This BBQ Salmon Loaf is an easy, comforting family meal that comes together with simple ingredients and bakes in one pan. The BBQ topping caramelizes in the oven, adding just the right amount of sweetness to the savory salmon loaf. Serve it with your favorite sides for an easy weeknight dinner everyone will love.
Why I Love This
- Simple Mess: This is largely a one pan mess, other than a quick sauté in a skillet, and I love that you can just dump all the ingredients together and mash it up. It requires little thinking, little prep and is largely a hands off meal to make.
- Sweet & Spicy: The blackened seasoning in the loaf brings a flavor profile similar to blackened fish which is then topped with a sweet and spicy BBQ sauce. It's the perfect combination that is bold and inviting.
- Comfort Food: This is a healthy twist on comfort food. Serve it with rice, mashed potatoes or a simple salad and enjoy the warmth of a home cooked meal.
Try my Blackened Salmon Alfredo for another amazing, comforting meal or my Blackened Salmon Caesar Salad for a fresh and healthy meal.
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Ingredients
- Jarred/Canned Salmon - We jar our own sockeye salmon, but you can also buy cans at the store. Alternatively, you can also use cooked salmon fillets that have been skinned and de-boned. This is also a great place to use leftover salmon!
- Eggs - these are an important binding agent that helps the Salmon Loaf keep it's form.
- Onion, Bell Pepper, Garlic - I sauté these quickly before adding them to the mix to create a deeper flavor and softer texture.
- Blackened Seasoning - This brings a wonderfully deep flavor to the fish that isn't too spicy.
- Barbecue Sauce - The addition of this to the loaf mixture itself and as a topping makes this a tasty and refreshing loaf that is smoky, warm and inviting.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Step 1: Heat a skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion, bell pepper and garlic until the vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
Step 2: In a large bowl, combine all of the remaining ingredients, reserving 3 tablespoon of BBQ sauce for the topping. Add the sautéed vegetables to the bowl.
Step 3: Using your hands, gently mix everything together until fully combined and the salmon is broken into small pieces. If the sautéed vegetables are still hot, use a spoon or allow to cool before mixing so they don't burn your hands.
Step 4: Lightly oil a loaf pan.* Line the pan with a piece of parchment paper placed lengthwise, allowing it to cover the bottom and extend up the two long sides of the pan. This creates easy handles for lifting the salmon loaf out of the pan once it has cooled.
Step 5: Add half of the salmon mixture to the prepared loaf pan and press it down firmly and evenly. Add the remaining mixture and press firmly again, making sure there are no loose or hollow areas.
Step 6: Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. Remove the loaf from the oven and spread the reserved BBQ sauce evenly over the top. Return the loaf to the oven and bake for another 5-15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F at the center.
Step 7: Allow the salmon loaf to rest in the pan for 10 minutes. Use the parchment paper handles to carefully lift the loaf out of the pan and transfer it to a serving plate.
Step 8: Cut into thick slices and serve hot.
Hint: I have used a larger, traditional-sized loaf pan (9.5"x5"), as it allows the loaf to bake more evenly and gives you more surface are for the BBQ topping - which, let's be honest, is the best part! You can also use a smaller loaf pan to get a more square looking loaf if desired.
Substitutions
- Eggless - Try adding an additional ⅓ cup of egg-free mayonnaise, plus an additional 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs. Alternatively, you can use flax-eggs. Both of these will change the texture and flavor slightly but will still give a yummy and successful Salmon Loaf!
- Dairy-free - use any unsweetened, unflavored milk substitute and ensure that your mayonnaise is dairy-free.
- Gluten-Free - use gluten-free bread crumbs like Cooper's Crumbs.
Variations
- Spicy - use a spicy BBQ sauce, or add a ¼ teaspoon chili pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the salmon mixture.
- Less Spicy - this Salmon Loaf has a sweet and spicy profile to it, but you can easily make it more subtle by using a mild BBQ sauce and reducing the amount of heat in your Blackened Seasoning.
- Cheesy - Add a little shredded cheese to the salmon mixture (and use a little less mayo) and top with cheese and BBQ sauce when baking! Cheddar or Monterey Jack would be yummy!
- Toppings! - Serve with Spicy or Honey BBQ sauce, Chipotle Mayo or a Lemon-Dill Mayo and top with green onions!
Love this but want it in a burger style? Try my Smoked Salmon Patties and Salmon Burgers or my Salmon Bites for a great appetizer!
