Spring into Seafood Salads!

“Salads, sandwiches, and seafood lead menu launches” this year, according to Restaurant Business. As consumers flock to healthier eating choices, driven in part by the pandemic, now is the time to spring into seafood salads for your foodservice menu.

Think outside the meal part

Food Technology reports that seafood is well positioned for expansion into breakfast. Breakfast salad, anyone? A handful or arugula with light lemon dressing pairs well with salmon and a bagel for a healthy start to the day. Tangy Salmon Melts use an English muffin base for salmon salad—a heathy alternative to meat-heavy fare. Or consider mesclun greens with tuna and topped with an egg. Breakfast salads with sardines are a trending opportunity as well.

In sandwiches

Seafood joins culinary forces with eggs in this appealing Salmon Egg Salad Sandwich. Trying new breads, including low-carb and keto-friendly options, can increase your menu appeal.

Wrap it up

Salads don’t have to rest between bread slices or sit in a bowl. You can make them portable for grab’n’go by simply nesting a salad inside a wrap. Check out recipes for Smoked Salmon Wrap, or roll your tuna Caesar salad into a wrap with this recipe.

Twist the flavors

For comfort food stand-bys like tuna salad and salmon salad, try some new flavor twists inspired by global ingredients. Herbed Tuna Feta Salad brings in garlic, oregano, and feta for a Mediterranean flavor profile with zest. Tuna works well for a Mexican Tuna Salad or Jalapeno Tuna Salad, too. Tuna Horseradish Sandwich is a winner with a kick.

Dress it up

Experts at Food and Wine say, “classic, umami-packed salad dressings are making a comeback.” They mention a makeover for Green Goddess, using cilantro, avocadoes, and parsley. Other dressing ingredients that supercharge the flavor include anchovies, Parmesan cheese, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce, they note.

Go local

Seasonal produce options are hitting local markets across the country. Now is the time to consider incorporating healthy super-stars into your seasonal features. Salmon, spinach, and strawberries form a tantalizing foundation for a great spring salad with poppyseed dressing. A versatile Everything in the Kitchen Salad Bowl can take new forms from week to week. Maybe you’re adding spring onions, asparagus, and radishes now, to be followed by peppers and heritage tomatoes later in the season. As the season rolls on, take a look at Easy Salmon Stuffed Tomatoes.

Shelf-stable salmon, tuna

When you use shelf-stable salmon and tuna in your seafood salad recipes, you also create value for your foodservice guests. Canned and pouch seafood products create a ready supply chain with no refrigeration requirements and no waste. They’re ready-to-use, so they slash labor as well. And the price points come in lower than fresh seafood. As restaurant food costs rise and inflation creates worries among consumers, value goes a long way in building your profitability. What’s on your menu this spring?