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This herby salmon burger recipe is simple, really delicious, and would make an excellent addition to your seafood recipe rotation!
Homemade Salmon Burgers
We kept this salmon burger recipe super simple (though we listed some really delicious variations at the very bottom of this article!) and decided to really lean into the flavors of fresh herbs. The use of raw, fresh salmon and fresh herbs and garlic really makes a difference here + and the smear of Green Goddess dressing takes everything over the edge!
Ingredients for Salmon Burgers
We served our salmon burgers on real-deal burger buns (GF, of course) with lettuce leaves and a very generous smear of the most delicious, herby Green Goddess sauce…YUM! Here’s everything you’ll need:
For the Salmon Burgers:
- Salmon – to start, you’ll need 1 pound of fresh salmon with the skin removed.
- Fresh Herbs – to keep things really flavorful, we’re going to add 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped chives and 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley to the salmon.
- Garlic Cloves – 2 cloves of grated or finely minced garlic really deepens the flavor here.
- Sea Salt + Pepper – the only seasonings you’ll need for these burgers are a teaspoon of sea salt and a ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper.
- Egg – to help hold the salmon patties together, you’ll need 1 egg.
- Breadcrumbs – a ½ cup of breadcrumbs (along with the egg) bind everything together really well.
- Ghee or EVOO – to keep the salmon patties from sticking, you’ll need 1 tablespoon of either ghee or extra-virgin olive oil.
- Hamburger Buns – we chose to serve our salmon burgers on buns! If you do the same, you’ll need 4 of your favorite hamburger buns on hand.
- Butter Lettuce – you’ll also need butter lettuce for serving if you’d like!
For the Green Goddess Sauce:
- Fresh Herbs – to start, you’ll need some really yummy, fresh herbs: a ½ cup of fresh flat-leaf parsley (leaves and stems), a ¼ cup of fresh tarragon leaves, and 4 fresh chives.
- Fresh Lemon Juice – 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice (the juice from about 1 small lemon) will help to thin out the sauce just slightly while adding a punch of brightness.
- Sour Cream, Greek Yogurt, or Mayo – a ½ cup of either sour cream, Greek yogurt, or avocado oil mayonnaise will make the sauce really nice and creamy.
What do salmon burgers taste like?
We decided to keep these salmon burgers super simple and lean on fresh herbs for flavor — they’re bright, herby, and really yummy!
How to Make Salmon Burgers
The process is easy (and not nearly as intimidating as it may sound!). Here’s what you’ll need to do:
- Food process the salmon – to start, you’ll need to add the salmon to a food processor and pulse it until it is finely minced. If you don’t have a food processor, you can finely mince the salmon with a knife instead.
- Add the herbs, salt, pepper, egg, and breadcrumbs to the salmon – transfer the finely minced salmon to a bowl, then add the chives, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper, egg, and breadcrumbs and mix with your hands to evenly combine.
- Heat the oil and form the salmon patties – add the ghee or olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat, then form the salmon mixture into four equally-sized patties.
- Cook the salmon patties – add the salmon patties to the skillet and cook for about 4 minutes, until browned, then flip the patties and cook for another 3-4 minutes, until browned, then remove from heat.
- Make the sauce – to make the sauce, simply add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Assemble the salmon burgers + serve – to serve the salmon burgers, place each patty on a hamburger bun, top it with the sauce and butter lettuce, then serve!
What makes the salmon patties stick together?
A few things, actually! The egg + breadcrumbs really act as binders here, but the fact that we’re using fresh, raw salmon really helps too.
How long should you cook Salmon Burgers?
These salmon burgers take very little time to cook (less than 10 minutes total), making this a great busy weeknight dinner.
What seasoning is best to use when cooking salmon burgers?
We kept the seasoning super simple here and stuck to just salt and pepper, because we really wanted the salmon + fresh herbs to shine. Feel free to experiment and use other seasonings + seasoning blends that you love, though – the sky’s the limit here!
How do you know when salmon burgers are done?
