Salmon Pasta Salad
I love to make a batch of this easy Salmon Pasta Salad for quick Summer dinners or grab-and-go lunches. Made with pre cooked (or tinned) salmon and everyday ingredients, it’s simple to throw together and so easy to customise.
Pasta Salads are one of my most favourite meal types. I practically lived off them during my postpartum phase as they are so easy to batch prep and serve when needed (or eat straight from the fridge…). This salmon salad works well as a meal on its own or you can serve it up as a side dish.
| Keep reading for everything you need, plus a few swaps if you don’t have everything in or have fussy eaters at home. |
Salmon Pasta Salad – Quick Recipe Summary
🩷 Why You’ll Love This Salmon Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Full ingredients list with quantities is included in the recipe card below. These are some helpful notes about the main ingredients including some swaps and substitutes where applicable.
- Salmon – pre-cooked steamed or hot smoked salmon fillets are ideal for this pasta salad. I love these honey roast ones. To serve 4 you want the equivalent of 2 fillets, which I have found can range from 150 to 200 grams pack size in UK supermarkets. You can also use tinned salmon – one small 105 grams tin would be an equivalent to one cooked fillet. Alternatively use sliced smoked salmon, but you won’t need as much as it is much richer, so I would recommend reducing to about 100 grams to serve 4.
- Pasta – I like penne but most short pasta shapes work well so use what you prefer.
- Tomatoes, cucumber and spring onions – for the salad. Each can be easily omitted or swapped – see the swaps and subs section below for alternatives.
- Fresh herbs – I love chives and dill, but parsley and basil would also work well.
Salad Dressing
- Mayonnaise – adds creaminess to the dressing. You could use creme fraiche, sour cream or Greek yoghurt for a slightlier tangier dressing or olive oil for a rich but not creamy dressing.
- Lemon juice – freshly squeezed is best. White wine or apple cider vinegar can work instead.
- Dijon mustard – just a little for added flavour and to help emulsify the dressing.
- Garlic powder, salt and pepper
Swaps and Subs
Like all of my recipes, this pasta salad is easy to adapt to what you have to hand. I’ve included a few ideas below but feel free to make it your own, and leave a comment if you tried something different.
- Instead of salmon, try tinned mackerel or tuna or hot smoked trout.
- Swap the tomato or cucumber for another salad vegetable – diced bell pepper, courgette, radish and celery all work well. Whatever you love adding to your salad usually.
- No spring onions? Try some thinly sliced shallot or red onion.
- Add extra white beans, chickpeas or cooked edamame beans for extra plant protein and fibre. Or swap half the fish for beans.
- Add salad leaves or cress to get some greens in.
- Throw in some capers or sliced olives for extra briny flavour.
How to Make Salmon Pasta Salad
- Cook the pasta until al dente, drain and rinse well with cold water to stop cooking.
- Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables and herbs and add to a large bowl. Add the cooked and drained pasta.
- Make the dressing by combining all ingredients in a small bowl or jug and mixing to combine. Season to taste.
- Flake the fish with a fork and add to the bowl. Mix well.
- Pour in the dressing and toss to combine.
- Serve and enjoy!
Carrie’s Note
Inspired by one of my favourite M&S pasta salads, this recipe has been on repeat in our house during a busy summer. Sometimes I swap the salmon for tinned tuna or mackerel and I love to add chickpeas or white beans for a more filling dinner option.
Everything We Ate
If you want to see some realistic dinner inspiration then I share a full recap of our family meals (what worked, what didn’t, and how I stretched the leftovers) every week for free over on Substack.
Tips For Success
- Pasta Salad usually tastes best once it has been allowed to sit for a while as all the flavours can meld together and the pasta soaks up the flavour from the dressing. If you can, try and prepare at least 30 minutes in advance.
- Best eaten at room temperature so take it out the fridge 5-10 minutes before serving if you can.
Serving Suggestions
Salmon Pasta Salad works well as a meal by itself, or you can serve it as a side dish or part of a picnic lunch. Some crusty bread on the side helps it go further, or try tossing in a bag of mixed salad leaves.
I like to garnish my salad to serve with extra fresh herbs and a drizzle of really good olive oil.
Leftovers
| Fridge: | Up to 3 days in an airtight container. |
| Freezer: | Not recommended. |
| Serve: | Ideally at room temperature, so bring out the fridge 20-30 minutes before eating. |
| Leftovers tip: | Reserve a little extra dressing to toss through leftovers before serving, alternatively refresh with a little olive oil and a splash of lemon juice or vinegar. |
More Pasta Salad Recipes:
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The Recipe
Salmon Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 160 grams (6.35 oz) cooked salmon hot smoked or tinned
- 250 grams (0.55 lb) pasta
- 200 grams (1.34 cups) cherry tomatoes quartered
- 1 English cucumber diced
- 1 bunch spring onions or scallions thinly sliced
- 4 tbsp (0.25 cup) fresh chives and/or dill chopped
Lemon Dijon Dressing
- 3 tbsp (3 tbsp) mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp garlic powder minced
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp salt
- pinch black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta until just al dente. Drain and rinse well with cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables and herbs and add to a large bowl. Add the cooked and drained pasta.
- Flake the fish with a fork and add to the bowl. Mix well.
- Make the dressing by combining all ingredients in a small bowl or jug and mixing to combine. Season to taste.
- Pour in the dressing and toss to combine.
- Serve immediately or store in the fridge for up to 3 days. I like to garnish with extra fresh herbs and a drizzle of really good olive oil.
Notes
