About Canned Salmon…
The 14oz. can of salmon I bought was $3.99 and when you consider the fact that wild caught fresh salmon will probably be at least double that per pound, I think it’s a pretty great deal! It wasn’t too pretty when I first opened the can and it wasn’t exactly pink, but once I broke it up into pieces and removed the skin, it was visually on par with canned tuna. Nothing to look at, but still quite delicious. My particular salmon came “with skin and bones”, so I just scraped off the skin (but you can eat it if you want) and removed any large bones. Most of the bones were hair thin and quite soft (probably gelatinized by the canning process) and were therefor quite edible. Full of dietary calcium, even!Can I Substitute the Kale?
Yes, you can make this salad with Romaine or even spinach, if you’d like, just keep in mind that neither will hold up to refrigeration as well as the kale.What Kind of Dressing Should I Use?
I used a creamy Caesar dressing for this salad (Girard’s to be exact). You can use a non-creamy caesar dressing, if you prefer, but I find that a creamy version pairs better with this salad.Can I Use a Different Pasta Shape?
Yes, you can use any small or short-shaped pasta, like orzo, penne, or orecchiette. Or, you can skip the pasta and add homemade croutons in its place.
Kale & Salmon Caesar Salad
Kale & Salmon Caesar Salad is a fast, filling, and delicious way to use budget friendly canned salmon.
Servings 4Ingredients
- 8 oz bowtie pasta ($0.75)
- 6 oz chopped kale* ($1.50)
- 14 oz can wild caught salmon ($3.99)
- 2 large hard boiled eggs (optional) ($0.54)
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan ($0.96)
- 1/2 cup (or to taste) creamy Caesar dressing ($1.16)
Instructions
- Cook the bowtie pasta according to the package directions, then drain in a colander.
- Meanwhile, roughly chop the kale into small pieces, removing any large pieces of stem. Place the chopped kale in a bowl. Once the pasta is drained, add it to the kale and stir to let the residual heat slightly wilt the kale.
- Drain the canned salmon and remove the skin and bones (if included), breaking the meat into bite-sized chunks as you go. Peel and dice the hard boiled eggs.
- Add the salmon chunks, diced hard boiled eggs, and shredded Parmesan to the kale and pasta. Drizzle with Caesar dressing, then toss to coat everything in the dressing. Divide into four portions for meal-sized salads, or six smaller side-salad servings.
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Notes
*I used pre-washed and chopped kale that came in a bag, then chopped it further into smaller pieces.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 609.08kcalCarbohydrates: 49.3gProtein: 36.23gFat: 28.88gSodium: 1034.83mgFiber: 3.5g
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Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Kale and Salmon Caesar Salad – Step by Step Photos
Start by cooking 8oz. bowtie pasta according to the package directions. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the kale. I bought a 12oz. bag of kale today because the whole bunches were a little on the expensive side and this one bag for $2.99 is roughly the same as one and half bunches, plus it’s already chopped and stems removed! :D I used half of this bag, or about 6 ounces.
Because I was leaving my kale raw, I wanted even smaller pieces to make it easy to chew and digest. So, I chopped it up a bit more and pulled out any random pieces of stems that got left behind.
Once the pasta is drained, add it to a large bowl with the chopped kale. Stir it up and allow the residual heat from the pasta to soften the kale just a touch.
Peel and dice two hard boiled eggs.
This is the canned salmon that I used. I was happy to be able to find wild caught canned salmon. Honestly, it wasn’t pretty when I opened the can and you should be thankful I didn’t take a photo of that part…
But once I scraped off the dark skin, removed any large bones, and broke it into chunks, it pretty much just looked like tuna. Not very pink, but it still tasted great! This 14oz. can of salmon actually yielded quite a bit of meat, so next time I might go for the smaller can and use one more egg to make the salad even less expensive. Gotta tweak those ratios sometimes.
