Salmon Burgers

 

These salmon burgers are the healthy burger my family can’t get enough of! Over the years, I’ve noticed that burger-style proteins are some of the most loved recipes on my site. My turkey burgers are so easy to prep, and my Greek chicken burgers are a great way to switch up your weeknight chicken routine. But these salmon burgers have recently become mine (and my family’s) favorite for a lighter seafood option.

And while they may look similar to my salmon patties, there are some distinct differences. These salmon burgers use raw salmon versus cooked salmon, they’re bigger and eat more like a true burger (aka juicy, burger-like texture), and they’re grill-friendly (if you follow my tips below).

To serve them up, you can always use burger buns, though I love to lettuce-wrap them with my favorite burger toppings and a dollop of my lemon dill yogurt sauce (soooo good!)

Salmon Burger Ingredients

• Fresh salmon: You can use sockeye, coho, or king salmon. Sockeye has the strongest salmon flavor, though it’s leaner and more prone to drying out if it’s slightly overcooked. Coho has a mild flavor, a firm texture, and enough fat to stay juicy. King salmon is my personal favorite for the richest, juiciest burger, as it has the highest fat content. But, it’s also the priciest, which can make these a bit expensive if you’re feeding a crowd. All work beautifully, so it’s really up to you!
• Egg and almond flour: These are the binder ingredients that keep the burgers moist, without making them dense. It also keeps them high-protein and gluten-free!
• Red onion, garlic, and fresh herbs: When finely chopped, these aromatics infuse the burgers with flavor and prevent them from becoming too dense. For the herbs, I’m using a mix of parsley and dill (my favorite combo for salmon).
• Dijon mustard and lemon juice: A small amount of acidity and bright flavors is important because it keeps the burgers from tasting too rich, especially when paired with toppings and sauce!

To Complete The Burger

While you can of course serve these salmon burgers on a bun, I like to wrap mine in butter lettuce leaves and pile it with thinly sliced red onions, tomatoes, avocado, and sprouts (or microgreens).

But my favorite part is adding a spread of my lemon dill yogurt sauce onto the burger. It really does add a fresh, bright touch. Don’t skip it!!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below

How To MAKE Salmon Burgers

Hand chop the salmon. Using a chef’s knife, hand chop the salmon to a fine, yet still slightly chunky texture. You want the structure to hold together, but still have plenty of juicy salmon pieces throughout.

Lisa’s Tip: Why I hand chop rather than use a food processor. After I tested this recipe a few times, I found that it was easy to over-process the salmon into a paste when using a food processor. And when the mixture is too smooth, the burgers can end up denser than intended. Some recipes do a mix of both, with half the salmon hand chopped and half blended with a food processor, but it’s really not needed (and why get your food processor dirty when it’s not needed?!). It really takes only a minute or two to hand chop the salmon into the perfect, finely diced texture. So that’s what I do!

Mix gently and stop once combined. Add the salmon, egg, almond flour, red onion, herbs, garlic, Dijon, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to a mixing bowl. I like using a fork or my hands to gently mix everything together. Also, don’t mash the mixture! Overworking it can break down the salmon too much and affect the final texture.

Chill before cooking. Once the patties are formed, chill them in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes. I tested a few patties with and without chilling, and the chilled patties were noticeably easier to handle. Big game-changer!

Cook until golden and just cooked through. Cook the burgers in a skillet over medium heat until they’re golden on both sides, and the center is just cooked through. I’ve also learned that salmon burgers are much easier to flip once a crust has formed. If the burger is sticking to the pan, it usually just needs another minute before turning.

Can I Grill These?

Yes, you can cook these on an outdoor grill. But keep in mind that salmon burgers are more delicate than beef burgers, so without a few tweaks, they can fall apart. Here are a few tips:

• Make sure the mixture doesn’t feel too wet. If it does, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more almond flour.
• Chill the patties a bit longer, for at least 45 minutes. You want them nice and chilled, as a warm mixture is softer and more prone to falling apart. 
• Oil the grates and then leave the patties alone for the first 4 to 5 minutes. You want to make sure a crust forms. If they stick at all, they’re not ready to be flipped.
• Flip once, very gently. Use a thin spatula to get under the salmon burger, then flip only once to avoid any breakage.
• For a foolproof method. Grill them on lightly oiled foil. It’s the best of both worlds! You get that smoky flavor from the grill, but with zero sticking or worry that your patties will break apart on the grates. 

Extra Tip for Skinning the Salmon

I’ve always used a chef’s knife to remove the salmon skin, by sliding it at an angle between the skin and the flesh. But I recently saw a TikTok video where someone literally just slid their hand between the skin and flesh and I was mind blown! I honestly didn’t think it was going to work, but it did. Albeit it a bit more slowly than what they showed. Watch the video below to see how I do it!

Ways To Enjoy

• Burger style (or lettuce wrap): My favorite way to serve these is wrapped in butter lettuce with tomato, avocado, red onion, sprouts, and a generous spoonful of lemon herb yogurt sauce. It’s the perfect fresh and light summer dinner!
• Make a high-protein bowl: I also love serving the salmon burger over rice or greens with cucumber, avocado, and extra lemon yogurt sauce. It’s a meal prep lunch that I actually don’t mind making on repeat.
• Enjoy for breakfast: I love, love eating salmon for breakfast! I’ll often serve one burger patty alongside a fried egg and sliced avocado for an easy high-protein breakfast start to the day.

More Salmon Recipes

• Best Baked Salmon: A true foolproof dinner staple!
• Salmon Salad: Amazing for the summer.
• Air Fryer Salmon: So easy and never fails.
• Miso Salmon: The miso glaze is incredible.
• Or give these other salmon recipes a try!