Simple Salmon Sliders From the Pantry

Here’s what to cook for dinner tonight that’s easy. You can always pull together simple meals from the pantry using a can of salmon and some brown rice. I am not accustomed to eating many things from a can, so when Michael requested patties made from canned salmon years ago, I thought it was odd. But I quickly learned that they’re delicious and budget friendly. Kids love them too. Make anything in the shape of a burger and people get excited.

Preparation

With your canned salmon, mix together an egg and your choice of breadcrumbs to help everything stick together when you form the patties. ( I used panko, lightweight Japanese crumbs here.) Beyond that, you can take the flavor into whichever direction you choose. Here I decided to add a touch of horseradish and a pinch of dill and garlic powder along with some diced onion.

I often add lemon juice, but as I wasn’t making a big enough batch of salmon sliders, I left that out because I thought the lemon would make it too watery. Play around with other ingredients. Green onions, fresh herbs, Worcestershire sauce are all great additions. Cooking without a recipe allows you so much freedom to create with what you have.

The salmon sliders only take a couple of minutes on each side to cook. I kept them small because they’re easier to flip over that way. After removing them from the skillet, I tossed some asparagus into the same skillet to cook quickly in the remaining oil. Simple meals require less cleanup.

A squeeze of lemon juice on top is all that’s needed, but you could serve with any number of sauces that you enjoy. I had a little cocktail sauce that I decided to use, but tartar sauce is also good.

Canned tomatoes and canned fish are a must for the pantry. You will always find rice and other dried grains and beans in mine too. They last indefinitely and are a great supplement to other fresh items. For another tasty pantry meal, please read Pantry Pasta Perfection next.