While it’s costing a tad more than it used to, it’s still trumping tuna for price where I shop. I’m talking about canned salmon. It’s still within the realm of affordable, can be stocked up on and stored without a freezer, and believe it or not, is remarkably versatile.  Here’s a list of twenty-five menu ideas you can create with these little tins of thrift.

Slammin’ Salmon Party Spread.

I used to make this on platters to take to parties quite a bit when I lived on Guam and other places overseas. Once you get it topped with chopped parsley and toasted chopped nuts (pecans, almonds or walnuts), it looks rather elegant, if I do say so myself.  

Potato Salmon Scallop.

Dirt cheap to make, and a great casserole to serve with a side veggie or a salad. Home spun and “gets it done”.  Of course, being a Mainer, I’m quite partial to potato scallop.   

Sandwich Filling.  

I like to add a little chopped celery and horseradish for zip. Pop the sandwich open faced into the oven and top with Swiss cheese for an extra fun hot lunch melt.

Casserole.  

Many options are out there for a quick casserole on the fly. Mix and match with various veggies, binders and starch options. Personally, I’m a rice cheese sauce and broccoli fan when it comes to left over meats.  But that’s just me.

Salmon patties or loaf.

I admit to always falling back to the recipe on the can. Although I do substitute various items for the bread crumbs. Someone who was doing a carb-conscious diet once let me in on a tip her doctor had given her. Using ground almonds instead of breadcrumbs in the recipe. They provide the same service the bread crumbs do, but are carb-free.  Also, if you caught Linsey’s previous post on uses for instant potatoes, you’ll know they make an excellent addition to any type of meatloaf as well. I used them in a salmon loaf after reading her post, and the result was a much smoother slicing end result.

Go nuts.

Here’s a link with loads of different recipes for canned salmon.

Salmon soufflé.  

Pretty fancy schmancy, wouldn’t you say? Here’s a link to a recipe.

Salmon mousse.

An elegant, no-cook option for a summer luncheon or tea. Here are one and two different links for making salmon mouse.    

Asian inspired wrap sandwich.

They had me at the wasabi and sesame seeds. Here’s a link to the recipe. 

 Pasta and salmon salad.

I’m a huge lover of pasta salads for summer meals. Here’s a recipe using this affordable canned ingredient.

Salmon and dill croissants.

Looking to jazz up your bread items? Here’s a cool recipe link.

Salmon frittata.

Gotta love frittata. We got into it in Italy as something you could serve at basically any temperature. Always helpful when you have guests arriving at unpredictable times. Here’s how you make it.

Croquettes.

Another great fast food option for dinner.

Make a dinner pie.

When we are pinching pennies, the various options out there using homemade baking mix really save our grocery budget butts. Here’s a link to canned salmon variety.  

Chilled salmon and potato salad.

It’s always nice when potato salad can be taken to the next level, don’t you think?

Asparagus and red salmon triangles.

OK, this one requires the slightly more expensive red variety. Still affordable when compared with eating out or buying it fresh, though. Your call.

Salmon dip.

The avid dunker in me couldn’t resist including a dip recipe. Here’s the link.

Fritters.

Would never have thought of this myself.  Super glad somebody else did.

Flan.

Salmon in a flan? That’s what I said. Apparently, it works. Here’s a link if you want to try it out yourself.

Chowder and soups.

Personally, I think soup is highly underutilized as an affordable but tasty menu staple. Chowders are some of my favorite dinners. Here’s a link.   

 Stuffed potato jackets.

Potatoes! Another super cheap dinner idea. This stuffed spud jackets idea is another one of those slap my forehead ones. I can’t believe I never thought of it. Again though, I’m just thrilled that someone else did, and was generous enough to post about it.

Omelet or crepe.

Depending on your side dish selections, I think you could pull this off for breakfast or dinner.  Definitely some options here for elegance.

Creamed salmon.

Mix in some simple frozen vegetables with a white sauce and serve over a biscuit or English muffin. Not the fanciest, but gets the job done.

Salmon roll ups.

Another homemade baking mix recipe using canned salmon, relish and other affordable ingredients. Here’s the recipe.

Salmon stuffed peppers.

Who knew? I’ve only ever done stuffed peppers with ground lamb, hamburger or sausage. Shows what I know. This way sounds fun, lighter and affordable.

That’s all folks! There were more ideas out there to tell you the truth, but many of them were so similar I didn’t want a list of repeats. Any of these ideas has the capacity for modifying to suit your tastes or available ingredients. Do you have another canned salmon recipe you think is to absolutely to die for? I’d love it if you’d sound off below. Times are tight for everyone financially, and the grocery budget is one of the most flexible areas to pinch a family penny. Finding ways to do it that the whole family can enjoy is a constant challenge.