Fresh salmon is combined with herbs and spices and a delicious tangy yogurt sauce in these this salmon burger recipe. With either a Lemon Dill or Cilantro Lime mix you’ll fall in love with these salmon burgers for your next BBQ or cook-out!
The BEST Salmon Burgers
These are the best salmon burgers for a multitude of reasons but mostly because I love how easy they are and how they only contain fresh ingredients! So often salmon burgers are packed full of breadcrumbs to help the mixture bind (and because breadcrumbs are cheaper!) but not these. These use only fresh salmon and herbs and spices.
We’re offering two different variations because we tested both and we couldn’t decide which ones to share. We’ll leave it to you to decide which flavor you prefer, but personally you really cannot go wrong!
Ingredients in Salmon Burger Recipe
- Salmon – I like using fresh salmon but you can also use canned. See my note below!
- Dijon mustard – the perfect flavor pairing for the salmon burger base.
- Seasonings and spices – depending on the flavor of salmon burger you want to make, you’ll add in additional seasonings and spices. Dill and fresh lemon juice or cilantro and lime plus scallions. You could also add in fresh parsley or other fresh herbs.
- Tangy cumin yogurt sauce – this homemade sauce pairs perfectly with the burgers!
Tangy Yogurt Sauce
We decided to pair this salmon burger recipe with a yogurt sauce because I’m always in the pro-sauce camp. It takes two seconds to mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl and pairs super well with the salmon! It’s tangy, citrusy, savory and creamy… so good. Here’s what you need:
- Whole Milk Yogurt (or Plain Greek Yogurt)
- Olive oil
- Fresh Lemon juice + zest
- Cumin
- Salt
Obviously it’s great with these salmon burgers but is also delicious with french fries, roasted veggies, roasted fish or you can add more oil to the mix to thin it out to use as salad dressing. Definitely worth making!
How to Make Salmon Burgers
We are giving you two variations of this salmon burger recipe: Lemon Dill Salmon Burgers or Cilantro Lime Salmon Burgers. You can’t go wrong with either so pick one this week and make the other next week!
STEP 1: MAKE SALMON PASTE
The first step is to make a paste by blending 1/4 of the fresh salmon with 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard in a food processor. The end result will be a gummy texture that acts as the glue that holds the burgers together.
STEP 2: ADD TO FOOD PROCESSOR
Add the rest of the salmon to the food processor along with the rest of the ingredients (depending on which flavor you’re making!). Pulse around 10-15 times or until the herbs are evenly distributed throughout and you are left with a chunky mixture.
STEP 3: FORM PATTIES
Form into four patties and place in the fridge to set for 20-30 minutes.
STEP 4: COOK SALMON BURGERS
When you’re ready to cook, heat a large skillet or pan over medium heat. Add the patties and cook until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Serve with buns or as lettuce wraps and add any toppings you like! Pro tip: the cilantro lime salmon burger is delicious with pickled onion and tangy cumin yogurt sauce.
Can you use Canned Salmon?
Since I knew you would ask this question, we did the testing for you and YES you can use canned salmon in this salmon burger recipe. You can use the same amount of canned for fresh (1 1/4 lbs), however you will need to adjust the recipe slightly – start with less dijon and lemon juice and check consistency. Add more as needed.
What To Eat with Salmon Burgers:
I know some might think salmon patties might be weird but trust me on this! They’re not at all. Jess and I paired this salmon burger recipe with a tangy yogurt sauce, greens and a bun and they were delicious! They would also be great with a slaw or just on their own with roasted veggies. Here are some recipe side ideas for these fresh salmon burgers:
- Sweet Potato Fries – can’t go wrong with burgers and fries!
- Roasted Maple Dijon Carrots – I love these roasted carrots!
- Maple Roasted Brussel Sprouts – another fan favorite.
- Crispy Baked French Fries – want a traditional french fry recipe? This is for you!
Can You Grill These Salmon Burgers?
Yes! You can grill these salmon burgers on your BBQ. Just be sure to grease the grates really well so they flip easily.
How to Store Salmon Burgers
In Refrigerator – store in fridge for up to 3 days (though best fresh). Reheat in microwave or on stovetop and top with yogurt dressing.
In Freezer – place salmon burgers on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze for 1 hour. Remove from freezer and place in a ziplock bag, dividing layers with parchment paper. Place back in freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in fridge.
More Salmon Recipes:
- Baked Miso Salmon
- Salmon Rice Bowls
- Easy Baked Chimichurri Salmon
- Easy Hoisin Garlic Salmon
- Honey Mustard Grilled Salmon
- Lemon Artichoke Baked Salmon
More Burger Recipes:
- Jalapeno Turkey Burgers
- Black Bean Zucchini Burgers
- Thai Turkey Burgers
- Moroccan Lamb Burgers
- Falafel Burgers
- Quinoa Veggie Burgers
Fresh Salmon Burgers
Change up your burger game with two delicious recipes for fresh salmon burgers. Dill salmon burgers and cilantro salmon burgers the whole family will love.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Cook
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 lbs of salmon, skinned and deboned
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
Lemon and Dill Burgers:
- 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
- zest of 1 lemon
- juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/2–3/4 tsp salt
Cilantro Lime Burgers:
- 4 scallions, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- Zest of 2 limes
- Juice from 1 lime
- 1/2–3/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin
Tangy Cumin Yogurt Sauce:
- 5–6 ounces of whole plain yogurt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
For the Salmon Burgers:
- In a food processor blend ¼ of the salmon with 1 teaspoon dijon mustard until a paste forms – it will have a weird gummy texture but you want this as it will be the glue that holds the burgers together.
- Add the rest of the salmon to the food processor in chunks along with the rest of the ingredients depending on what version you are making.
- Pulse until you have a chunky mixture with the herbs and lemon/lime evenly distributed throughout, about 10 pulses.
- Form into four patties and place in the fridge to set for 20-30 minutes.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and cook your salmon patties in a couple of teaspoons of oil for 3 minutes per side.
- Serve with buns or lettuce wraps and any toppings you want.
For the Tangy Yogurt Sauce:
- Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.
- Enjoy on veggie bowls, burgers, as a dipping sauce for fries and roasted veggies, over roasted fish or thinned out with extra oil for a creamy, tangy salad dressing.
Keywords: salmon burger, salmon burgers, salmon burger recipe
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3 Comments
MaryAnn Coy
September 20, 2019 at 11:28 pmBurgers sound great, just my thing. My problem, poor vision. Your site is so greyed out I can barely make out much of the type. Any chance of improving that situation? Thanks
★★★★★
Jennifer J. Harmon
September 16, 2019 at 6:11 amThank you for the recipe
Davida Lederle
September 16, 2019 at 9:45 amof course!!