20 Leftover Salmon Recipes for Busy Weeknights (2024)

food

20 Leftover Salmon Recipes for Busy Weeknights (1)

By Katherine Gillen

Published Mar 3, 2021

So you roasted a big, fancy salmon fillet for last night’s meal…and now you’re stuck with what feels like a fridge full of fish. But lucky for you, your leftovers are actually pretty versatile—not to mention time saving and delicious. With these 20 leftover salmon recipes, you’ll be eating healthy, reducing food waste and getting dinner on the table in no time. We call that a win-win-win.

RELATED

50 Salmon Recipes to Make for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

1. Salmon Blt

If you already have a salmon fillet from last night waiting in the fridge, you’re halfway there. Plus, everyone knows leftovers taste better cold.

Get the recipe

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

2. Salmon Bowl With Farro, Black Beans And Tahini Dressing

Leftover fish and hearty salads are a match made in heaven. Since it’s best served room-temp, you could even pack it for lunch.

Get the recipe

3. Creamy Bowtie Pasta With Salmon And Asparagus

Coterie member Heidi Larsen knows that a little pasta goes a long way to elevate your humble leftovers. Ditto for the freshly grated Parmesan garnish.

4. Salmon Fajita Salad Boats

Think of this as the ultimate fridge cleanout opportunity. Throw whatever veggies you have in a skillet, garnish with yogurt or sour cream and voilà, dinner is served.

5. Easy Keto Salmon Cakes

They take less than 15 minutes to make and are keto diet-friendly. Need we say more?

RELATED

15 Easy Salmon Recipes That Are Keto-Approved

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

6. Salmon And Smashed Cucumber Grain Bowl

Want to brighten it up a notch? Squeeze some fresh lemon juice on top right before you dig in.

Get the recipe

7. Honey Barbecue Baked Salmon Bowls

Leftover rice (or quinoa), meet leftover salmon. By adding a new component (like a sauce), your repeat meal becomes a masterpiece.

8. Greek Salmon Salad Bowls

You probably have most of the ingredients in your fridge already. Use a fork to break up your leftover cooked salmon for some welcome textural contrast.

9. Low-carb Salmon Salad

Yep, it’s not just convenient to repurpose last night’s dinner. It’s also incredibly healthy.

10. Sweet Potato Salmon Cakes

Swap the canned fish for leftover cooked salmon and you’ll be surprised at how fast these babies come together—we’re talking 15 minutes from start to finish. Thanks, Coterie member Monique Volz.

12. Salmon Rillettes

What are rillettes, you ask? They’re a fancy French way of saying “salmon spread on toast.” They’re also delicious.

11. Salmon And Quinoa Bowls With Kale And Tahini-yogurt Sauce

Allow Coterie member Phoebe Lapine to demonstrate that sometimes, leftovers taste better than the first time around. (We’re chocking it up to that tahini dressing.)

13. Yummy Salmon Burgers With Slaw

As if the crispy, pan-fried salmon burgers weren’t enough on their own, they’re paired with a tangy slaw that’s beyond easy to make. And with “yummy” in the name, how can you resist?

14. Easy Salmon And Dill Salad

Give us a cold salad and we’ll go weak in the knees. The only question left to answer: Should we pair it with matchstick veggies or crackers (or both)?

20 Leftover Salmon Recipes for Busy Weeknights (16)

Spoon Fork Bacon

15. Roasted Salmon And Strawberry Grain Bowl

One bite and we’ve never felt healthier. The best part of all is that if you already have leftover cooked salmon, you can eliminate a few steps (and use it straight from the fridge).

Get the recipe

16. Salmon Cakes With Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce

This red pepper sauce is a thing of beauty on its own, but paired with the dill-flecked salmon cakes? Swoon.

RELATED

The 20 Best Side Dishes for Salmon

A New Way to Food

17. Salmon And Fennel Dinner Salad

Enjoy this lovely salad as a satisfying lunch or dinner—no side dishes necessary.

Get the recipe

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

18. Sheet Pan Eggs With Smoked Salmon, Cream Cheese And Dill

It’s tasty with toast and a mimosa—and even better on a bagel sandwich.

Get the recipe

20 Leftover Salmon Recipes for Busy Weeknights (20)

Hey Keto Mama

19. Keto Salmon Sushi Bowl

No rice, no problem, try this salmon sushi bowl made with cauliflower rice.

Photo: Jon Cospito/Styling: Erin McDowell

20. Layered Smoked Salmon Dip With Mini Bagel Chips

Picture everything you’d smear onto a bagel—from smoked salmon to chives to capers—bountifully stacked up on a plate.

Get the recipe

RELATED

27 Sheet-Pan Salmon Recipes, Because You Love Cooking but Hate Cleaning

20 Leftover Salmon Recipes for Busy Weeknights (22)

Katherine Gillen

Senior Food Editor

Katherine Gillenis PureWow’s senior food editor. She’s a writer, recipe developer and food stylist with a degree in culinary arts and professional experience in New York City...

read full bio

20 Leftover Salmon Recipes for Busy Weeknights (2024)

FAQs

How long will cooked salmon last in the fridge? ›

Under the same refrigeration conditions, cooked salmon will last 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Cooked salmon only lasts a couple of days more than its raw counterparts, as the temperature in the refrigerator only slows down bacterial growth and spoilage.