Storage
The first few days: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Freezing: I don't recommend freezing this as it will change the texture of the loaf and make it watery.
Reheating: Leftover salmon can be a little tricky to reheat, but a skillet is the best way to bring it back to life. Preferably using cast iron, heat a little oil in the skillet and brown the sliced salmon loaf on both sides until warmed through. Top with a little extra BBQ sauce for added moisture and flavor.
Top Tip
Don't skimp on the BBQ sauce! Spread a generous layer over the top during the final minutes of baking for a flavorful, caramelized glaze. Adding a touch of honey to the BBQ sauce can also really boost the flavor profile!
FAQ
Yes. Cooked fresh salmon can be used. Allow it to cool, remove any skin and bones, and flake it well before adding it to the mixture.
Yes. You can prepare the salmon mixture, press it into the loaf pan, cover it, and refrigerate it (up to 24 hours) until you're ready to bake. If prepared ahead, you may need to add a few extra minutes to the baking time.
Make sure the ingredients are thoroughly combined, keep the veggies chopped small, and press the mixture firmly into the loaf pan. Allow the loaf to rest for about 10 minutes after baking before removing and slicing. Using a larger pan, as I have, that makes a lower more rectangular loaf, also helps.
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Salmon Loaf
- Total Time: 50-70 minutes
- Yield: 1 Loaf 1x
Description
This BBQ Salmon Loaf is an easy, comforting family meal that comes together with simple ingredients and bakes in one pan. The BBQ topping caramelizes in the oven, adding just the right amount of sweetness to the savory salmon loaf. Serve it with your favorite sides for an easy weeknight dinner everyone will love.
Ingredients
1-2 tablespoons (.5-1 ounce) butter/oil for frying
¼ (25 grams) of an onion finely diced
½ cup (90 grams) bell pepper diced small
1 teaspoon (7 grams) garlic minced
15 ounces (430 grams) canned salmon
3 eggs
¾ cup (110 grams) seasoned bread crumbs
1 (50 grams) carrot grated
3 tablespoons (40 grams) mayonnaise
5 tablespoons (75 grams) barbecue sauce (divided) Sweet & Spicy
2 tablespoons (30 grams) milk
1 tablespoon (15 grams) lemon juice about ½ a lemon
2 teaspoons (6 grams) blackened seasoning
½ teaspoon (3 grams) salt
½ teaspoon (1 gram) pepper
Instructions
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion, bell pepper and garlic until the vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, combine all of the remaining ingredients, reserving 3 tablespoon of BBQ sauce for the topping. Add the sautéed vegetables to the bowl.
- Using your hands, gently mix everything together until fully combined and the salmon is broken into small pieces. If the sautéed vegetables are still hot, use a spoon or allow to cool before mixing so they don't burn your hands.
- Lightly oil a loaf pan.* Line the pan with a piece of parchment paper placed lengthwise, allowing it to cover the bottom and extend up the two long sides of the pan. This creates easy handles for lifting the salmon loaf out of the pan once it has cooled.
- Add half of the salmon mixture to the prepared loaf pan and press it down firmly and evenly. Add the remaining mixture and press firmly again, making sure there are no loose or hollow areas.
- Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. Remove the loaf from the oven and spread the reserved BBQ sauce evenly over the top. Return the loaf to the oven and bake for another 5-15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F at the center.
- Allow the salmon loaf to rest in the pan for 10 minutes. Use the parchment paper handles to carefully lift the loaf out of the pan* and transfer it to a serving plate.
- Cut into thick slices and serve hot.
*All nutritional information is an estimation only. Exact nutritional value depends on exact amounts and ingredients used.
Notes
You can use an 8x4" or a 9.5x5" loaf pan. I recommend the larger.
Use a butter knife to loosen the edges without parchment before lifting the loaf from the pan.
You can make this gluten free by using gluten free breadcrumbs.
Substitute the butter and milk for dairy free options if needed.
See notes in "Substitutions" for egg free ideas.
Be sure to chop the bell pepper and onion fairly small so that it doesn't affect the binding of the loaf.
- Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
- Rest Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Jenice Wallace says
This Salmon Loaf is so easy to bring together, creating a comforting meal with minimal effort and minimal dishes. Perfectly paired with rice or mashed potatoes, it's a soothing and filling meal that's achievable even on a weeknight.