I really wanted shredded Parmesan for this salad instead of grated, although grated will work if that’s what you have. I find the shredded to be a bit more potent in flavor and it makes a striking visual presence on the salad. Finding shredded Parm with the bagged cheese was a great because it was about half the price of the shredded Parmesan at the cheese counter. So, be sure to check both places.
Now it’s time to build the salad. If you’re doing it all in one large bowl, just add the diced eggs, salmon pieces, and 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan to the pasta and kale.
Finally, add some creamy Caesar dressing (I used about 1/2 cup for the entire salad) and stir to coat in the dressing.
Now EAT! And be happy.
Kale & Salmon Caesar Salad – FANCY!
I made this as a cold dish last night using cavatappi pasta (a curly penne) and romaine lettuce, and it was sooooo good! I think this will become a regular summer meal for us. I didn’t put in boiled eggs, not a favorite in my family, and I did add in capers.
A friend of mine who makes pasta salad always stirs a little pickle juice into her cooked pasta while it’s draining and still warm, so I tried that using caper brine and it boosted the pasta’s flavor nicely for this salad. I chilled the pasta before adding it to the romaine
I made the Caesar salad dressing using a mayonnaise base and anchovy paste and diluted my EV olive oil, which has a strong flavor, by cutting it with peanut oil. It worked out nicely.
This made four generous portions. Easy prep, great nutrition, the price is right, and the family’s fed. Thanks for an excellent recipe!
Delicious! Simple, wallet-friendly weeknight meal!
Is there any chance anyone knows how to improve the taste of canned fish in general? I’ve tried different kinds and they all have that universal ‘canned’ taste that’s off-putting. I’m trying to cook fish more but canned is what’s mostly available for me atm and I can’t get over the flavor as of rn.
I cannot rate this recipe, as I didn’t make it. I intended to make it but my greens were so tough that I couldn’t imagine we could eat them raw. I threw them in with the pasta for the last three minutes, and then drained the whole mess in a colander. I mixed it with the canned salmon, dressed it with the creamy Caesar dressing and asked my husband to grate cheese over it. It was good! In fact, I wish I hadn’t told my husband about the change of plans, as I am not sure he would have guessed anything went awry. I will make it as a salad in the future, though, as I now have a whole bunch of creamy Caesar dressing.
I finally made this recipe as written, and it was delicious! I dressed the chopped kale with half of the Caesar dressing, then mixed the pasta and salmon with the other half. I added a tablespoon of capers, too. A great weekday lunch.
Substituted fresh spinach instead of kale – yummy!
I made this recipe for dinner and everyone loved it! I did have a few changes that were made. I used fresh salmon because that’s what I had rather than canned salmon (although I do love canned salmon as well) I used my scale to weigh it to the amount listed in the recipe, baked in the oven with lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper as the seasonings. When it was done cooking I just followed the instructions as described to mix the canned salmon.
Another alteration I made was adding canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans) – which I drained and added at the end. I also added a few chopped black olives, drained from the can.
This was delicious. My husband enjoyed it very much, I sent some to my mother-in-law and she also said it was a hit.
Thanks for this recipe! It will be added to our rotation!
Canned salmon is a staple in my kitchen. I use it for croquets, pasta dishes and will substitute it in my salmon chowder when i cant get wild caught fresh. This recipe is a keeper. It kept well overnight which means its also a great option when I need to bring a dish. The only thing I did different was sprinkle a few capers on top before serving. The pop of flavor from the capers really pulled everything together. Tonight I’m making the sesame glazed salmon and green beans. I cant wait to try it!
I substituted chicken for salmon and used your lime crema, and this was absolutely to die for!
The kale and salmon Caesar salad was delicious. I didn’t think that I liked kale, but it’s really good in this salad! I made it for dinner as the main dish. There are only two of us and my husband couldn’t eat all of his. I think we could make half the recipe. We are retired and older just don’t eat as much any more.
Is there any way we can see the caloric info for these besides calculating them manually?
