This simple but filling and flavour packed Salmon Pasta Salad is ready in just 20 minutes. Delicious as either a main or a BBQ or picnic side, it's easy to adapt, has lots of crunch and a zesty dressing that makes it perfect for summer. It's also a great lunch to pack up for work or in a school lunch box.
Pasta salads are a must during the summer. You can throw all your favourite salad ingredients into a bowl with some freshly cooked pasta and flaked grilled salmon and bring it all together with a sweet and zesty dressing. This is a great dish to feed a crowd, which is why we always make a big batch for a BBQ.
We make it a different way every time, because it's the perfect dish for raiding your fridge for and using up all those salad ingredients that are getting past their best. We try to make sure there is always some greens (spinach, asparagus and romaine this time), a good amount of tomatoes (including sun dried tomatoes) and lots of herbs.
If you are looking for some other salmon recipes to try, then why not try our Salmon Pate, Honey and Garlic Side of Salmon, Smoked Salmon Canapes or Salmon Fishcakes.
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Why You Will Love It
- Low in calories - There are just 211 calories per portion and it is filling and protein packed too.
- An easy way to get kids to eat more fish - If your kids aren't a fan or fish unless it's finger shaped, then try a salmon pasta salad. You can adapt the ingredients to what you know they will enjoy.
- Great for batch cooking - This stores really well, so make a big batch and keep it in the fridge for easy meals.
- A delicious meal prep recipe for easy work lunches - Bored of sandwiches for lunch? Take this to work instead!
- Perfect for BBQs - Serve something a little different as a side dish at a BBQ. This will go down well!
Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Salmon - We love Scottish salmon, however you can use any boneless salmon fillets. We have spoken below about using canned and smoked salmon too.
- Pasta - This is the bulk of the dish. You can use any pasta you like, or even a mixture of a few if you have lots of little bits in your cupboard.
- Asparagus - We love asparagus for a Spring or Summer dish. To get the perfect asparagus, look for spears that are firm and a nice bright green colour. The tips should be dry and held tightly to the stalk. Thinner asparagus spears are younger and therefore more tender.
- Oil - Try to use the best quality olive oil you can get, as you really will be able to taste the difference.
- Balsamic vinegar - The same as above, choose the best quality. Cheap balsamic vinegar is really thin and doesn't have much flavour.
- Mustard - We used Dijon for a kick of flavour in the dressing. You could swap it for wholegrain mustard if you prefer.
- Spinach - An easy way to give a green vegetable boost to the pasta salad.
- Romaine - Whilst you wouldn't usually find lettuce in a pasta salad, we find that it adds some nice texture with the crunch. Rocket (arugula) also works well.
- Tomatoes - An easy way to add a pop of colour. We used diced a larger tomato, but you could use halved cherry tomatoes if you prefer.
- Sun-dried tomatoes - These add a real burst of tomato flavour.
- Herbs - We used fresh basil, but fresh dill or some parsley would also be good.
- Lemon - We use a Microplane grater to zest lemons.
Variations
This is a great fridge raid meal, so feel free to adapt it to use whatever you have in your fridge. We used spinach and romaine to give it a green boost and then it had some asparagus and tomatoes in it.
You could also add some grilled veggies like courgette, bell pepper, mushrooms and onions or keep it more fresh salad like with some chopped cucumber, celery and raw peppers.
If you wanted to add some cheese to it, then some crumbled feta or shaved Parmesan cheese goes really well. But it isn't missing cheese, so don't feel like you have to add it.
We went the salad dressing route with this, but if you wanted a more traditional (like a store bought) pasta salad, then a use creamy Greek yogurt or mayonnaise based dressing.
How to Make Salmon Pasta Salad - Step by Step
Prep: Preheat your oven to 180°C/160°C (fan)/350°F/Gas 4.
- Step 1: Place the salmon under the grill and cook for 10-12 minutes.
- Step 2: Boil the pasta for 10-12 minutes, or until cooked to your liking. Alternatively, follow the instructions for our Microwave Pasta.
- Step 3: Three minutes before the pasta is ready, add the asparagus to the pan.
- Step 4: Once the pasta is cooked, drain and put into a large bowl with the rest of the ingredients.
- Step 5: Mix well and serve.
Canned Salmon or Fresh Salmon?
We grilled some fresh salmon fillets and flaked into bite-sized pieces as they get nice and crispy which adds some extra texture to the dish. However, you could easily use a can of salmon in this, or even tuna, mackerel or pilchards.
No need to buy extra ingredients if you already have something else that can be used. We have also made this with leftover smoked salmon which was really good.
