How Much Protein Is in Salmon?
Raw Atlantic salmon carries roughly 20g of protein per 100g, and cooked salmon rises to around 22g to 25g per 100g simply because cooking drives off water and concentrates what remains. Salmon is one of the most reliable protein sources in the fridge, and the figures stay broadly consistent whether it's fresh, tinned or smoked.
The numbers, format by format
Raw Atlantic salmon carries roughly 20g of protein per 100g. Cooked salmon rises to around 22g to 25g per 100g, because cooking drives off water and concentrates what remains — the fish did not gain protein through cooking, it simply lost weight in water while the protein stayed the same in absolute terms.
A typical 150g fillet therefore delivers roughly 30g to 34g of protein once cooked. A 100g drained tin of salmon lands near 20g to 24g, and smoked salmon sits around 18g to 22g per 100g but carries considerably more salt due to the curing process, which is worth bearing in mind if you eat it often.
How cooking method changes things
The protein figure itself doesn't change meaningfully whether salmon is grilled, baked, poached or pan-fried, since the cooking method mainly affects water loss, added fat and overall calories rather than protein content. Poaching and steaming add the least extra fat, while pan-frying in oil or butter adds calories without adding protein.
Skin-on salmon carries slightly more fat than skinless fillets of the same weight, mostly concentrated in and just under the skin, but the protein content of the flesh itself is essentially the same either way.
Salmon versus other proteins
Per 100 calories, salmon delivers around 10g to 12g of protein — lower than chicken breast or white fish such as cod, largely because of its higher fat content compared with leaner meats and fish. Those fats include long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, which is a large part of why general health guidance commonly suggests including oily fish in the diet on a weekly basis.
Farmed and wild salmon differ somewhat in fat content and therefore in overall calories, but protein per 100g is broadly similar between the two. This is general nutritional information rather than personalised dietary advice, and anyone with specific health conditions should check with a doctor or dietitian.
Choosing and storing salmon for protein
Fresh, frozen and tinned salmon are all reasonable ways to hit a protein target, and tinned salmon in particular is a genuinely underrated option: it's cheap, keeps for a long time in the cupboard, and tinned salmon with the bones left in also supplies useful calcium, since the bones soften during the tinning process and are edible.
When buying fresh salmon, look for firm, moist flesh without a strong fishy smell, and use or freeze it within a day or two of purchase. Smoked salmon is a good option for a quick protein addition to a meal, but its higher salt content means it's worth balancing against other salty foods eaten the same day.
Nutrition information on this page is for general information only and is not medical or dietary advice.
Frequently asked questions
- How much protein is in a salmon fillet?
- A 150g cooked fillet commonly provides about 30g to 34g of protein, which comfortably covers a large share of most people's protein needs for a single meal.
- Is tinned salmon as good as fresh for protein?
- Yes — it provides similar protein and omega-3 content per 100g, and tinned salmon with bones also supplies calcium. The main thing to watch is added salt, so check the label if you're managing sodium intake.
- Which has more protein, salmon or chicken?
- Chicken breast has slightly more protein per 100g and considerably more per calorie, since it's much leaner. Salmon brings fats, including omega-3s, that chicken doesn't provide.
- Does cooking salmon increase its protein content?
- Not in absolute terms — cooking concentrates the protein by driving off water, so the protein per 100g rises, but the total amount of protein in the piece of fish stays the same as before cooking.
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