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This 5-Minute Salmon Salad recipe is an easy protein-packed lunch recipe that you’ll want to make over and over again. Made with canned salmon and cottage cheese, it’s perfect for meal prepping and enjoying throughout the week.
Any recipe that can be made in five minutes is a win in my book. This salmon salad utilizes canned salmon, which contains a whopping 18 grams of protein and is relatively inexpensive, and turns it into a nutrient-dense meal.
When I think of a mayo-based salad, I tend to think of tuna salad or chicken salad, but using canned salmon is another great option.
Salmon not only contains a fair amount of protein, but omega-3’s and healthy fats as well.
Recipe features
- Can be made from start to finish in 5 minutes.
- Made with canned salmon, so zero cooking is required.
- One serving contains 21 grams of protein, making it an ideal lunch recipe.
Ingredients
Salmon – Look for boneless, skinless canned salmon. Otherwise, you’ll have to remove the bones yourself which is kind of a pain. Yes, you can use fresh salmon (see below for how to do so), but canned salmon is what makes this recipe so quick.
Celery – I don’t love celery, but I do love it in this salad. A little bit goes a long way!
Red onion – Necessary for any sort of mayo-based salad, in my opinion. Don’t have onion? Try shallot instead.
Lemon juice – Start with the recommended amount, but feel free to add more to taste. Always use freshly squeezed juice!
Cottage cheese and mayonnaise – I love using a combination of the two: cottage cheese for the added protein, and mayo for the flavor and creaminess. Feel free to use just one or the other if you prefer, or use greek yogurt in place of the cottage cheese.
Instructions
Step 1: Flake the salmon. Start by draining any liquid from the can, then dump the salmon into a bowl and use a fork to flake it, breaking it up.
Step 2: Add remaining ingredients. Add celery, onion, lemon juice, cottage cheese, mayo, salt, and pepper to the bowl and stir to combine.
Step 3: Do a quick taste test. Take a taste and add more salt, pepper and/or lemon juice if you’d like. Serve salad on lettuce wraps, toast or make a salmon salad sandwich and enjoy!
Tips
- Using fresh salmon: Prep fresh salmon fillets however you’d like — in the oven, air fryer or on the stove — then place them in a sealed container in the fridge and allow them to cool before using.
- My go-to for using salmon in this salad would probably be my baked salmon fillet or my whole30 garlic salmon. Once it’s cooled, flake it with a fork and use as noted in the recipe card.
Tip
Add-ins: This recipe is meant to be quick with minimal chopping, so I like to keep it simple. However, if you want to bulk this up, try adding: diced avocados, sliced grape tomatoes, diced cucumber and/or fresh herbs like dill, chives or parsley.
Don’t like mayo? Try using Greek yogurt or all cottage cheese. Don’t like cottage cheese? Use only mayonnaise instead.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I don’t recommend freezing this.
More quick lunch recipes
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Salmon Salad
This 5-Minute Salmon Salad recipe is an easy protein-packed lunch recipe that you’ll want to make over and over again. Made with canned salmon and cottage cheese, it’s perfect for meal prepping and enjoying throughout the week.
Servings:
Instructions
-
Drain any liquid from the can of salmon, then place the salmon in a large bowl and flake it with a fork.
-
Add all the other ingredients to the bowl and stir to combine. Taste test, and add more salt and pepper if you’d like. Serve on its own, on a sandwich or in lettuce cups and enjoy!
Notes
- Calories are per serving and are an estimation
- Don’t love mayo? Sub greek yogurt. Don’t love cottage cheese? Use all mayonnaise instead.
- Add-ins: Bulk this up by adding diced avocado, sliced grape tomatoes, diced cucumber, and/or fresh herbs like dill, chives or parsley.
