Cucumber-Salmon Salad Sandwich

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This salmon-and-cucumber sandwich, served on rye bread, combines flaky canned salmon with crisp cucumber slices and a smear of cream cheese. Fresh dill and a squeeze of lemon juice add brightness, while a pinch of cracked pepper enhances the savory flavor profile.

a recipe photo of Cucumber-Salmon Salad Sandwich
Credit:

Photographer: Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Hannah Grennwood.

Active Time:
10 mins
Total Time:
10 mins
Servings:
1
  • This simple recipe takes only a few steps to create a tasty and filling lunch.
  • The omega-3-rich salmon in this sandwich helps keep your heart and brain healthy.
  • Toasting rye bread in a skillet with butter or olive oil enhances the flavor.

If you’re looking for a light yet filling lunch, this Cucumber–Salmon Salad Sandwich has you covered. Omega-3-rich salmon is tossed in a light lemony Dijon vinaigrette-style dressing along with briny capers and fresh grassy dill, then sandwiched between cream cheese-smeared rye bread. Crisp cucumbers, juicy tomato and sharp red onion add texture and antioxidants. Light, flavorful and filling, this sandwich checks all the boxes. Keep reading for our expert tips, including ingredient substitutions. 

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

  • You can dry-toast the bread in a nonstick pan or toaster oven, or you can toast it in a skillet using butter or olive oil.
  • Using a mandoline slicer is one of the easiest ways to quickly achieve perfectly uniform thin slices of cucumbers. If you don’t have a mandoline, you can use a sharp knife or a vegetable peeler.
  • To avoid waiting for the cream cheese to reach room temperature, you can microwave it on 25% to 30% power for about 30 seconds.
  • If you’re looking for a substitution for rye bread, consider pumpernickel instead. It will be just as flavorful.

Nutrition Notes

  • Salmon is rich in heart- and brain-healthy omega-3s and is an excellent source of protein to help fill you up and keep you satisfied. Eating salmon regularly may help reduce your risk of heart disease and dementia.
  • Cucumbers bring the mineral silica to this sandwich. Silica plays a role in collagen production and supports firm, healthy skin. Cucumbers contain cancer-fighting compounds that are also linked to a reduced risk of diabetes.
  • Rye bread adds complex carbohydrates to this sandwich, providing your brain with fuel. While it can be harder to find, use whole-grain rye bread if possible, for more fiber compared to rye bread made with refined white flour.
  • Tomatoes provide fiber and vitamin C. Regularly eating tomatoes may reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer.
Ingredients laid out to prepare a cucumber and salmon salad sandwich, including salmon, cucumber, bread, and condiments

Photographer: Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Hannah Grennwood.

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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 1 servings

  • 2 tablespoons cream cheese (1 ounce), softened

  • 2 slices rye bread, lightly toasted

  • 1 (6-ounce) can no-salt-added pink salmon in water, drained and flaked

  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • 2 teaspoons drained nonpareil capers, chopped

  • teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

  • ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper

  • ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic

  • 2 medium Persian cucumbers (5 oz.), thinly sliced lengthwise

  • 2 slices tomato (⅛-inch)

  • 2 thin slices red onion

Directions

  1. Spread softened cream cheese on 1 side each of 2 toast slices. Toss flaked salmon with 1 tablespoon dill, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, the chopped capers, 1½ teaspoons oil, 1 teaspoon mustard, ½ teaspoon cracked pepper and ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic in a medium bowl. Top 1 bread slice with the salmon mixture, sliced cucumbers, 2 tomato slices and 2 onion slices. Top with the remaining toast slice, cream cheese-side down. Slice the sandwich in half diagonally and secure with a toothpick in each half.

    Ingredients for making a cucumber and salmon salad sandwich on a wooden board, showing bread, spread, vegetables, and salmon mix

    Photographer: Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Hannah Grennwood.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Do I have to use canned pink salmon?

    We appreciate the convenience of having canned salmon readily available for making sandwiches and salads. Its mild flavor is appealing, and there’s little concern about bones since they are soft and edible. If you don’t have canned salmon on hand, you can substitute with water-packed tuna. Other great alternatives include smoked salmon or trout.

  • Do I have to use Persian cucumbers?

    We highly recommend using Persian cucumbers for your sandwich because they are less likely to make it soggy, as they contain fewer seeds. Additionally, the skin of a Persian cucumber is thin and edible, so there’s no need to peel it. If Persian cucumbers are unavailable, the next best option is the English cucumber. If you only have American cucumbers, be sure to peel them and remove the seeds.

  • What should I serve with Cucumber-Salmon Salad Sandwich?

    Consider pairing the sandwich with a green salad or macaroni salad. Alternatively, it would be good with a side of our Air-Fryer Sweet Potato Chips.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 1 sandwich

Calories 503, Fat 22g, Saturated Fat 7g, Cholesterol 79mg, Carbohydrates 38g, Total Sugars 7g, Added Sugars 0g, Protein 38g, Fiber 5g, Sodium 833mg, Potassium 977mg

EatingWell.com, June 2025

Additional reporting by
Carrie Myers, M.S.
Carrie Myers
Carrie Myers is a portfolio entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience in the health and wellness space. As a writer and editor, Carrie has worked for both consumer and trade print and online publications. She's been quoted in several articles as a health and fitness expert. Carrie is also a certified life and wellness coach and exercise physiologist, and the founder of CarrieMichele Co., a lifestyle company that helps women create lives they love where they can be authentic.
and
Linda Frahm
Linda Frahm has been a copy editor and fact checker working with food and nutrition content for the past 30-plus years for consumer print and online publications.