How Many Calories in Salmon?
About 210 kcal per 100 g cooked. Wild and farmed differ less than the marketing suggests.
Cooked Atlantic salmon is ~210 kcal per 100 g, or about 360 kcal for a 6-oz fillet. Wild Pacific salmon (sockeye, coho) is leaner at ~180 kcal/100g. Smoked salmon is ~33 kcal per 1-oz slice. The big logging trap: the cooking oil. A “salmon dinner” is often 100+ extra kcal of butter or olive oil that doesn’t make it into the food entry.
The Headline Numbers
Per 100 g cooked:
| Type | Calories | Protein | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic salmon (farmed) | 210 | 22 g | 13 g |
| Atlantic salmon (wild) | 180 | 25 g | 8 g |
| Sockeye salmon (wild Pacific) | 180 | 26 g | 8 g |
| Coho salmon (wild) | 175 | 27 g | 7 g |
| Pink salmon (canned, in water) | 130 | 22 g | 4 g |
| Smoked salmon (cold-smoked) | 117 | 18 g | 4 g |
| Salmon roe (per tbsp) | 33 | 3 g | 2 g |
Fattier (farmed Atlantic) salmon has more omega-3s per ounce. Leaner (wild Pacific) has more protein per calorie. Both are high-quality protein sources.
Common Portion Sizes
| Portion | Atlantic (cooked) | Wild Sockeye (cooked) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 oz (~85 g) | 180 kcal | 155 kcal |
| 4 oz (~113 g) | 240 kcal | 205 kcal |
| 6 oz (~170 g) | 360 kcal | 310 kcal |
| 8 oz (~227 g) | 480 kcal | 410 kcal |
A standard restaurant salmon entrée is 6–8 oz cooked. Home portions are usually 4–6 oz.
Raw vs Cooked
Salmon loses ~20–25% of weight during cooking, mostly water and some rendered fat. Match raw or cooked numbers to how you measured.
| Raw weight | Cooked weight |
|---|---|
| 6 oz raw | ~4.5 oz cooked |
| 8 oz raw | ~6 oz cooked |
USDA data is published for both. The most common error: weighing raw, then logging the cooked figure (overcounts by 25%).
For more on raw vs cooked, see how to weigh food accurately.
Cooking Method and Calories
Salmon “calories” include only the fish itself. Cooking fat changes the meal:
| Cooking Method | Added Calories per 6-oz fillet |
|---|---|
| Grilled (no oil) | 0 |
| Baked plain | 0 |
| Pan-seared in 1 tbsp olive oil | +120 |
| Pan-seared in 1 tbsp butter | +100 |
| Broiled with butter brush (1 tsp) | +35 |
| Glazed with 1 tbsp teriyaki sauce | +20 |
| Glazed with 1 tbsp honey | +64 |
| Pan-fried with breading | +150–250 |
A “6-oz salmon fillet” logged as 360 kcal is correct only if you cooked it with no fat. If you used 1 tbsp olive oil, the meal is closer to 480 kcal.
Smoked, Cured, and Canned
| Form | Calories |
|---|---|
| Smoked salmon, lox (1 oz / 28 g) | 33 |
| Smoked salmon, lox (3 oz portion) | 100 |
| Smoked salmon (hot-smoked, 1 oz) | 60 |
| Canned pink salmon (3 oz / drained) | 110 |
| Canned sockeye (3 oz / drained) | 130 |
| Salmon jerky (1 oz) | 65 |
Smoked salmon is great for sandwiches and salads — concentrated flavor, low calorie cost, high protein. Canned salmon is one of the cheapest protein-per-dollar options in the store.
Salmon Dishes — The Math
| Dish | Calories |
|---|---|
| Plain grilled 6-oz salmon + ½ cup rice + 1 cup veg | ~510 |
| Salmon teriyaki bowl (restaurant, full) | 700–900 |
| Salmon poke bowl (full) | 600–800 |
| Smoked salmon bagel (1 bagel + 3 oz salmon + 2 tbsp cream cheese) | ~470 |
| Salmon sushi (6 pieces nigiri) | ~290 |
| Salmon Caesar salad (full) | 500–700 |
| Salmon burger (5 oz patty + bun) | ~480 |
Wild vs Farmed: Should You Care?
Calorie-wise, the difference is real but small (~30 kcal/100g). The bigger differences:
- Omega-3 content: wild salmon has slightly more EPA/DHA per gram of fat
- Antibiotic/contaminant exposure: farmed has been historically higher; modern aquaculture has narrowed the gap
- Cost: wild is 1.5–2× more expensive
- Sustainability: depends on the specific fishery / farm
For weight loss, both are fine. For nutrition, both are excellent. Pick what you can afford and what tastes good to you.
Common Logging Mistakes
Forgetting cooking oil. Pan-seared salmon with olive oil is ~120 kcal more than the entry says.
Using “salmon” entry for smoked/cured. Smoked is leaner; canned is leaner still. Different entries.
Weighing raw, logging cooked numbers (or vice versa). ~25% off either way.
Logging “salmon” when it was breaded/glazed/sauced. Restaurant salmon often has a sauce, glaze, or crust adding 100–250 kcal.
What to Take Away
- Cooked Atlantic salmon = ~210 kcal/100g. Wild Pacific is ~180.
- 6-oz fillet = ~360 kcal. Standard portion.
- Smoked salmon = ~33 kcal/oz. Concentrated but light.
- Cooking oil adds 100+ kcal. Log it separately.
For other proteins, see calories in chicken breast and calories in tofu.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many calories in a 6-oz salmon fillet?
About 360 kcal for cooked Atlantic salmon. For a leaner cut (wild sockeye), closer to 310 kcal. Cooked raw weight loses ~25%.
Is wild salmon lower in calories than farmed?
Slightly — wild Pacific (sockeye, coho) is ~180 kcal/100g cooked vs. ~210 for farmed Atlantic. Both are good choices; the calorie difference is small.
How many calories in smoked salmon?
About 33 kcal per 1 oz slice (cured, cold-smoked). A standard 3-oz portion on a bagel is ~100 kcal.
Is salmon better grilled or pan-seared?
Calorically, grilled with no oil is leaner (~210 kcal/100g vs. ~250 for pan-seared in butter). Both are fine. Most people log salmon assuming no oil and forget the cooking fat — adjust for that.
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