These Salmon Burgers are unlike any burger you’ve ever had. Made with real fresh salmon, these burgers are crispy on the outside and flaky inside. They’re juicy, thick, and healthy. Top them with creamy coleslaw the best combination of flavor and texture.
Plus, you can make these homemade salmon patties on the stove, in the air fryer, or in the oven. Serve this protein-packed meal for lunch or dinner in a burger bun, lettuce wrap, or over salad.
Why You'll Love Salmon Burgers
- The juicy, tender salmon patty. Of course, you could slap a seared Garlic Butter Salmon filet on a burger and call it a salmon burger — but it just wouldn’t be the same. This salmon patty is made with carefully chopped fresh salmon, breadcrumbs, dill, and a special blend of aromatics to create a flavorful, tender, and juicy salmon burger patty that is thick.
- It’s a healthy and tasty alternative to classic burgers. You can’t go wrong with traditional Classic Beef Burgers, but sometimes you crave a burger that is a little different. These salmon burgers give you an option that’s delicious and healthy without sacrificing protein or flavor.
- Topped with a simple and easy coleslaw. Although these salmon burgers are seasoned well, you need to serve them with the something saucy — and the coleslaw with creamy dressing does not disappoint. But of course you could choose your favorite burger toppings and add some tarter sauce.
- Serve them with or without a bun. You can serve the salmon patties with a bread bun or serve them bunless in a lettuce wrap or over Coleslaw or any other salad you like.
Ingredient Notes
To make this delicious homemade Salmon Burgers, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
Salmon Patty Ingredients
- salmon fillets - these salmon burgers are made with real salmon fillets (no canned salmon here), so you will need to remove the skin and any bones.
- breadcrumbs - helps to make the cooked salmon patties lighter and more tender.
- egg - a binding ingredient to help shape the patties and hold them together.
- mayonnaise
- Dijon mustard
- lemon juice
- dill - I recommend using fresh dill and not dried. Dill compliments the natural flavor of salmon so well. Feel free to substitute with you favorite herb if you like.
- smoked paprika
- salt and pepper
Coleslaw Ingredients
- purple cabbage - or substitute with a green cabbage or a combination of the two.
- carrot - you will need to shred or julienne the carrots. A box grater makes it really easy to do this.
- mayonnaise
- lemon juice
- salt and pepper
You will also need vegetable oil (if pan frying the patties) and hamburger buns for assembling the burgers. If you like baking bread at home or want to give it a try, you need to try our easy to make Homemade Hamburger Buns.
How to Make the Best Patties for Salmon Burgers
- Combine the patty ingredients. Cut the salmon fillets into 1-inch strips and transfer into a food processor. Add breadcrumbs, egg, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, dill, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Process. Pulse mix on and off for 1 minute until coarsely chopped. You can also chop the salmon fillets by hand into ⅛-inch diced pieces and use a spatula to mix all the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl until evenly combined.
- Shape into patties. Take about ½ cup salmon mixture at a time and use your hands to firmly shape into 4-5 large patties. You can wear disposable gloves for easy clean up.
- Chill. Refrigerate or freeze for 10-15 minutes to allow the salmon patties to firm up a bit more.
- Cook the patties. You can pan fry, air fry, or bake the patties.
- To pan fry: Heat oil in the skillet over medium heat until sizzling hot, about 2 minutes. Place patties on the skillet and cook until nicely browned and firm, about 5 minutes per side.
- To air fry: Add salmon patties in batches in the air fryer basket and cook at 375F for 12-15 minutes until nicely browned. Flip once halfway through cooking.
- To bake: Add salmon patties to a large parchment-lined half sheet baking pan and bake in a 375F preheat oven for 15 minutes until nicely browned, flipping once.
How to Assemble Salmon Burgers
First, make the slaw. In a medium mixing bowl, combine cabbage, carrot, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir well until evenly combined.
Next, slice the hamburger buns and toast them on the grill or in the frying pan, if desired.
Finally, assemble the burgers. Place the salmon patties on the bottom half of the bun and top with coleslaw. Place top bun on top and serve immediately.