What to Serve with Salmon Pasta Salad
We think this is the perfect side dish at a BBQ, so you can serve it with all the usual burgers, sausages and grilled meats. Here are some of our favourite BBQ recipes to try:
- Grilled Corn with Herb Butter
- Greek Chicken Skewers
- Honey and Lime Chicken
- Peri Peri Chicken
- Vegetable and Halloumi Kebabs
- Hidden Vegetable Beef Burgers
- Cajun Chicken Burgers
Storage
Store: You can keep leftovers in an air tight container in the fridge and it will keep for up to 2 days. You will need to add a little more lemon juice to it and mix it up to freshen it up a bit.
Freeze: We wouldn't recommend freezing a pasta salad.
Extra Tips
- Although we used fresh grilled salmon, you could use canned salmon instead. Or even tuna, mackerel or pilchards.
- Cook some peas at the same time as the pasta to give this dish a vegetable boost.
- Not a fan of salmon? You could grill some chicken and chop it up or use some leftover shredded chicken.
- If you want a more traditional pasta salad dressing, swap our salad dressing for mayo, yogurt or creme fraiche to make it creamy.
- This is a great fridge raid meal, so feel free to adapt the ingredients to use whatever you have in your fridge when it comes to vegetables.
- You can make this in advance and it will keep in the fridge for about 2 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
I am guessing you haven't found your way to this recipe if you don't like salmon. But, if you fancy a change, then the fish can be swapped for chicken. Either grill a chicken breast and cut in the chunks, or you can mix in some leftover shredded chicken.
If you are making this for a BBQ or picnic, or even to take to work for lunch, then this can definitely be made in advance. It is best eaten after a few hours being kept in the fridge, but it would keep for 2 days.
If you use gluten free pasta and make sure that there is no cross contamination, then this can be gluten free.
We have used a spiral pasta because the dressing clings to it really well and it's easy for toddlers to pick up as well, so we always have some in the cupboard. You could use any pasta that you have though, and we often use Fusilli, penne or conchiglie instead.
Feel free to adapt this recipe to use what you already have, rather than buying new ingredients. It works with orzo too if you want something smaller.
More Pasta Recipe
If you’ve tried this Salmon Pasta Salad recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
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Recipe
Salmon Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 240 g (8.5 oz) Salmon fillet
- 150 g (5 oz) Whole wheat pasta
- 100 g (3.5 oz) Asparagus spears - chopped
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) Olive oil
- 2 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) Dijon mustard
- 50 g (1.66 cups) Spinach - chopped
- 40 g (1.5 oz) Romaine lettuce - chopped
- 2 (2) Tomatoes - diced
- 50 g (0.5 cups) Sun-dried tomatoes - chopped
- 2 tablespoon (2 tablespoon) Fresh basil - chopped
- 1 Lemon - juice and zest only
Instructions
- Place 240 g Salmon fillet under the grill and cook for 10-12 minutes.
- Boil 150 g Whole wheat pasta for 10-12 minutes, or until cooked to your liking.
- Three minutes before the pasta is ready, add 100 g Asparagus spears to the pan.
- Once the pasta is cooked, put in a bowl with 1 tablespoon Olive oil, 2 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, .50 g Spinach, 40 g Romaine lettuce, 2 Tomatoes, 50 g Sun-dried tomatoes, 2 tablespoon Fresh basil and juice of 1 Lemon.
- Mix well and serve.
Recipe Tips
- Although we used fresh grilled salmon, you could use canned salmon instead. Or even tuna, mackerel or pilchards.
- Not a fan of salmon? You could grill some chicken and chop it up or use some leftover shredded chicken.
- If you want a more traditional pasta salad dressing, swap our salad dressing for mayo, yogurt or creme fraiche to make it creamy.
- This is a great fridge raid meal, so feel free to adapt the ingredients to use whatever you have in your fridge when it comes to vegetables.
- You can make this in advance and it will keep in the fridge for about 2 days.
Nutritional Information
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Lindsay says
Am I blind? I can't see the recipe for the dressing :(
Dannii says
It is all in the recipe card towards the bottom of the post. The olive oil, balsamic and dijon is the dressing.
Shari says
I assume you flake the salmon and add to the pasta. I didn't see it in the directions. I making this for a 4th of July side dish.
Dannii Martin says
Yes, just flake it or chop it up and mix it in.
mary anderson says
This looks so good – I’m going to have to try it now :) YUM!
Krissy Allori says
This was a huge hit with my salmon loving husband. He said to save this recipe to make again for sure and I agree!
Adrianne says
This is such a great, healthy looking pasta salad! I love it. The combination of flavours and ingredients sound spot on and delicious.
Pam Greer says
This is our favorite salmon salad! We love how easy it is to just use whatever we find in the fridge! It comes out great every time!
Irina says
I love this Salmon Past Salad! I would serve it as a single meal. Although, it is the best option to serve during the BBQ party! Thanks for sharing.
Denay DeGuzman says
This beautiful salmon pasta salad looks refreshing and delicious! It's perfect for a family gathering my husband and I are attending tomorrow afternoon.