Agile in the kitchen

Lemon salmon pasta salad

A blue patterned bowl with lemon salmon pasta salad, underneath the bowl a pink, textured cloth and a fork
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Lemon salmon pasta salad is another version of my basic pasta salad, using my favourite versatile fish to cook and eat, salmon, and sun-ripe lemons.

Using canned salmon and leftover pasta can make this lemon salmon pasta salad into a quick no-cook dinner, or easy lunch to pack in your picnic basket.

A blue patterened bowl with flaked salmon, a small bowl with olive oil and two lemons.
Lemon salmon ingredients

I really like lemon and I like my salad to have a really lemony taste, however add the lemon juice a little at the time to your salmon, and taste it as you go along. Make sure to check the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and quantities.

Canned salmon

It is a shelf stable food that is perfect for no waste cooking. The cans I use comes with bones and skin, so it is a bit of extra work before I can add it into my salad. However the price is cheaper, so it is worth it for me, but if you are in a hurry or you plan to make a big batch if the salad, then buy the bone and skin free salmon cans, ready to dump into the rest of the ingredients.

In a silver colander, cooked fusili pasta
Cooked pasta

No waste cooking

Whenever I make a pasta salad, I either use leftover pasta from the freezer or I plan my dinner the night before to make extra portions of pasta. Then when I put the salad together, I do not need to wait for the pasta to cool. If you do not have any pasta ready, cook it according to instructions on the package, depending on which pasta shape you choose. Once it has cooked to al dente, rinse it under cold water, this will cool it down quicker and by the time you have prepared the vegetables and the lemony salmon mix, you are ready to mix it all.

For any left over lemon juice, put in ice tray containers and freeze to always have lemon juice ready.

On a silver back ground with a white table cloth with a green leaf pattern in the upper half, three bowls of ingredients to make a basic pasta salad, cucumber cut in quarters, baby plum tomatoes cut in half and canned corn
Basic ingredients for a pasta salad

Substitutes

If you do not like the texture of canned salmon, try this same recipe with hot smoked salmon. Take the hot smoked salmon out of the package and flake it into smaller pieces using a fork. Then follow the rest of the recipe.
If the vegetables that I have used does not suit your tastes, add any vegetables to your taste.

Freezer Friendly

Once the salad has been put together, I do not recommend freezing it. However I freeze cooked pasta all the time. Whenever I have leftovers that I know will not be eaten in the next few days, it will go into an airtight container and into the freezer.
Sometimes when I make this and other pasta salads, I use a variety of pasta shapes, which ever I have in the freezer. Take it out about two hours before you need it and leave it on the counter to thaw, or overnight in the fridge. And it is perfect to put into your pasta salad.

A blue patterned bowl with lemon salmon pasta salad, underneath the bowl a pink, textured cloth and a fork
Lemon salmon pasta bowl

Variations

I have several other variations of pasta salads in my repertoire, perfect for the summer months when I do not really feel like cooking. Try my basic pasta salad or my Creamy salmon pasta salad for a different version to use salmon. Or my Mediterranean version with sun dried tomatoes and feta cheese.

A blue patterned bowl with lemon salmon pasta salad, underneath the bowl a pink, textured cloth and a fork
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Lemony salmon pasta salad

Salmon is my favourite fish to cook and eat. There are so many variations you can make with this one spices of fish. This pasta salad is another version of my basic pasta salad
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Basics
Keyword: lemon, pasta, salmon
Servings: 6 portions

Ingredients

Pasta salad base

  • 350 g uncooked pasta
  • 1 cucumber
  • 1 shallot or two small
  • 200 g canned corn
  • 250 g tomatoes plum or cherry
  • 200 g fresh spinach

Lemony salmon ingredients

  • 400 g canned salmon
  • 1 lemon zest
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • A pinch of salt
  • ½ boiled egg per person

Instructions

Preparing basic pasta salad

  • Cook the pasta according to instructions on package.
  • Drain the pasta in a colander. Then rinse in cold water which will help speed up the process of mixing the salad. This step can be done the day before to keep in an airtight container in the fridge overnight.
  • Slice and quarter the cucumber.
  • Peel and dice the shallots.
  • Open and drain the canned corn.
  • Rinse and drain the spinach.
  • Cut tomatoes in half.
  • Mix all vegetables with the pasta and set aside.

Preparing Lemony Salmon

  • De-bone and skin the salmon, if necessary. The salmon I use comes with bones and skin on so it is a bit of a extra work.
  • In a small bowl mix the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil and salt.
  • Pour it over the salmon and mix with a fork.
  • Mixing the lemony salmon with the rest of the pasta salad.

One response to “Lemon salmon pasta salad”

  1. Creamy salmon pasta salad – Agile in the kitchen

    […] I have several other variations of pasta salads in my repertoire, perfect for the summer months when I do not really feel like cooking. Try my basic pasta salad or my Mediterranean version with sun dried tomatoes and feta cheese. Or why not try another salmon version, using canned salmon in my lemony salmon pasta salad. […]