You’ll know the salmon patties are done cooking when they’ve cooked for about 4 minutes on each side, have turned from a dark pink/red to a lighter pink, and have reached an internal temperature of 145°F (if you don’t have an instant-read thermometer yet, this is our favorite one!).
How do you serve a salmon burger?
We served ours on a bun with a good smear of Green Goddess sauce and a leaf or two of butter lettuce! Feel free to serve yours on a bed of greens (shredded cabbage would be YUMMY) or next to your favorite veggie and starchy side!
Can you freeze salmon burger patties? If so, how do you prepare frozen salmon burgers?
You can! We’d stick to freezing the already cooked salmon patties (vs. raw patties) because they’ll be way easier to thaw and reheat. To prepare a frozen salmon patty, simply let it thaw for a couple of hours in the fridge, and then reheat it on a skillet (or in the oven) with a little bit of oil until warm!
What toppings go on a salmon burger?
We stuck to a really delicious green, herby sauce and lettuce, but tomatoes, sliced red onion, avocado, and any other burger toppings you love would be great!
How should you toast the buns?
To toast your burger buns, separate the top and bottom of each bun, spread them out on a sheet pan, and let them sit under the broiler for 1-2 minutes (keeping an eye on them the WHOLE time to make sure they don’t burn).
What is good to eat with salmon patties?
Sweet potato fries, regular fries, or a really simple side salad would all be delicious alongside these salmon burgers.
Are salmon burgers healthy?
Salmon is incredibly good for you (it’s loaded with omega-3 fatty acids and potassium), so yes, we’d say that these salmon burgers are a really great, healthy choice.
Can you make salmon burgers with canned salmon?
You can! You’ll want to make sure to fully drain the liquid from the can, though, and you may need to add another egg to help everything stick together (fresh, raw salmon holds together a bit easier than canned salmon). You’ll do everything else exactly the same!
Salmon Burger Variations
While we decided to keep these burgers really simple, feel free to let your imagination run WILD here. Here are a few variations that we think are worth trying:
- Add dried cranberries and feta cheese – keep all of the original ingredients in, plus add crumbled feta cheese and cranberries for a sweet/savory take on these salmon burgers.
- Add shredded cheese, jalapeno, and bacon – swap the herbs in the original recipe for shredded cheddar cheese, finely diced jalapeno, and cooked and crumbled bacon! This one would be really delicious served with ranch dressing.
- Add coconut aminos, sesame oil, and sliced green onions – swap the herbs for coconut aminos, sesame oil, and sliced green onions, and the regular breadcrumbs for panko breadcrumbs. Add dried (or grated, fresh) ginger to the mix, cook, and top with a spicy mayo or sriracha!
Ingredients
For the Salmon Burgers:
- 1 pound salmon skin removed
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped chives
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
- 2 cloves garlic grated or finely minced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon ghee or extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 hamburger buns for serving
- Butter lettuce for serving
For the Green Goddess Sauce (optional):
- ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves and stems
- ¼ cup fresh tarragon leaves
- 4 fresh chives
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice about 1 small lemon
- ½ cup sour cream Greek yogurt, or avocado oil mayonnaise
Instructions
- Add the salmon to a food processor and pulse until it is finely minced. If you don’t have a food processor, you can finely mince the salmon with a knife instead.
- Transfer the minced salmon to a bowl, then add the chives, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper, egg, and breadcrumbs and mix to combine.
- Add the ghee or olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat, then form the salmon mixture into four equally-sized patties.
- Add the salmon patties to the skillet and cook for about 4 minutes, until browned, then flip the patties and cook for another 3-4 minutes, until browned, then remove from heat.
- To make the sauce, add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
- To serve, place each patty on a hamburger bun, top it with the sauce and butter lettuce, then serve!
Jaimee says
can you use canned salmon instead of fresh?
Brandi Schilhab says
You can! You’ll need to fully drain the liquid from the can, though, and you may need to add another egg to help everything hold together.