Classic Salmon Burgers

March 02, 2021

Here’s the salmon burgers recipe you need! They’re easy and have the best flavor: each bite is perfection slathered with remoulade sauce.

Salmon burger recipe

Here’s an impressive dinner idea that’s calling your name: this irresistible Salmon Burgers recipe! These burgers are so deliciously satisfying, we’re kicking ourselves this hasn’t been part of our dinnertime repertoire until now. Each bite is hearty and juicy, topped with a creamy remoulade sauce that takes it to rockstar status. This is a great way to feel like you’re eating red meat, without the meat! It’s every bit as satisfying, we think.

The keys to great salmon burgers

Salmon burgers are a great healthy alterative to red meat. Or if you’re someone like us, they’re a splurge to compliment our 90% plant-based diet! We’d resigned ourselves to veggie burgers forever, until this salmon burger came along. Our entire family gave it 5 stars! Here’s what to know about making this salmon burger recipe:

  • You’ll use raw salmon. No need to pre-cook it! You can use any type of salmon, though of course the better the salmon the better the flavor (see below).
  • A food processor is handy, but a knife works too! Whiz the dough to get the right texture: or you can use a knife to finely chop.
  • Refrigerate before cooking. Firming the burgers for 15 minutes does wonders for the texture.
  • Pan fry for 5 minutes per side. Then it’s a quick pan fry in healthy olive oil. It comes out lightly crispy on the outside and browned to perfection.
Salmon burger recipe

Best salmon to buy

One think we like about this salmon burgers recipe: because you’re adding seasoning and shaping it into patties, you don’t need the most expensive, beautiful fillet. You can get away with lower quality salmon in a burger! But like any recipe, the better the raw ingredients the better the flavor. Here’s what we’d recommend for this recipe:

  • Fresh salmon is best. You can find decent frozen salmon. But for the very best salmon, buy it fresh from your local seafood counter.
  • Buy wild caught salmon. Wild caught is the way to go! It’s most sustainable and has the best flavor. Avoid Atlantic salmon as it is typically farmed salmon.

Salmon burger sauce ideas!

Once you’ve cooked up your salmon burger, pair it with a tasty and delicious sauce for maximum deliciousness! Here we’ve gone classic with a traditional Remoulade Sauce. But there are so many options, each with a different vibe. Salmon burger sauce ideas to try are:

  1. Remoulade sauce, a traditional French and Cajun mayo-based sauce (our top pick!)
  2. Tartar sauce, a common seafood sauce
  3. Lemon dill sauce, for a Mediterranean spin
  4. Creamy cilantro sauce, a zingy dairy-free option
  5. Cilantro lime ranch, a creamy cilantro-based ranch
  6. Dill sauce or Cucumber sauce, Greek-yogurt based Mediterranean sauces
  7. Spicy mayo, mayo with zing
  8. Special burger sauce, all your favorite condiments in one
Salmon burger sauce
Remoulade is the ideal salmon burger sauce

Salmon burger toppings

Once you pick a sauce, you can customize your salmon burger toppings to go with the theme. There are so many great ideas, so we’ve got a separate list going! Here’s what we used, and a few more ideas:

What’s panko?

These salmon burgers use panko to hold them together. Not used to working with this ingredient? Here’s what to know:

  • Panko is a Japanese-style breadcrumb mixture that is airier and lighter than traditional breadcrumbs. We like using panko because it’s light and crunchy, and makes a great texture.
  • Need a substitute? You can use coarse breadcrumbs or even homemade breadcrumbs.
  • Is all you can find regular breadcrumbs? Use only 1/2 cup instead of 3/4 cup panko, because regular breadcrumbs are very finely ground.
Salmon burger

How to make this recipe gluten-free

Can you make these salmon burgers free? Yes. Here’s what to do:

  • Look for gluten-free panko or breadcrumbs in stores or online. It’s pretty easy to find these days!
  • Try a gluten free breadcrumb substitute like rolled oats or crushed gluten free crackers.
  • Use a gluten free bun, or try these bread substitutes.

What to serve with a salmon burger

Want to make it a meal? Here’s what we’d serve with these tasty salmon burgers to make them a meal:

Salmon burger toppings
Try salmon burger toppings like guacamole and pico de gallo

This salmon burgers recipe is…

Pescatarian and dairy-free. For gluten free, see the notes above.

Print
Salmon burger recipe

*Best* Salmon Burger Recipe


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (10 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

5 from 10 reviews

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes (+15 minutes chill)
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4 burgers

Description

Here’s the salmon burgers recipe you need! They’re easy and have the best flavor: each bite is perfection slathered with remoulade sauce. 


Ingredients

  • 1 pound salmon, skin and bones removed
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley or cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon capers, drained
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3/4 cup panko or coarse breadcrumbs (gluten free if desired)*
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, for cooking
  • 1/2 cup Remoulade Sauce or another salmon burger sauce (see above)
  • For serving: Bun, red onion, tomato, lettuce

Instructions

  1. Cut the raw salmon into chunks. Add it to a food processor with parsley or cilantro, capers, onion powder and kosher salt. Pulse 8 to 10 times until roughly chopped; be careful not to over-process. (Alternatively, chop everything with a large chef’s knife until it has a uniformly roughly chopped texture.) Remove blade and stir in the panko, Dijon mustard and mayonnaise (you can do this in either the bowl of the food processor or transfer to a bowl). 
  2. Form the dough into 4 burger shapes that are about 3/4 inch thick. Refrigerate 15 minutes to firm up the texture (or up to 24 hours). While the burgers rest, make the Remoulade Sauce.
  3. When ready to cook, heat the olive oil in skillet over medium high heat. Add the burgers and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until browned, then flip and cook another 4 to 5 minutes or until the inside registers 130 degrees Fahrenheit on a food thermometer. You can also grill the burgers on medium high heat for the same amount of time. 
  4. Serve on a bun garnished lettuce, tomato, red onion, and Remoulade Sauce or other salmon burger sauce. Make ahead and storage: Store refrigerated up to 2 days, or wrap in freezer safe wrapping and freeze up to 3 months. Allow to defrost in the refrigerator the night before cooking. 

Notes

*If all you can find is regular breadcrumbs, use 1/2 cup since they are much finer ground than panko. 

  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Seafood

Keywords: Salmon burger recipe, Salmon burger sauce

More favorite salmon recipes

Salmon is one of our top choices when it comes to fish and seafood! Here are a few more salmon recipes to enjoy:

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

  • Share:

You Might Also Like

0 comments