These Salmon Burgers with Lemon Caper Aioli are so easy to make, super moist and delicious, and a healthier, omega-3 packed alternative to a traditional beef burger. They’re also perfect for the Lenten season, whether you’re trying to eat less meat, no meat, or meat-free on Fridays!
I made these for Zach and his parents a few weekends ago and, not to brag or anything, but they LOVED them. They were a huge hit. Zach declared them his “new favorite way to eat salmon,” which is a bold statement, since we eat it a lot around here.
I’ve made salmon croquettes before with canned salmon, which is already cooked (like tuna). They are delicious, for sure. But these use fresh salmon, chopped up into itty bitty pieces, formed into a patty with some other stuff, and THEN cooked (as you would with ground beef for a regular burger). The result is a super moist, fresh patty with a perfect sear on the outside that holds up perfectly.
The best thing about this recipe is you can make it way in advance. You can mix and form the patties up to two days before cooking and keep them in your fridge, or you can freeze them! Just place the formed patties on a baking sheet in your freezer to flash freeze them for about a half an hour. Then, transfer them to a container or bag separated with parchment paper. This will ensure that they maintain their shape and don’t get squished together. Just be sure to defrost them completely before cooking them to ensure even cooking.
Similarly, the sauce can be made days in advance of eating. I recommend doubling the sauce recipe and serving homemade sweet potato fries with the meal, using the extra sauce for dipping. Or, you can use a homemade tartar sauce instead if you prefer.
Try these other salmon recipes:
- Garlic Butter Sheet Pan Salmon and Veggies
- 15-Minute Perfect Poached Salmon with Chive Butter
- Orange Glazed Salmon
- Salmon, Arugula, and Feta Frittata
- One-Pan Garlic Butter Salmon and Swiss Chard
- Chipotle Salmon Tacos with Cilantro Lime Crema
- Seared Salmon with Scallion Butter
- Seared Salmon with Avocado, Lemon, and Garlic Aioli
- Garlic Poached Salmon with Creamy Lemon Caper Sauce
Recipe for Salmon Burgers with Lemon Caper Aioli below!
Salmon Burgers with Lemon Caper Aioli
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Burgers:
- 1-1 1/4 lbs. salmon skin removed (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest from about 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- 1/4 cup red onion finely diced
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs plus more if needed
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
For the Lemon Caper Aioli:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon capers drained and roughly chopped
- 1 small clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice from about 1/2 a lemon
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
For Serving:
- 4 burger buns
- 1 cup baby arugula
Instructions
- Chop the salmon roughly into approximately 1/2 inch cubes.
- Mix chopped salmon in a medium sized bowl with lemon zest (1 teaspoon), parsley (2 tablespoons), red onion (1/4 cup), mayonnaise (2 tablespoons), kosher salt, and pepper. Add 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs and if the mixture seems too wet, add more until you reach the desired consistency.
- Form the mixture into four equal sized patties.
- Heat the olive oil (2 tablespoons) in a heavy skillet (such as cast iron) to medium high heat. Sear the patties on one side for approximately 4 minutes. Flip and cook for another 4 minutes, or until salmon is cooked through.
- Meanwhile, mix the ingredients for the lemon caper aioli in a small bowl.
- Serve the patties on toasted burger buns topped with aioli and arugula.
Notes
- For a lower-carb version, omit the bun and serve on lettuce wraps or on top of a bed of greens drizzled with the sauce.
- When I buy salmon at the fish counter, I ask them to take the skin off for me. They do a much better job than I could, and the service is free! You may even be able to ask them to chop it up for you- I’ve never tried but I sure as heck will next time.
- The provided nutrition information does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. Feel free to calculate it yourself using this calculator or by adding the recipe to Yummly.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and reflects one serving of the recipe (total servings indicated at top of recipe card). It does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:
Nelsy
Hey there! Do you think the recipe still works if I leave out the breadcrumbs? I love this recipe but trying to see if i can make it Whole30 compliant. Thanks!
Elizabeth
The breadcrumbs definitely help bind it together, but you can use almond flour instead! Here’s a similar recipe I did a while back using tuna and it’s paleo/whole30 compliant. Good luck finishing the whole30- I did it a few years ago and it was amazing!! https://www.bowlofdelicious.com/paleo-tuna-croquettes-with-lemon-dill-aioli/
Tracy
Great recipe. I added dill to this batch. I double the recipe Do you recommend freezing before it is cooked or after?
Elizabeth
Sorry for the delayed response! Love the idea of adding dill. I think in an ideal world, freezing them before cooking would be best. Then, make sure you defrost completely before cooking. Freezing them cooked would work, but since it’s easy to overcook salmon, the result might be a bit dryer than it would be otherwise. Hope that helps!
Tracy
Delicious. Made them twice and they are a crowd pleaser. Any idea on the calorie per burger?
Elizabeth
So happy you liked them! Sorry for the delayed response. I’m in the (slow and tedious) process of updating my old recipes to have nutritional information. I went ahead and updated this one thanks to your inquiry! Looks like, WITH the bun and sauce, each burger has about 601 calories. hope that helps!
terry
I love your recipes! I wish that your comments before the “recipe” box, the ‘filed under and tagged’ lines could be copied. I was able to do it on some of your recipes, but, not all.
Elizabeth
Thanks Terry! Hm, I’m not sure why you were able to do it with some and not others. Sorry about that! If you have trouble copying them but want to print, I would suggest printing directly from the internet browser rather than pressing “print” on the recipe card, since the entire blog page should show up. Hope that helps!