Chef John's Salmon Loaf
This salmon loaf combines tender canned salmon with buttery sautéed onion, crisp saltine crumbs, and eggs, balanced by rice vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and a touch of cayenne. It makes an easy, savory main dish for a budget-friendly family dinner, especially when pantry staples are called into service.
- Prep15 mins
- Cook50 mins
- Serves4
- DifficultyMedium
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Chef John's Salmon Loaf, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 53 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 10 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityFair
- 53 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 22
- Heart Health
- 57
- Metabolic
- 13
- Digestive
- 20
- Inflammatory
- 48
- Performance
- 32
- General Wellness
- 1
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Generously butter a loaf pan.
- 2
Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat until bubbling. Add onion; cook and stir for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and let cool.
- 3
Place salmon in a large bowl and mash with a fork. Add cracker crumbs, vinegar, salt, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, and onion mixture; mix and mash with a spatula or spoon until smooth.
- 4
Separate the eggs, adding the yolks to the salmon mixture and the whites to a clean glass, metal, or ceramic bowl. Stir the egg yolks into the salmon mixture until well combined.
- 5
Whisk the egg whites to medium-stiff peaks; gently fold them into the salmon mixture in 2 additions.
- 6
Transfer the salmon mixture to the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula to even it out; shake and tap the pan to remove any air bubbles.
- 7
Bake in the center of the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes, then carefully invert the loaf onto a cutting board. Slice and serve.
- Calories 372.78 kcal Moderate 19%
- Protein 27.81 g Good Source 56%
- Carbohydrate 22.21 g 8%
- Total Fat 18.53 g High 24%
- Saturated Fat 8.51 g High 43%
- Trans Fat 0.02 g High --
- Cholesterol 244.0 mg High 81%
- Sodium 411.75 mg Moderate 18%
- Dietary Fiber 0.64 g Low Source 2%
- Total Sugars 0.27 g --
- Added Sugars 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Calcium 65.24 mg Low Source 5%
- Iron 2.79 mg Moderate 16%
- Potassium 519.28 mg Moderate 11%
- Vitamin A 42.63 mcg Low Source 5%
- Vitamin C 0.23 mg Low Source 0%
- Vitamin D 0.75 mcg Low Source 4%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Fish 🐟
- Eggs 🥚
- Milk 🥛
- Wheat 🌾
- Gluten
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
Chef John's Salmon Loaf is made with 12 ingredients and serves 4. It takes about 1 hr 5 mins and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Butter, Canned Salmon, Cayenne Pepper, and Diced Onion. Each serving provides about 372.78 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Chef John's Salmon Loaf made of?
- The main ingredients are Butter, Canned Salmon, Cayenne Pepper, Diced Onion, Eggs. The full list of 12 is above.
- How long does it take to make Chef John's Salmon Loaf?
- About 1 hr 5 mins in total: 15 mins to prepare and 50 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 372.78 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Chef John's Salmon Loaf easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 12 ingredients and 7 steps.
- Is Chef John's Salmon Loaf healthy?
- Chef John's Salmon Loaf has an easyChef Pro health score of 41/100. Per serving, it provides 372.78 calories and 27.81 g of protein, or 56% of the Daily Value. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 411.75 mg (18% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 8.51 g (43% of the Daily Value). It contains Fish, Eggs, Milk, Wheat, Gluten and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products
easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.
The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.
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