I’m sorry, I do not have the nutritional information.
There are different kinds of salmon, generally “pink” (keta) is the least costly.
I eat the skin and bones except for the small round, spine bones, which can be really hard sometimes. You can substitute canned salmon for canned tuna in any recipe you like. My favorites are salmon salad sandwiches (mayo, onions and pickles) and salmon with pasta, mushrooms, onions, alfredo sauce, and peas or broccoli.
I made this a couple of weeks ago and it was great! I plan to make it again this week!
I made my own dressing from this recipe: https://laughingspatula.com/3-minute-skinny-caesar-dressing/
It was really easy, tasty, and low cal. Can’t beat that.
Thanks for sharing that recipe! I’ll have to try it. :)
I did this recipe again today, but instead of salmon, I used some frozen shrimp, and added croutons, so delicious.
I grew up with oil and vinegar and lighter types of vinagarettes, and I don’t really like heavy/creamy/white salad dressings. Do you recommend any kind of substitute here? Maybe a little olive oil and/or lemon juice?
A simple lemon vinaigrette might be good. Or even a “sensation salad dressing”. I’m sure you can find several recipes for both types with Google. (Sensation salad dressing is really popular here in Louisiana, but I’ve never made it at home.)
I had never heard of sensation dressing before, but I tried it and it is SO GOOD.
Thanks for the recommendation!
I “eat” a recipe with my eyes & this looks great After I make it, maybe I’ll give it 5 stars.
This would be a good use for leftover fresh salmon too. My favorite use for canned salmon is o are a pot of creamy son chowder . Crispy salmon croquettes are delicious . Along with instant dry potatoes or leftover mashed you can whip up some tasty potato patties.
Hey Beth! What brand of Caesar dressing is your favorite?
I really like Girards! It’s the one in those weird triangular bottles. :P
This was enjoyed by all my family except one who refused to try salmon. Some were sceptable but found it too good not to eat more. Will be made again.
Have cooked this one a few times. Family favourite now. Tinned salmon is great on a sandwich, in a salad or for making fish cakes.
How would one go about storing this for leftovers? I worry that the noodles will suck up all of the dressing and make it dry or worse that the kale will go slimy and soggy sitting with the rest of the ingredients. I don’t know if kale even does that. I want to be able to make it for dinner and then take it in a cooler for lunch for a road trip the next day. I just don’t want to end up in the middle of the desert with inedible food. :/
Kale holds up really well without getting slimy because it’s so thick. :) My dressing did absorb the dressing, so I just added an extra small drizzle before eating the leftovers. You can always just combine everything except the dressing and add it to the individual servings as you go.
Reporting back that this was tasty and NOT dry the next day for lunch on the road. :)
Check out the Splendid Table’s salmon cakes. They were my recent first foray into canned salmon and my husband is still talking about them! I was kind of grossed out when I opened the can, but the cakes were with it. I’ll have to see if this salad is, too! (Your recipes generally don’t disappoint!)
We just had this for dinner–it was delicious! Thanks for the great recipe. We will use it again.
I can’t find a canned salmon of acceptable quality around here. Could I use tuna for this or would the flavor be too different?
It will be different, but I bet it would be good in its own way. :)
Adapted this with rotisserie chicken. Super fast to make if you just need a dinner or lunch that gives you a nice energy shot.
Just made this for lunch, and it was so quick, easy, and tasty! Looking forward to the leftovers for lunch all week (storing it without the dressing).
I eating this right now. Delicious! I will definitely make this again. Trader Joe’s had baby kale so I used that instead and added a few splashes of lemon juice and black pepper. I also kept the salmon as is, the bones and skin don’t bother me.
We love canned salmon – it’s great for making salmon cakes or croquettes! There are lots of recipes around, but basically add an egg, breadcrumbs, and finely chopped veggies or herbs to canned salmon, then bake in a hot oven or fry in oil until golden.
