Salmon Loaf
intro
Tender, flaky baked salmon loaf with a tangy Dijon glaze, a nostalgic, protein-packed North American comfort food perfect for cozy shared family meals.
Ingredients
Steps
Sauté base vegetables
Melt 28 grams (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add 50 grams finely diced yellow onion and 25 grams finely diced celery, cooking for 5 minutes until soft and translucent with no browned edges. Remove the skillet from heat and let the vegetable mixture cool for 5 minutes before using.
Mix salmon loaf base
Cut 450 grams skinless boneless salmon into 2cm chunks, add to a food processor, and pulse 4 to 5 times until coarsely ground (do not overprocess into a smooth paste). Transfer ground salmon to a large mixing bowl, add the cooled onion-celery mixture, 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs, 2 beaten large eggs, 120ml whole milk, 1 tablespoon of the chopped dill, 15ml lemon juice, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. Fold gently with a spatula until evenly combined, taking care not to overmix.
Assemble loaf in pan
Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Line a 22cm x 12cm (9x5 inch) metal loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving 5cm overhang on the two long sides to easily lift the finished loaf. Transfer the salmon mixture into the prepared pan, pressing gently into an even, firm layer with a flat spatula to eliminate air gaps, and smooth the top surface.
Add tangy top glaze
In a small bowl, stir 30ml mayonnaise and 15ml Dijon mustard together until completely smooth with no lumps. Spread the glaze evenly across the entire top surface of the salmon loaf, covering edge to edge in a thin, consistent layer.
Bake loaf until set
Place the loaf pan on the middle rack of the preheated 190°C (375°F) oven. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 63°C (145°F) when measured with an instant-read thermometer, the glaze is lightly golden, and small bubbles form around the loaf edges. Remove from the oven and let the loaf rest in the pan for 10 minutes before lifting out via the parchment overhang.
Slice and serve warm
Lift the rested salmon loaf from the pan using the parchment overhang, transfer to a wooden cutting board, and slice into 2.5cm (1 inch) thick even slices. Garnish with the remaining 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh dill, and serve warm.
Tips
2.Let the baked loaf rest for 10 full minutes before slicing: this allows juices to redistribute and the loaf to set, so slices hold their shape instead of crumbling apart.
3.For a nostalgic, budget-friendly twist, replace up to 150 grams of fresh salmon with well-drained, skinless canned pink salmon, pressed to remove all excess liquid before mixing.
OMG this salmon loaf was a total game changer for our weeknight family dinner! My two picky toddlers ate two servings each and asked for seconds. SO moist, not dry at all like the crumbly dry salmon loaf I grew up eating. Threw this together in 10 minutes before popping it in the oven, total lifesaver on busy soccer practice nights.
Made this for a post-dayhike meal with my trail crew last weekend and everyone raved! I subbed a little dill for the parsley because that’s what I had on hand, and it still turned out perfect. Held together really well, great texture, no fishy aftertaste at all.
Brought this to my office potluck yesterday and it was gone in 15 minutes! Multiple coworkers asked for the recipe, even the people who say they hate salmon. Served it with a little dill yogurt sauce on the side and it was chef’s kiss.
Pretty solid salmon loaf recipe. I added a handful of crushed butter crackers on top for a little crunch and baked it 5 minutes extra, turned out great. Reminds me of the salmon patties my wife used to make back in the 70s, just in loaf form.
Perfect for Sunday meal prep! I sliced this up into individual portions, paired each with roasted broccoli and quinoa, and had grab-and-go lunches for the whole work week. Stayed moist even after reheating in the microwave, which is a total win.
As someone who can barely boil water without messing it up, I was shocked how easy this was to make! Followed the directions exactly and it came out perfect. My roommate thought I ordered takeout, lmao. Will definitely make again.
Wait, salmon loaf? I was skeptical at first because I usually only make beef meatloaf, but my wife begged me to try this. Y’all, this is SO good. Smoky, moist, not fishy at all. I brushed a little bbq glaze on top the last 10 minutes of cook time and it slapped.
Quick question—can I use canned pink salmon for this instead of fresh? It’s what I already have in my pantry and I don’t have time to run to the grocery store tonight.
My grandma used to make salmon loaf every Sunday for family dinner and I’ve been chasing that taste for years. This recipe is dead on! So nostalgic, perfectly moist, exactly the right balance of seasoning. I teared up a little taking the first bite.
Has anyone tried making this with gluten free breadcrumbs? I have celiac and need to swap the regular breadcrumbs, just want to make sure it doesn’t mess up the texture!
Made this in my tiny dorm oven last night and it turned out so much better than I expected! Used canned salmon from the campus market, crushed up some saltine crackers instead of breadcrumbs because that’s what I had, ate half the loaf in one sitting oops.
Was worried this would be too heavy for 100+ degree summer days here but it was perfect! We had it cold the next day sliced on sandwiches with a little tartar sauce and it was even better than fresh out of the oven tbh.
Pro tip: Don’t do what I did and forget to grease your loaf pan. Half the loaf stuck to the bottom and I had to serve it as “salmon scramble” but even messed up it was still SO tasty. Will definitely be making it again, just won’t skip the pan spray this time lmao.
I added a little chopped bell pepper and onion to the mix per my husband’s request, and it was such a nice addition! Gave it a little extra crunch and pop of flavor without taking away from that classic salmon loaf taste.
This is such a great high-protein weeknight meal! I calculated the macros per slice and it’s perfect for my clients who are trying to eat more seafood without spending a ton of money. My whole family loved it too, which is a rare win for “healthy” recipes in my house.
I always thought canned salmon recipes tasted super fishy and metallic, so I went into this fully expecting to hate it. Y’all. I was so wrong. The lemon and parsley cut any weird canned taste completely, it was so fresh and moist. My mind is blown.
I’m making this for our extended family Easter dinner next weekend, we usually have ham but my sister is pescatarian so I wanted an option she’d enjoy. Would this double well in a 9x13 pan instead of a loaf pan?
Has anyone tried making this in an air fryer instead of the oven? I hate heating up my whole oven in the summer and my air fryer is my go-to for everything lately.
Made this last night and told my husband it was “special seasoned meatloaf” because he swears he doesn’t like any fish besides fried fish sticks. He ate two huge slices, raved about how “juicy the meatloaf” was, and asked me to make it again next week. I haven’t told him it’s salmon yet lmao.
Has anyone frozen this after baking? I love making double batches of meals to pull out on extra busy weeks, just want to make sure it freezes well without getting mushy when you thaw it.