15 Leftover Salmon Recipes

Ok, while we love salmon, those fish can come pretty big. It makes the ideal dish to serve at a dinner party or buffet. Still, invariably, there is always plenty left over. But what to do with it? Well, don’t worry, we are here to help. We’ve assembled a list of 15 leftover salmon recipes. Most are pretty easy to make, and they are all really tasty! This is a follow up to our sides for salmon post, where many readers wanted some ideas on what to do with leftover salmon. Without further ado, here’s our list

Next Day Salmon Recipes

1. Salmon Cakes

What do you get if you cross a burger with flakes of juicy salmon? Salmon cakes! Because salmon has a relatively mild flavor, these cakes aren’t too overpowering and go with loads of different sauces. Our favorite is homemade tartar. Unlike traditional fish cakes, you’ll find no potato in this recipe. The salmon makes up the majority of the patty. We combine it with a subtle mix of chopped peppers, onions and coat the entire cake in a thin layer of crisp and tasty panko breadcrumbs. 

2. Salmon Dip

This is the ideal side dish for a summer barbecue. And the best bit… (Aside from it being seriously tasty?) is that you’ll be able to whip up a batch in a little over 10 minutes! This dish combines luscious cream cheese with a little lemon juice, some finely sliced onions, and a little bit of chili heat (optional).

From there, it’s just a case of mixing and mashing your ingredients together before chilling in the fridge for a couple of hours, where all those lovely flavors mingle together. This dish is really versatile. You can serve it on melba toast, crackers, sandwiches, or even use it as a filling for a baked potato!

3. Salmon and Egg Scramble

Salmon and eggs aren’t exactly a secret recipe. You’ll normally find scrambled eggs and smoked salmon in posh deli-style breakfast bars. Don’t worry if you’ve left it a little late. This dish is great as a midday snack or even as a light dinner too! It doesn’t take long to prepare, and half the work is already done for you as it uses pre-cooked salmon, perfect for leftovers. We like to top our dish with a generous spoonful of creamy Greek yogurt and finish the dish with a sprinkling of dill. 

4. Dill Salmon Sandwiches

Speaking of dill, check this out. This isn’t just any boring old sandwich. We pack it full of good things, it is one of our favorite things to take to work, make them the night before, and the entire office will be jealous! We add a few flavors that work traditionally with salmon, such as a generous helping of dill and some lemon juice… But we don’t stop there. Oh no, Nobody wants a dry sandwich, so we also add a decent dollop of Greek yogurt and some avocado to make it even more creamy. Don’t forget the salt and pepper too!

5. Salmon Souffle

Want to know the real secret to a light and fluffy souffle? Serve it straight away! As it rests, a souffle will steam itself and gradually start to collapse. If you make this recipe, it won’t be an issue as it will be gone a few minutes after you serve it, guaranteed!

The best thing about this recipe is that you can make it with leftover salmon… Or even if you haven’t had a fish supper the night before, just use a can of salmon instead (we prefer the ‘real thing’, however). Aside from that, you should find that you’ve already got most of the ingredients for this recipe. Just two eggs, a splash of milk, and some flour…

Along with a few common herbs and spices. Feel free to experiment. We use parsley and chives, but you could also try coriander, dill, or samphire. 

6. Salmon Niçoise

No list of 15 leftover salmon recipes would be complete without mentioning niçoise. If you aren’t familiar with the dish, it is a salad containing several delicious elements. A few hard-boiled eggs are mandatory (prizes awarded if you serve them with a slightly runny yolk). It also includes sweet and slightly crunchy tomatoes, sliced olives, anchovies, and a large glug of olive oil. If that doesn’t sound filling enough, feel free to add a large helping of buttery and tender beans. We like to use haricot beans, but fava beans also work really well too!

7. Salmon Quiche

If you are looking to create a really simple dish, extremely filling and utterly delicious, you will want to see this. A quiche is essentially a mixture between a pie and a filled omelet. You don’t have to ‘blind bake’ your pastry shell. As it is filled before baking, you should find that it doesn’t split.

This recipe is delicious served hot. However, it will keep for a couple of days after making, so we often like to take a slice to work cold too! Aside from the salmon, you’ll find eggs (obviously), and we like to add a hint of opulence with a large helping of heavy cream and cheese! The finishing touch is a large handful of spinach that helps hold the dish together and gives a rather nice splash of color. Plus if you need to reheat your quiche we show you how to do that too.

8. Salmon Pasta Salad

If it’s baking hot outside, then the last thing you want to be doing is slaving away in a hot kitchen. This dish is the answer. It is easy to make and works really well as a barbecue side dish. This dish might look like it has a lot of ingredients. However, once you’ve got them all assembled and ready, it won’t take you long to make. The key to making this dish taste divine is the use of honey mustard. Hopefully, you’ll have a jar, but if not, it is just as easy to make your own. We like to use bow-tie style pasta in this recipe, but any pasta will do. Fusilli spirals are an excellent choice. They have a massive surface area that is perfect for holding all of that delicious sauce. 

