Sockeye Salmon substitute

Best substitute

Coho (Silver) Salmon

Use the same amount as the sockeye salmon you are replacing

Best for grilling

Close match

Coho salmon is the closest match and swaps 1:1 with the same timing. King (chinook) salmon works 1:1 and is far more forgiving because it is fattier. Farmed Atlantic salmon is the easiest to buy, also 1:1, but it is roughly twice as fatty, paler and milder, so the dish tastes richer and needs a few extra minutes.

Other sockeye salmon substitutes

Ranked, with the exact amount to use

2King (Chinook) Salmon
Taste and texture differ
Use the same amount
The fattiest wild salmon, with soft large flakes and pale orange flesh.
What changes
Best for
grilling, broiling, slow-roasting, raw preparations from a sushi supplier
Much richer and more buttery, and far harder to ruin, so a nervous cook should welcome the swap. The trade-off is that a simply grilled fillet reads as luxurious and soft rather than firm and clean, and the pale colour changes the look of a platter. Give it 2 to 3 extra minutes for the extra thickness.
3Farmed Atlantic Salmon
Taste and texture differ
Use the same amount
The standard supermarket salmon, pale pink, thick cut and high in fat.
What changes
Best for
roasting, baking in foil, teriyaki and glazed dishes, salmon cakes
The realistic swap for most people. It carries roughly double the fat, so it tastes milder and oilier and stays moist even if you forget it for four minutes. Expect a paler plate and less of the wild, almost iron-like flavour sockeye brings. If the recipe leans on a sweet glaze the difference barely registers; if it is salt, lemon and a grill, it does.
4Steelhead Trout
Close match
Use the same amount
Large sea-run rainbow trout, pink-fleshed and moderate in fat.
What changes
Best for
roasting, pan-searing, curing, hot-smoking
A useful middle ground: leaner than farmed salmon so it keeps some of sockeye's firmness, but sweeter and gentler in flavour. Fillets are thinner, so check them 2 minutes early.
5Arctic Char
Different taste
Use the same amount
A mild salmon relative with pink-orange flesh and medium fat.
What changes
Best for
roasting, pan-searing, poaching
Good where the recipe wants a tidy pink fillet rather than sockeye's assertive flavour. It is noticeably milder, so season a little more boldly, and the fillets are thinner and cook faster.
6Canned Pink or Canned Atlantic Salmon
Taste and texture differ
Use the same amount by drained weight
Tinned cooked salmon for patties, dips and pasta bakes.
What changes
Best for
salmon patties, salmon salad, pasta bakes, dips
Only relevant when the recipe uses canned sockeye. Canned pink salmon is paler, softer and considerably milder, so patties taste flatter; add an extra pinch of salt, a squeeze of lemon and a little more onion or dill to compensate. Drain it well or the mixture will be too wet to hold together.

What is Sockeye Salmon?

Sockeye Salmon is the deep red, lean wild Pacific salmon sold as sockeye or red salmon, firmer and more strongly flavoured than farmed Atlantic salmon and much faster to overcook.

Cooking tips

Sockeye is lean, and that is the whole story of cooking it. Pull it at about 120F for a moist centre; the same fillet at 140F is chalky. A fattier substitute like king or farmed Atlantic salmon will still eat well at 130 to 135F, which is why swapping grades changes your timing.
A one-inch sockeye fillet needs roughly 6 to 8 minutes total over high heat, against 10 to 12 for a thick farmed Atlantic fillet. If you are following a recipe written for one and cooking the other, watch the fish, not the clock.
Brush lean sockeye with oil or melted butter before it hits the grill or pan, and oil the grates too. There is not enough fat in the fish to stop it welding to hot metal, which is a problem farmed salmon rarely has.
Leave the skin on for grilling and roasting even if you do not plan to eat it. It acts as a heat shield on the lean flesh and it is the difference between moist and dry.
Keep the seasoning simple. Sockeye's deep, slightly mineral flavour is the reason to buy it, so salt, pepper, lemon and dill serve it better than a thick sweet glaze, which is a better fit for milder farmed salmon.

Frequently asked questions

Is red salmon the same as sockeye?

Yes. Red salmon is simply the market name for sockeye, used most often on cans. Pink salmon is a different, much milder and paler species, so a tin labelled pink is not the same thing.

Can I use farmed Atlantic salmon in a recipe that calls for sockeye?

Yes, one for one, but adjust two things. Cook it longer, because the fillets are thicker and the extra fat makes it more forgiving, and expect a milder, oilier result with a paler colour. If the recipe is a plain grill or a cure, that difference is obvious; under a glaze or in a chowder, it is not.

Does the cook time really change between salmon grades?

It does, and this is the practical reason people search for a sockeye substitute. Lean sockeye goes from perfect to dry in about a minute, while a fatty king fillet has a two or three minute cushion. Use a thermometer if you have one and judge the thickest point.

Can I just leave the salmon out?

No, it is the main protein rather than a flavouring. If you have no salmon of any kind, steelhead trout, arctic char or even a firm white fish will carry the same sauce and sides, though a lean white fish gives up all the richness and you should add butter or oil to compensate.

Is frozen sockeye as good as fresh?

For cooking, usually yes. Sockeye has a short summer season, so most of it is frozen soon after being caught and much of the fresh fish on sale outside that window was previously frozen anyway. Thaw it overnight in the fridge rather than in water, and pat it dry before it hits the pan.

Related substitutes

More seafood substitutes

Sockeye Salmon substitute

Other sockeye salmon substitutes

2King (Chinook) Salmon

3Farmed Atlantic Salmon

4Steelhead Trout

5Arctic Char

6Canned Pink or Canned Atlantic Salmon