20 Leftover Salmon Recipes for Busy Weeknights (2024)

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

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.

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

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.

Foodie Crush

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.

Half Baked Harvest

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.

Hey Keto Mama

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

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

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

Cotter Crunch

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

Gimme Some Oven

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.

Life Made Sweeter

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

Ambitious Kitchen

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.

Spoon Fork Bacon

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

Feed Me Phoebe

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.)

Pinch of Yum

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?

The Defined Dish

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)?

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).

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Foodie Crush

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

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

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

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

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

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...