Love canned Salmon so this sounds good!
A local restaurant here makes a kale caesar salad with smoked salmon as an add-on. It’s soo good, could easily use this option at home even though it is more spendy. However, the flavor is strong so maybe you wouldn’t need as much.
Will definitely have to try this recipe soon. I love canned salmon! Salmon cakes are and delicious to throw together and actually hold in the fridge quite well for leftovers.
I make fish chowder: sautee onions and celery and carrots, add mushrooms, add can of fish stock and can of salmon, maybe some greens, cook til veggies are soft, fish heated through, and then if feeling fancy, I stir whole milk in at the end of the cooking, and serve when it’s heated through. Voila! New England-esque fish chowder
My favorite way to use canned salmon is in a salad with fresh arugula, canned white whites, sliced red onion and a lemon dressing. Perfect refreshing summer dinner.
White beans! Not white whites.
I can’t wait to try this salad! I love canned salmon … usually I make burger-sized salmon patties and bake them instead of frying, serve with rice or quinoa and whatever kind of sauce I’m feeling that day – Alfredo, remoulade, etc. My mama (who is from the Philippines) would saute an onion or two, toss in a can of salmon and a couple of big diced tomatoes, season generously with salt and pepper and serve over rice. Memories …. :)
I made fish cakes with canned salmon once when I was in a dinner pinch (broke as a joke and very little in the pantry) with a can, an egg, some breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper mixed together, then dipped in breadcrumbs and shallow fried. It turned out acceptable enough, but I hope I’m not broke enough again to have to do that! Not a big fan of canned fish, personally. I’ve also thought about subbing it in tuna casserole (one of the only ways I’ll eat canned light tuna, the kind that looks pretty much like cat food).
Canned salmon is awesome on a budget, especially when you can find the cans for $2.99 – Grocery Outlet, sometimes Trader Joe’s, Asian food markets… So many things you can do with that can. I usually keep a couple of cans around – they come in handy. I’ve made cheesy pastas (like white cheddar and shells) with broccoli, salads, not-crab cakes, antipasto … I don’t bother de-skinning/deboning – the whole can just gets drained and dumped into whatever I’m making. Everything’s soft and good for you.
Filipinos have this thing called “ginisa,” where you just sauté whatever (I’ve done this with canned fish, chayote, cabbage…) in garlic, onion, tomato, a little water and a dash of “patis” (fish sauce) and a few cranks of pepper – then serve over steamed rice and call it a day. Nothing fancy (it’s an “everyday” type of food for Filipinos), but easy peasy and gets the job done. :D
I live in Alaska and eat salmon caught by family members at least once a week—fresh, frozen, dried…so I would like to tell the person to wrote to say that all salmon is pink that you have received incorrect information. The color of wild salmon varies wildly, depending on the season (early or late run) and what kind of salmon it is. King, chum and so on are different colors naturally.
You must have been reading my mind, because recently I have been thinking about new ways to use the canned salmon in my pantry!
As of now I either eat it in a salad with chickpeas and a hard boiled egg (if I’m feeling fancy), or with mayo (like tuna fish) and eaten with ritz crackers.
I would love to see a salmon cake recipe!
What Caesar dressing do you use?
Oops, I forgot to mention that! My favorite is Girard’s brand, even the light version is excellent!
Oh a fellow Gerard’s dressing lover. My favorite bottled dressing is Girards Champagne.. it gets raves from dinner guests. It acccctually has no sssssugar or corn syrup..a big plus in making it taste home made
I love their champaign dressing as well!!
I love salmon patties, especially if they have chopped red peppers and chopped green onions in them. I keep Cracker Barrel in business when they have their salmon patties on special.
I like good, old fashioned salmon loaf. Salmon salad (replacing salmon with tuna) is also pretty tasty.
Fish cakes, quiche, soup — “fish chowder” (carrot, potato, onion, dill, can of salmon, a little cream).
