This amazing Salmon Grilled Cheese takes the classic sandwich and adds a delicious seafood twist! Perfectly crispy, crunchy bread pairs with melty cheese for a satisfying bite.
Pantry proteins and sweet apple elevate this sandwich into something truly special. Best of all, this easy grilled cheese is simple to make, so it's great for lunch or dinner for a busy family on the go!
Jump to:
- 🩵 About This Recipe
- What readers are saying...
- 🧂 Gather Your Ingredients
- 🔪 Let's Make Salmon Grilled Cheese!
- 💡 Expert Tips and Tricks
- ❔ FAQs
- 📝 Substitutions and Variations
- 🥡 Storage and Reheating
- ⏳ Make Ahead Instructions
- 🍴 What To Serve With This Dish
- 😋 More Grilled Cheese Recipes You'll Love
- 📋 Recipe Card
- 💬 Reviews and Comments
🩵 About This Recipe
Now don't let the word gourmet throw you; this is really a pantry/refrigerator staple in our home. I love to grill sandwiches. Easy prep + delicious meal + easy clean-up = a streamlined, more relaxing evening for everyone!
For a long time, plain ol' grilled cheese was part of the weekly meal rotation. Then a few years ago, I started to get a little more creative with them. I would throw in a slice or two of turkey breast, or tomato, or even turkey pepperoni. Yeah, that's right…some really crazy stuff going on there…haha! 😉
Anyway, at some point I stumbled across a recipe on the Busy Cooks section of About.com and I was intrigued by the use of salmon, cheese, and apple as a flavor combination in a grilled sandwich.
I tried it out on the family a few times, tweaking it here and there to customize to the tastes of the kids (you guessed it… Thing 2 was the biggest critic!), and ended up with this quick and easy, crispy sandwich that is both sweet and savory at the same time - delicious!
Although the kids are fans of this meal, this is a grown-up grilled cheese sandwich. The flavors are complex and it checks off all the boxes for a tasty, gourmet grilled cheese recipe!
What readers are saying...
Yumm! I could have this for lunch everyday!
- Cookilicious
🧂 Gather Your Ingredients
- whole wheat bread is what I prefer, but use what you prefer and have on hand.
- salmon - no salmon? Consider canned chicken or tuna.
- Swiss cheese - yum, this cheese gets so melty!
- light mayonnaise is our preference, but you can also use regular.
- apple - adds great crunch and freshness to the sandwich.
- pepper, dried dill - for flavor.
- butter or mayonnaise to crisp the bread.
🔪 Let's Make Salmon Grilled Cheese!
(Or click here to jump right to the recipe card with measurements!)
Make Salmon Filling
Preheat oven. Drain the salmon and combine it with the cheese, mayonnaise, apple, and pepper in a bowl.
Make Butter
Mix the butter and dill weed.
Prepare Sandwichees
Butter the outsides of the bread from crust to crust with the butter dill weed spread. Place bottom slices on baking sheet and distribute the salmon cheese mixture.
Finish and Bake
Add the top slices. Bake sandwiches for 8 minutes on one side, then flip and bake until crispy on side two.
💡 Expert Tips and Tricks
- Make the salmon spread the night before to reduce the time needed for preparation. This recipe makes plenty for a family of 4-6, so you could even take some into work as a cold sandwich!
- Line the baking sheet with non-stick aluminum foil to make clean-up easier!
- I have one kid who is often put off by mixed textures. Sometimes I take pity on him and leave the apple out of his portion. He likes it much better without! I serve apple wedges on the side for him.
❔ FAQs
With this combination of flavors, my first choice is Swiss; however I know the timing and supplies are tight at the grocery store right now. Other good options would be provolone or Monterey Jack cheese.
Surprisingly, I haven't seen a taste difference when using either. So again, if you're low on butter, mayonnaise is a great substitution. The secret to achieving the great crispy sandwich is to ensure the entire surface of both sides of bread are spread evenly. Think crust to crust!
- Butter both sides of the bread with softened butter - from crust to crust.
- Grated/shredded cheese melts even better than sliced cheese.
- Preheat the oven. Add the sandwich, flip, and bake until crispy!
The result is a melty, perfectly crispy sandwich!
According to this Good Housekeeping article on canned fish, you should make sure your canned salmon is wild-caught and specifies that it is Alaskan (it can be either pink salmon, sockeye, or red salmon). That way you know it's not Atlantic salmon, which is farmed and can contain antibiotics and toxins.
📝 Substitutions and Variations
- Change up the cheese. Try cheddar or monterey jack or provolone, or get really creative and use cream cheese with veggies or herbs!
- You can use different types of apples if you don't have Gala on hand - even Granny Smith!
- This salmon grilled cheese recipe works with tuna or even canned or cooked chicken. Or get ambitious and smoke your own salmon! Check out this article on How to Make Smoked Salmon to find out how.
- Sourdough bread is also really tasty with this grilled cheese.
- Short on time? Skip the dill butter and just use regular butter, like you would for any other grilled cheese sandwich.
Kristin's Kitchen Tip
Use some nonstick aluminum foil or parchment paper to line the baking sheet and reduce mess and cleanup!
🥡 Storage and Reheating
If you have leftover salmon grilled cheese, allow the sandwiches to cool and then wrap tightly in plastic or store in an airtight container in the fridge. I don't recommend freezing the sandwiches.