Salmon Burger Toppings
You can also add any additional fixings that you like to your salmon burgers, such as:
- tarter sauce
- fresh or fried onions
- pickles
- thinly sliced, fresh or roasted bell peppers
- sliced avocado or guacamole
- pesto sauce
- sliced cheese, such as provolone or mozzarella
How to Serve
Salmon burgers are delicious and filling on their own. If you want to make a complete meal, serve your salmon burgers with classic burger sides such as:
- Greek Fries
- Caesar Salad
- Grilled Corn on the Cob
- Baked Sweet Potato Wedges
- Lemon Parmesan Asparagus
- Air Fryer French Fries
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- How to store: Store salmon patties, slaw, and buns separately until it’s time to eat. Cooked salmon burgers will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days inside an airtight container. Coleslaw will last the same amount of time in an airtight container but get soggier the longer it’s stored.
- How to reheat: To reheat salmon burgers, place the patty gently on an oiled non-stick pan over medium heat. Add a splash of water and cover the pan, allowing the burger to steam for 5-10 minutes until warm. Flip, if needed.
- How to freeze uncooked salmon patties: You can freeze the uncooked salmon patties for up to 1 month for best results. To freeze, place on a lined sheet pan and freeze for 1-2 hours until hard. Then, stack them up with a piece of parchment paper in between each patty and store in an airtight container or freezer bag.
More Salmon Recipes
- 15 Best Salmon Recipes
- Coconut Curry Salmon
- Garlic Butter Salmon
- Teriyaki Salmon
- Greek Salmon
- Miso Salmon
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Recipe
Salmon Burgers
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4-5 burgers
Description
These Salmon Burgers made with real fresh salmon, are crispy on the outside and flaky inside, juicy and thick, and healthy and packed with protein.
Ingredients
For the salmon patties:
- 1 ¼ pounds salmon fillets, skin and bones removed
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
For the coleslaw:
- 3 cups purple cabbage, shredded
- 1 medium carrot, julienned or shredded
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
Other ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (if pan frying the patties)
- 4 hamburger buns
Instructions
Prepare the salmon patties:
- Cut the salmon fillets into 1-inch strips and transfer into a food processor.
- Add breadcrumbs, egg, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, dill, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Pulse mix on and off for 1 minute until coarsely chopped. You can also chop the salmon fillets by hand into ⅛-inch diced pieces and use a spatula to mix all the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl until evenly combined.
- Take about ½ cup salmon mixture at a time and use your hands to firmly shape into 4-5 large patties. You can wear disposable gloves for easy clean up.
- Refrigerate or freeze for 10-15 minutes to allow the salmon patties to firm up a bit more.
Cook the patties:
- You can pan fry, air fry, or bake the patties.
- To pan fry: Heat oil in the skillet over medium heat until sizzling hot, about 2 minutes. Place patties on the skillet and cook until nicely browned and firm, about 5 minutes per side.
- To air fry: Add salmon patties in batches in the air fryer basket and cook at 375F for 12-15 minutes until nicely browned. Flip once halfway through cooking.
- To bake: Add salmon patties to a large parchment-lined half sheet baking pan and bake in a 375F preheat oven for 15 minutes until nicely browned, flipping once.
Make the slaw:
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine cabbage, carrot, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir well until evenly combined.
Assemble the burgers:
- Slice the hamburger buns and toast the slices on the grill or in the frying pan, if desired.
- Place the salmon patties on the bottom half of the bun and top with coleslaw. Place top bun on top and serve immediately.
Notes
How to store: Store salmon patties, slaw, and buns separately until it’s time to eat. Cooked salmon burgers will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days inside an airtight container. Coleslaw will last the same amount of time in an airtight container but get soggier the longer it’s stored.
How to reheat: To reheat salmon burgers, place the patty gently on an oiled non-stick pan over medium heat. Add a splash of water and cover the pan, allowing the burger to steam for 5-10 minutes until warm. Flip, if needed.
How to freeze uncooked salmon patties: You can freeze the uncooked salmon patties for up to 1 month for best results. To freeze, place on a lined sheet pan and freeze for 1-2 hours until hard. Then, stack them up with a piece of parchment paper in between each patty and store in an airtight container or freezer bag.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salmon
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Mike Dangler says
All of my family loved these. They were full of flavor. Thank you for another great recipe!
Abbey Falkey says
Loved this recipe and would definitely make again. It took a little planning to make sure I prepped the patties and had time for them to cool in the fridge before it was dinner time. The patties were a little gooey looking, so I was a little worried I had done something wrong, but they definitely firmed up in the fridge. I ended up pan frying the burgers and they turned out nice and brown and crisp. We served them on brioche buns with avocado and slaw and there wasn't a bite leftover. Delish! Thinking about making double next time and trying to freeze half.