20 Salmon Recipes to Make for Lunch (and Breakfast & Dinner Too!)

If you want to dip your toe into the waters of cooking fish at home, but have been wary of doing so thus far, consider salmon to be your gateway fish. There are so many ways to prepare it, many of which don’t take that much effort. That’s the thing about salmon — it’s easy, but still produces mouth-watering results. Now that we know about the merits of salmon, it’s time to choose a recipe to start with.

This one-pan dinner is all about easy prep and easy cleanup. After the potatoes and asparagus are roasted on the sheet pan, the fillets of salmon are added and broiled until they’re just cooked through.

This riff on chicken Caesar wraps swaps the poultry with flaked canned salmon and the romaine with shredded kale. The result is an updated twist that’s easily as lovable.

If you want a hands-off salmon recipe that will be ready in less than an hour, look no further. That’s the great part about salmon — even in the slow-cooker it only takes about 45 minutes to cook. We love this recipe for the summer because it won’t heat up your whole kitchen in the process.

For anyone who loves eating lox for breakfast — preferably atop a bagel with a schmear of cream cheese, you know that it can be an expensive habit to indulge in. Unless, of course, you opt to make your own lox at home. It does take a couple of days, but it’s totally worth it.

If you have leftover salmon, this is one of the best ways to use it up without feeling like you’re eating the same meal all over again. Make sure not to skimp on the fridge time after you’ve formed the patties — that’s what helps them firm up and hold their shape.

This one-dish meal makes the perfect weekday lunch. It is served cold, so it’s the ideal thing to pull out of the fridge and enjoy. Plus, the soy and ginger in the dressing are the perfect complement to the smoky, salty salmon.

The next time you need to come up with a sophisticated party appetizer, reach for this recipe. The creamy dip is perfect when served on mini toasts, and is a great upgrade from the normal chip-and-dip fare you might be used to.

This hearty meal in a bowl is perfect for either lunch or dinner. It hits all the major food groups and tastes as good as it makes you feel. The salmon gets a nice, juicy seasoning from the dressed sesame spinach it shares the bowl with.

If you think smoked salmon only goes on bagel sandwiches, think again. This sophisticated egg sandwich might just be your new favorite. The soft scrambled eggs have a bit of tanginess, thanks to the crème fraîche. Make these for brunch if you really want to impress your family and friends.

The best part of this perfectly glazed teriyaki salmon is the fact that the glaze really only has four ingredients: soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and vegetable oil. Give it a try, and we bet it ends up as a staple in your dinner rotation.

The key to making this salmon and potato salad the best it can be is to opt for quality canned salmon. Luckily that’s increasingly easy to find at grocery and specialty stores across the country.

This is the back-to-basics version of a salmon dinner. It’s the easiest to prepare, and because it has minimal seasoning, it can go with whatever side dish you like.

Once you’ve mastered the plain baked salmon recipe, it’s time to upgrade and add some fresh herbs. The layer of herbs on top helps keep the salmon from overcooking and drying out.

To make these burgers easier to prepare, start with cold salmon and chop it by hand rather than running it through the food processor. You can cook them on the grill, if you prefer, but be sure to actually grill them on foil so they don’t fall apart at the beginning.

Egg boats will forever be one of our favorite brunch recipes. They look so impressive when you pull them out of the oven, and they really don’t take much more work than making scrambled eggs or a frittata. This smoked salmon version is perfect for those brunches when you really want to impress your guests.

If you’ve never had onigiri, the traditional Japanese rice ball, you’re in for a treat. These supremely portable patties of rice, salmon, and sesame seeds wrapped in nori make an incredibly healthy and satisfying lunch.

The panko bread crumbs in this dish help keep it perfectly crisp and light, and the combination of lemon and dill is a dinnertime classic. Of course, you can also add a bit of spice with curry powder or harissa if you feel so inclined.

Think of this appetizer recipe as a deconstructed potato salad. The key to getting the creamy dressing to stick is to toss the potatoes in it when they are still warm. Then you simply wrap them in a piece of salmon and slide on a cocktail pick.

The pecan crust on this salmon fillet looks a lot fancier than it actually is. The preparation is much the same as the other baked salmon varieties we’ve featured. And even with the greens and potatoes, you can still have this meal on the table in about 20 minutes.

This satisfying salad comes together in just about five minutes, thanks to the convenience of a piece of hot smoked salmon. Enjoy it on its own, scoop it up with tortilla chips, or pile it over rice.