This Canned Seafood Makes A Seriously Delicious Sandwich Filler (And No It's Not Tuna)

When it comes to seafood, freshness is the quality we most desire. For that reason alone, canned seafood can get a bad rap among some crowds. While it's not always a worthy substitute for the fresh stuff, chefs say canned seafood definitely deserves a spot at the table — especially when it's included in recipes like tuna salad, where the success of the dish isn't dependent upon the ingredients' freshness.

But tuna isn't the only tinned sea creature that you should be mixing with mayo and piling between slices of bread. It's high time you consider canned shrimp as well.

Used in a similar fashion to canned tuna, canned shrimp can be blended into an incredible, protein-packed salad that can be eaten on a sandwich, in a wrap, or atop a bed of greens. In this Old Bay shrimp salad sandwich recipe, we blend shrimp with diced celery, red onion, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning, and Dijon mustard before putting the mixture on a Brioche bun for a Southern-style seafood sandwich that's both bright and deeply flavored. If you're looking for more of a beach-y, New England shrimp roll vibe, toss the shrimp in a light coating of mayo with fresh dill, salt, and pepper, and pile it on a buttery, grilled hot dog bun slathered with tarter sauce.

If you're expecting the consistency of fresh shrimp from the canned stuff, you'll likely be disappointed. According to a Reddit comment from Dan Waber, owner of tinned seafood retailer Rainbow Tomatoes Garden, that's because the temperature manufacturers must achieve to make canned seafood shelf stable negatively impacts the crustacean's taste and texture. However, this texture is greatly improved when you combine the shrimp with dressings and crunchy elements then eat it on a crispy cracker or pillow-soft bread. Canned shrimp can also be used in hot or cold pasta salads, adding delicious flavor and protein to each dish.

Alternatively, try chopping up the shrimp and folding it into cream cheese with mayo and cocktail sauce for a creamy, crowd-pleasing dip that's packed with sweet heat and umami. Spoon this classic old-school appetizer onto crinkle-cut potato chips or buttery Ritz crackers.

Waber did warn readers, however, that not all canned shrimp is created equal, and when it comes to the flavor and texture, you get what you pay for — at least, to a certain extent. He noted that he has yet to encounter an exceptional canned shrimp: "Today, in the USA, for shrimp there's low end Geisha, Roland, and Chicken of the Sea, and then there's high end ABC+. And very little (or nothing) in between."