Mmm, looking forward to trying this one!
I eat canned salmon at least once a week, mostly on salad, but I also do a kind of stir fry thing with it. I cook a bunch of veggies in the wok and then add half a can of salmon at the end until heated through. It doesn’t look the prettiest but it’s delicious!
Looks great, I’m excited to try this! I, like others, have only ever used canned salmon to make salmon cakes/patties/burgers, so I’m happy to see a new use for it, especially one with my favorite green! Lately we’ve been making our salmon cakes with cooked quinoa in place of bread crumbs – tastes great, provides extra texture, and helped us feel like we are spicing things up a bit.
I use canned salmon mostly for fish cakes/patties/burgers so this is a good new idea for me. Looks good.
I add a can of salmon to your crust less quiche recipe. Yum!
I’ve never used canned salmon before either, but you’ve definitely inspired me! It seems like a great way to add some additional good things to your diet.
This is a great recipe!
I am in love with kale lately. It is so healthy.
I actually made kale salads for the whole week this morning, before I saw your blog today. I am definitely trying your idea next week for the week’s salads. I like to make salads for lunches to bring to work – about $2 a serving, and salads in NYC are $10 a pop. What a money saver.
I learned a trick today – massage the kale! I added 1 teaspoon of olive oil and juice from half a lemon, and massged the kale for a few minutes. It physically changes as you do this, and makes it easier to chew. It does half the size of the kale, though, so I was surprised that the huge bunch I bought, once massaged, was only 2 meal-sized salads. Give it a try.
My mother gifted a dozen canned salmons to me, and I never thought to add the salmon to the kale salad- thanks! I love the egg and Parmesan addition too.
I am eagerly awaiting canned salmon ideas too! All I could think of was salmon cakes (fry or bake salmon, egg, bread crumbs)- pretty tasty, but I need more ideas.
Thanks again, you rock!
I can’t get down with meat (of any kind) out of a can, and I’m particularly fussy about fish. I’d make this and throw in some cooked fresh salmon though! Or maybe some bbq chicken if I’m feeling a bit lazy ;-)
Good canned salmon tastes and acts just like leftover salmon. Definitely not fishy and processed closer to fresh than most anything one would get at the store.
I’m a fan!
I am so excited that you are taking on canned salmon! I love salmon burgers (my website link takes you directly to my recipe), but I would love to try out some new canned salmon recipes beyond salmon burgers and salmon patties.
I keep a large stock of canned salmon and tuna (www.vitalchoice.com … NOT budget but worth it to me and I subscribe to their emails so get 15-25% off offers and stock up).
http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013351-tuna-with-capers-olives-and-lemon this recipe from Melissa Clark is my favorite for both tuna and salmon. I often stretch both with some white beans or chickpeas. I’ll put this mix on top of shredded cabbage or a mix of cabbage and kale or on toast.
My mouth is watering right now!!
Ooooh nice! I eat a lot of canned salmon and I get pretty bored of just dumping it in a salad with just romaine lettuce and celery and quinoa or farro so I’ve definitely gotta try this soon! Thanks for the recipe!
And oh btw, salmon is supposed to be this color. The pink salmon you’re used to has been dyed to look that way.
I thought farmed salmon was supposed to be that colour. All the wild salmon (and I know it was wild because I was there when it was caught) actually was pink, and I’ve read that has to do with what they’ve been eating. So there’s nothing wrong with the colour of the canned salmon. . . I just question whether it’s wild caught like they’re saying it is.
Wild-caught salmon will naturally be very pink because of the diverse diet the salmon get. Only farmed Atlantic salmon meat is dyed, because they are kept in poor conditions and are fed a poor diet. Salmon is NOT supposed to be that color.
Looks yummy! I’m a big fan of canned salmon (probably because of the cheaper cost). My dad eats it plain in sandwiches, but I prefer using it in something like a salmon loaf. I’ll definitely be trying this recipe!