Can I eat salmon that's been in the fridge for a week? ›

Raw fish and shellfish should be kept in the refrigerator (40 °F/4.4 °C or less) only 1 or 2 days before cooking or freezing. After cooking, store seafood in the refrigerator 3 to 4 days. Any frozen fish or shellfish will be safe indefinitely; however, the flavor and texture will lessen after lengthy storage.

How do you eat salmon the next day? ›

Turn it into something completely new: You don't have to reheat your salmon at all. Add a little mayonnaise to make it salmon salad you can put on a sandwich. You can also add shredded cooked salmon to soup, on top of a salad, or even put it in an omelet. Or just eat it cold.

Can you eat five day old cooked salmon? ›

Cooked fish and other seafood can be safely stored in the refrigerator 3 to 4 days. Refrigeration slows but does not prevent bacterial growth. Therefore, it's important to use food within recommended time before it spoils or becomes dangerous.

How many days is leftover salmon good for? ›

Cooked salmon can be safely stored in the refrigerator for up to three to four days. Make sure to allow the cooked salmon to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container or wrap it tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Place it in the coldest part of the fridge to keep it as fresh as possible.

Can you eat 6 day old salmon? ›

We generally advise to use leftover salmon within three to four days of cooking. After that, you run the risk of eating spoiled seafood. To help you enjoy leftover salmon before it spoils, we've compiled a list of easy leftover salmon recipes you can make with cooked salmon.

What is the best way to reheat cooked salmon? ›

Instead, it's best to reheat it slowly, at a low temperature. Put the fish on a rimmed baking sheet and warm it a 275°F oven for about 15 minutes, until it reaches an internal temperature of 125°F to 130°F. Follow this tip: Go low and slow when reheating your leftover salmon fillet to ensure that it won't dry out.

Can I freeze cooked salmon after 3 days? ›

If you don't think you'll use your cooked salmon within the three to four days that it's safe to store in the fridge, you can safely pop it in the freezer for further storage, under one condition: it's not been left unrefrigerated after cooking for more than an hour.

How do you know when salmon goes bad? ›

If the salmon smells fishy, sour or ammonia-like, then it's gone bad. Appearance: Fresh salmon fillets should be bright pink or orange with no discoloration, darkening or drying around the edges. If you notice any dull or gray coloring, dark spots or filmy white residue, then it's a sign that the salmon has spoiled.

Can I eat salmon after 7 days? ›

The general consensus is that two or three days is the outer limit, before it starts to get a little funky. If you can't eat it by then, throw it into the freezer. Then, when you're ready to eat it, defrost it and cook it right away.

Is it better to freeze salmon raw or cooked? ›

Should it be cooked before freezing or frozen raw? You can freeze raw salmon. For the best texture, try to defrost and cook the salmon within 3 months of sticking it in the freezer. Stock your freezer with fresh salmon so you're never far from a fantastic seafood dinner.

Does cooked salmon reheat well? ›

The key is to reheat your cold leftover salmon at a low temperature. Slowly reheat it to keep it moist and flaky, which is precisely what you want it to be. Also, before reheating the salmon in the oven, remember to cover it with aluminium foil.

Can you eat leftover cooked salmon? ›

If you're eyeing a piece of cooked salmon that's been sitting in the fridge for a few days, you don't have to guess if it's still good. The USDA says that cooked fish is safe to eat for three to four days.

Is it better to reheat salmon or eat it cold? ›

Salmon has a particularly great texture after it has been cooked and cooled, and you can use it in a whole swath of great summer salads. And since it has a strong taste to begin with, eating it cold doesn't dull its flavor and it can stand up to crunchy vegetable counterparts and acid-tinged dressings.

Can you reheat salmon and eat it? ›

If the salmon was fresh enough to eat safely after cooking and refrigerated promptly afterwards then it is fine to reheat within the next couple of days or so. As long as it was properly cooked the first time and properly heated through after removing from the fridge then it'll be fine.

How do you eat leftover cold salmon? ›

Eating cold leftover salmon is a great way to save time and effort. You don't have to worry about reheating it or going through the whole cooking process again. I like to eat it as is, make salmon salad out of it, add it to a salad or even make a sandwich.

Does salmon taste good leftover? ›

I know this post is about reheating salmon, but to be completely honest, leftover salmon is even better when it's left cold. Since salmon already has a strong flavor, it remains flavorful chilled. It's also nice and firm — even when flaked.

Can you eat reheat salmon? ›

Make sure your reheated salmon doesn't hang around for too long. This is because if food is left too long after warming, bacteria can grow. Reheating salmon should only be done once. Consume soon after reheating.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Jeremiah Abshire

Last Updated:

Views: 6632

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (54 voted)

Reviews: 85% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Jeremiah Abshire

Birthday: 1993-09-14

Address: Apt. 425 92748 Jannie Centers, Port Nikitaville, VT 82110

Phone: +8096210939894

Job: Lead Healthcare Manager

Hobby: Watching movies, Watching movies, Knapping, LARPing, Coffee roasting, Lacemaking, Gaming

Introduction: My name is Jeremiah Abshire, I am a outstanding, kind, clever, hilarious, curious, hilarious, outstanding person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.