To reheat, pop them back in the oven or air fryer to maintain the crisp exterior. The microwave will make them soggy.
⏳ Make Ahead Instructions
The salmon spread and dill butter can both be made the night before and stored in the fridge until you need to assemble your sandwiches.
Keep It Handy
Don't have time for this salmon grilled cheese recipe right now? Click on or tap the heart icon on the BOTTOM RIGHT of the screen to save it for later!
🍴 What To Serve With This Dish
Serve your canned salmon sandwich with a side of tomato soup and a salad, or add some fresh sliced fruit for a refreshing and sweet pairing. You could also pair with chips and a pickle for a casual dinner or hearty lunch.
Feel free to use the salmon filling as a spread for cold sandwiches as well - you don't have to bake them for the filling to be delicious!
😋 More Grilled Cheese Recipes You'll Love
- Chicken Grilled Cheese - Upgrade your chicken grilled cheese sandwich with Parmesan crusted bread stuffed with cheese and green olives!
- Shrimp Grilled Cheese - Cheesy shrimp with a kick, stuffed between two pieces of multi-grain bread and grilled to gooey goodness.
- Turkey and Brie Grilled Cheese - Creamy brie, roasted turkey breast, and a cranberry spread stuffed between two pieces of sourdough bread and grilled until crispy.
- Classic Grilled Cheese - This recipe from Cookie and Kate is a fantastic way to prepare the classic version of this melty, cheesy sandwich!
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Easy Canned Salmon Sandwich
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📋 Recipe Card
Salmon Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 12-14 ounces canned salmon (drained)
- 1 ½ cups shredded Swiss cheese
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 apple, diced small (no need to peel first)
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 10-12 slices whole wheat or multi-grain bread
- 8 tablespoons butter, softened
- 2 teaspoons dried dill weed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Combine the salmon, cheese, mayonnaise, apple, and pepper in a bowl, mix well.12-14 ounces canned salmon, 1 ½ cups shredded Swiss cheese, ½ cup mayonnaise, 1 apple, diced small, ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Combine the butter and dill weed.8 tablespoons butter, softened, 2 teaspoons dried dill weed, 10-12 slices whole wheat or multi-grain bread
- Butter one side of each slice of bread with the dill weed mixture. Place bottom slices buttered side down on the baking sheet. Distribute the salmon mix over the bottom slices and spread it out to cover the whole slice.
- Place the remaining bread slices buttered side up on top of the salmon mixture.
- Bake the sandwiches for 8 minutes on one side, then flip and bake for another 6-8 minutes until brown and crispy.
Notes
Prep Tips:
- Make the salmon spread and dill butter the night before to save time during meal prep.
- Dice the apple into very small pieces so it blends nicely into the filling and distributes evenly.
- If the filling seems a little dry, add an extra spoonful of mayonnaise for a creamier texture.
- Line the baking sheet with parchment paper for easier cleanup.
- Keep an eye on the sandwiches during the final minutes of baking so the bread gets crisp without overbrowning.
Variations:
- You can sub cheddar, provolone, or Monterey Jack for the Swiss cheese.
- Use sourdough or rye bread instead of whole wheat for a different flavor profile.
- Add thinly sliced red onion or spinach for extra texture and flavor.
- Substitute canned tuna if you don't have canned salmon.
- Add a squeeze of lemon juice to the salmon mixture for a brighter flavor.
Serving Suggestions:
- Serve warm with tomato soup, salad, or fresh fruit.
- Pair with chips or a pickle for an easy lunch or casual dinner.
- The salmon filling also works well as a cold sandwich spread for lunches.
Storage:
- Store leftover salmon filling covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Warm assembled sandwiches in the oven or air fryer to help maintain crispness.
- Freezing is not recommended once assembled, as the bread can become soggy.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
Update Notes: This post was originally published in March 2013, and was republished with tips, step by step photos, and a recipe change in June 2026.
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Cate says
Looks so delicious! I love how it's grilled cheese that's good enough for dinner but still a comfort food!
Kristin says
Thanks! Enjoy! 🙂
Cookilicious says
Yumm! I could have this for lunch everyday!
Charla says
I have had a grilled cheese sandwich with apples and caramelized onions but I cannot wait to try your recipe because I LOVE seafood.
Kristin says
I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for stopping by!
Deanne says
I can't believe I never thought of adding salmon to my grilled cheese. Genius idea!
Kristin says
Thanks, Deanne! 🙂
stephanie says
This looks like a healthy lunch, never thought to put salmon on a grilled cheese but it still looks delicious!
Kristin says
Salmon is a little different, but you can use tuna or chicken if you prefer. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Aggie says
I invested in an inexpensive panini press last summer for quick dinners and it's been so worth it! I looooove the idea of salmon grilled cheese. These look delicious!
Kristin says
That was a good idea. I should get a panini press since I love grilled sandwiches so much. I might look into that...what kind do you have? 🙂
Jersey Girl Cooks says
I never would think to put salmon in grilled cheese. Great idea. Your pictures are fabulous!
Kristin says
Thanks, Lisa! I can't believe how much this little point-and-shoot can do if I can get the right light. The light is definitely the key, but of course it depends on the weather and the time of day so it is quite tricky. Hope you have a great Easter!