9. Fish Pie

Were you worried that we were going to leave it out? No chance! Fish pie is a classic and is a great way to use up any leftover salmon… In fact, any fish will work in this dish. Combined with juicy mussels and a few hard-boiled eggs on the top, this recipe is a real winter warmer. You’ll probably find that you have leftovers from this recipe, too, so it’s really great value. It is so filling because it contains a thick layer of creamy mashed potato. We like to combine this with finely chopped dill and a spoonful of horseradish sauce.

10. Salmon Chowder

Some people like cold salmon dishes, others like it hot. Which do you prefer? For those of you who said ‘hot’, this dish is for you. A chowder is a sort of thick savory soup. It is really filling. The reason for this is that we use a generous portion of potatoes. As these cook, they break down slightly to form a really thick base. We use fennel, celery, and onions in our chowder, but don’t feel that you have to use those ingredients. Most leftover vegetables work well in chowder. One key ingredient is the stock. While you can use chicken or even beef stock, we find that you get the best flavor if you use fish stock.

11. Salmon Caesar

A simple Caesar salad is the food of the gods. Crisp romaine lettuce leaves, crunchy croutons, shavings of tangy parmesan, and maybe a few anchovies… Hang on, is there something missing? Ah yes, chunks of juicy salmon! While chicken is often the most traditional filler in a Caesar salad, salmon make s great substitute. It is a little more juicy than chicken, so it works wonders to enliven your salad. It also works really with the slightly fishy and salty anchovies. The good news is that this recipe involves very little cooking. Just assemble your ingredients, arrange them lovingly on the plate, and you’ve got yourself an eye-catching and light lunch.

12. Salmon Spring Rolls

Speaking of no-cook recipes, we just love this one. The hardest part about this salmon dish is the assembly. Still, once you are finished, you’ve got a handheld snack that will work as an eye-catching appetizer or even as a main meal. Because this is finger food, it is great for when you are on the go. You’ll need to find some rice paper sheets, but you won’t struggle to find any of the other ingredients after that. We like to add a crispy shredded carrot and lettuce layer, along with some noodles and perhaps a few beansprouts. Any crunchy food will work. Give shredded apple a try! Soft herbs work really well. Try adding some fresh basil and a few mint leaves for a tasty dish.

13. Salmon Sushi Rolls

Ok, so we know that sushi is traditionally raw fish. But we aren’t going to let a minor technical detail get in the way of us enjoying leftover salmon. The key to making sushi rolls perfect is in the rice. Here’s a tip! Don’t take the lid off until all the liquid has evaporated, and whatever you do, never stir the rice while it is cooking unless you want to make rice pudding! We like to make our sushi rolls on a nori seaweed sheet. We combine thin strips of succulent mango, a red pepper, a little cucumber, and then top with a thin line of siracha sauce. From there, it is simply a case of rolling your sushi as neatly as you can and then slicing it into thin rings. 

14. Salmon Fried Rice

Ok, we are going to share a secret with you now. It’s how to make the best-fried rice. Here’s our top tip. Make sure you use pre-cooked cold rice. When rice cools, it solidifies slightly, making it easier to separate into individual grains. Use warm rice, and you’ll find it turns to mush really quickly. Because pre-cooked salmon flakes up really easily, you’ll find this dish involves minimum prep.

You can even put larger chunks of salmon directly into the pan. It will break up as your toss and stir. This dish contains classical elements found in fried rice, including shredded green onions, golden nuggets of scrambled eggs, and not to mention a really generous helping of soy sauce. If you want another top tip, push the rice to one side of the pan while you fry and scramble the egg, then mix it in once it has set.

15. Leftover Salmon Pasta

This is a slightly different dish than the pasta salad. As it is served hot. We love to make this recipe mid-week when we are busy, and as with all of the dishes on our list of 15 leftover salmon recipes, you can also make it with canned salmon. This one is really easy. We use crème Fraiche to make a smooth and creamy base sauce, but you can also use heavy cream, sour cream, or even Greek yogurt if you have none lying around. From there, we flavor the sauce with simple ingredients.

A little olive oil, a clove of garlic, and some lemon and dill are about all that it takes. While we said this dish should be served hot, you can actually chill it and eat it cold the next day too! If you leave the pasta overnight, you’ll find that it soaks up some of the sauce, and the flavor really develops. We just don’t know which we prefer! 

Conclusion

So, there was our list of 15 leftover salmon recipes, a food that starts with s. There isn’t anything magic or fancy in any of the dishes. Still, you’ll find quite a few common elements, such as generous helpings of dill and sour cream. They almost make it worth it to always make too much salmon, but if not, don’t worry about using the canned stuff. It tastes nearly as good. What was your favorite on our list? Let us know in the comments below!