knob of butter. Melt 25g/1oz butter in a pan over a medium heat, then stir in 25g/1oz plain flour and cook for 1 min. Remove from heat and gradually add 600ml/1pint milk, stirring till smooth. Return pan to heat and cook, stirring, till sauce is thick. Stir in a 213g drained and flaked can of salmon, 2 handfuls frozen peas, 190g pack cooked of peeled prawns and a handful chopped fresh parsley. Pour into an ovenproof dish. Spoon mash over and bake in an oven preheated to gas mark 4/180°C (160°C in a fan oven) for 15-20 mins, till topping is crisp and hot.
5 Cook up salmon kedgeree
Perfect for brunch or dinner – this is a purse-friendly take on kedgeree. Boil and drain 175g/6oz rice as directed on pack. Heat a knob of butter and 1tbsp oil in a frying pan and cook 1 finely chopped onion for 5 mins, or till soft. Add 1tsp curry powder and ½tsp cayenne pepper and cook for another minute. Stir in cooked rice and a 213g drained can of salmon. Cook till piping hot, then season well. Add 1 handful chopped fresh parsley, 2 quartered hardboiled eggs and a squeeze of lemon, and serve.
6 Top a pizza with salmon
Preheat oven to gas mark 6/200°C (180°C in a fan oven). Spoon 5tbsp passata over a ready-made pizza base. Top with a 180g drained can of salmon, 155g pack of seafood selection and a few slices red onion. Sprinkle over 1tbsp dried oregano and 1 ball mozzarella cut into cubes. Season, then place directly on an oven shelf and bake for 10-15 mins till base is crisp and cheese bubbling.
7 Make tinned salmon dip
In a processor, mix together a 180g drained can salmon and 200ml/7fl oz crème fraîche. Stir through 1tbsp chopped capers and 2 finely chopped cornichons. Season to taste and serve with crudités and breadsticks.
8 Use tinned salmon in a stir fry
Cook 200g/7oz noodles, drain and toss with 1tbsp sesame oil. Add 1tbsp oil to a frying pan and, over a high heat, quickly stir-fry 1 deseeded chopped red chilli, 2 chopped cloves garlic, ½tbsp grated fresh ginger, 4 sliced spring onions and a 213g drained can of salmon. Add cooked noodles and stir in 1tbsp soy sauce and 1tbsp oyster sauce. Heat briefly and serve.
9 Fry up salmon fish cakes
Boil 1 large peeled potato, then mash with a 213g drained and flaked can of salmon, 1 small handful chopped fresh chives, 2tbsp plain flour, salt and pepper. Form into 6 patties and chill till firm. Shallow-fry in 4tbsp oil over a medium heat for 4-5 mins on each side.
10 Use to top jacket potatoes
In a small bowl, mix together a 180g drained can of salmon, 4tbsp soft cheese, 3 chopped spring onions and 1tbsp horseradish cream. Season to taste and spoon over hot baked potatoes.
Like this article? Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox.
SIGN UP
Carla Griscti
Digital Writer
As a digital writer for Prima Online and a self-confessed foodaholic, you'll find lots of fab foodie pieces from me. I have a true love for sun, sea and sangria (among many other indulgences). When not dreaming of sunny beaches (or running off to them) I can be found cavorting at festivals, hosting wine-fuelled dinner soireés and prancing around the kitchen to Stevie Nicks and Kate Bush. I also have an unhealthy obsession with Dave Grohl and Alan Partridge.
FAQs
Because these oils are not highly water soluble, the nutrients are less likely to be washed away by rinsing. So, while draining and rinsing the fish minorly impacts its nutritional value, it doesn't eliminate the numerous benefits canned salmon provides.
How is tinned salmon cooked? ›
Cans are loaded onto trays and moved into retort ovens where they are cooked for the calculated amount of time needed to sterilize the contents.
Can you drink the liquid in canned salmon? ›
When you eat canned salmon do you drink the salmon water out of the can or do you pour it into a cup first before drinking it? If your canned salmon is like the cans I looked at, that liquid is salt water, not a beverage that you should want to drink. Drain it out of the can and let it go down the sink.
Should you eat the skin in canned salmon? ›
Skin & bones are left in because there is no waste in canned salmon – the liquid, skin, and bones are all edible and supply important nutrients such as calcium and phosphorus.
What is the white stuff in canned salmon? ›
That white slimy stuff is called albumin, and it's actually just a harmless (albeit pretty gross-looking) protein that solidifies as salmon cooks.
How healthy is canned salmon? ›
Canned salmon is every bit as nutritious as fresh salmon. It contains a variety of key nutrients, including protein, calcium, vitamins B & D, and healthy omega-3 fatty acids which promotes a healthy brain. By now, the health benefits of salmon are well-known.
Is canned salmon better than tuna? ›
Canned salmon contains a bit more vitamin B12 and a whopping 14 times more vitamin D than canned tuna does. It also has over 1,500mg of healthy omega-3 fatty acids per 3-ounce portion, as compared to somewhere between 1,000 to 1,500mg for tuna, depending on the species (via Verywell Fit).
Why are there bones in canned salmon? ›
Thanks to their flexibility, pin bones are no problem to eat when enjoying canned salmon and provide essential nutrients like iron and calcium. While firmer pin bones are often removed from fresh salmon, the technique for canning salmon means that they can be eaten without a laborious deboning process.
How often can I eat canned salmon? ›
Still, small amounts of mercury can pose a risk to young children, unborn babies and the babies of nursing mothers, so the recommended servings of even low-mercury canned light tuna and salmon are no more than 2 to 3 servings per week of 3 to 4 ounces for folks who fall into those categories.
Can you eat canned salmon cold? ›
“A can of salmon is delicious when eaten cold, just as it is taken from the can.” But they suggested dressing it up with béarnaise, mayonnaise, or tartare sauce and a garnish with hard-boiled eggs and sprigs of parsley.
These ones are pretty much the same, but often. red salmon tends to be slightly higher in calories, has more Omega 3 fatty acids than the pink. In terms of protein, even a little more protein. So up to you what you like in terms of eating, uh, and taste.
Why is my canned salmon bitter? ›
As salmon starts to decay the fats in salmon (an oily fish) start to turn rancid causing bitter taste. Bacteria move in, spoilage and decay at in. We judge a pice of food by how overpowering this spoilage is and the longer it sits dead the more bitter it will taste.
Is eating canned salmon everyday healthy? ›
Even though you don't need to eat salmon *every* day, making it a regular feature in meals won't hurt you. In fact, salmon is an excellent source of many nutrients, including: omega-3 fatty acids. vitamin D.
Can I eat canned salmon right out of the can? ›
Canned salmon is fully cooked (and often contains skin and bones) As with canned tuna, canned salmon is fully cooked and ready to eat right out of the tin.
Which is better red or pink canned salmon? ›
These ones are pretty much the same, but often. red salmon tends to be slightly higher in calories, has more Omega 3 fatty acids than the pink. In terms of protein, even a little more protein. So up to you what you like in terms of eating, uh, and taste.
How often should you eat canned salmon? ›
Consuming at least two servings per week can help you meet your nutrient needs and reduce the risk of several diseases. In addition, salmon is tasty, satisfying, and versatile. Including this fatty fish as a regular part of your diet may very well improve your quality of life and your health.
Can canned salmon be eaten like tuna? ›
It's just as fancy-sounding and Frenchified. And isn't salmon prettier than tuna anyway? Salmon Salad Sandwiches: For canned-tuna enthusiasts looking to try a new kind of fish, this one's an obvious choice. Make the classic sandwich salad with canned salmon instead of tuna — a childhood favorite, with a twist.
