16 Jul Budget friendly: Salmon Crunch Pie
This Salmon Crunch Pie is a hearty, budget-friendly family meal that turns canned salmon, eggs and a simple cheesy crust into something far more special than the sum of its parts. It is filling, tasty and works well warm for dinner or cold the next day for lunch.
Serves: 6
Estimated cost: around $18–$24, depending on the salmon and cheese used
Cost per serve: around $3–$4
Budget tip: Use pink salmon instead of red salmon, or one tin of salmon and one tin of tuna, to bring the cost down.
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups self-raising flour
- 125g butter, chopped
- 1¼ cups shredded tasty cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 x 210g cans salmon, drained, skin and bones removed if preferred
- 300g light sour cream
- 6 eggs
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives, plus extra to serve
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon, plus extra lemon wedges to serve
- 100g baby rocket leaves, or simple salad leaves
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Method
Preheat oven to 200°C or 180°C fan-forced. Grease a 23cm springform pan.
Place the flour, butter and ¾ cup of the cheddar in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the water and pulse again to combine.
Reserve ½ cup of the crumb mixture for the topping. Press the remaining mixture over the base and sides of the prepared pan.
Sprinkle the drained salmon over the pie base.
In a jug or bowl, whisk together the sour cream, eggs, chives, lemon zest, lemon juice and remaining cheddar. Pour the mixture over the salmon.
Crumble the reserved crumb mixture over the top.
Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until firm and golden. Stand in the pan for 10 minutes before cutting into wedges.
Toss the rocket or salad leaves with olive oil and extra chives, then serve with the salmon pie and lemon wedges.
Why it works as a budget meal
This recipe stretches canned salmon across six serves by combining it with eggs, cheese and a simple homemade crust. It is filling, protein-rich and can be served warm or cold, which makes it useful for leftovers and lunchboxes.
The pie also feels more substantial than a simple tin of fish on toast or salad, which helps make one or two cans of salmon go further.
Make it stretch
Serve smaller wedges with steamed vegetables, frozen peas and corn, a carrot salad or a simple green salad. This can easily turn the pie into 6–8 serves, especially for younger children.
For a cheaper version, replace one can of salmon with a can of tuna, or use pink salmon instead of red salmon. The flavour will be slightly milder, but still family-friendly.
Save more
- Use home-brand sour cream, cheese and canned fish.
- Swap baby rocket for lettuce, grated carrot, cucumber or frozen vegetables.
- Buy canned salmon when it is on special.
- Use dried chives or parsley if fresh herbs are too expensive.
- Serve with lemon only if you already have one — a little bottled lemon juice can work in the filling if needed.
Leftovers
Leftover salmon pie can be kept in the fridge and served cold the next day, or reheated gently. It makes a handy lunchbox option if your school allows fish and eggs.
Busy parent tip
Make the pie earlier in the day and reheat slices at dinner time. It also works well with a quick side of frozen vegetables, making it a useful meal for nights when you need something filling but low-effort.
