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Growing up, I never had a salmon burger. If we would have, it would not have been easy to find salmon to use. Most likely, it would have been a salmon patty made from canned salmon. In contrast, this is a fresh salmon burger and the result is surprisingly meaty and easy.
Iowa does not offer truly fresh salmon, but grocery stores do have readily available good-quality frozen salmon, and that works perfectly. I find the frozen variety provides the same level of satisfaction that a beef burger would, but have the added bonus of healthy omega fats.
In this recipe, the flavor of rich salmon is finished with a quick dill aioli. This recipe will surprise you. It’s a salmon burger made without a grill but with all the flavor!
The ingredients in these salmon burgers
- Salmon is, obviously, the big player here. The better quality salmon used, the more flavor and healthy fats. Part of the salmon is blended to resemble ground meat that will bind the burgers together. The rest of the salmon, left in whole chunks, provide more texture to the burgers.
- White beans are, I’ll admit, a surprising ingredient. Instead of using bread crumbs, I find that the beans blend in easily and bind the burgers. Plus, the beans do not add any flavor once cooked.
- Scallions are a light and soft way to add some onion without any of the strong flavor.
- Capers are a berry that’s pickled in a brine. The berries are a classic with salmon and add a bright, acidic pop to balance out the fatty salmon.
- Dijon mustard also balances out the fatty salmon and cuts through the richness. You do not taste mustard in the burger. It’s just a well-rounded flavor.
A salmon burger is a luxury. Salmon, like all good quality meat, is not cheap. When we cook with salmon, it should be treated well and used in a way that showcases the flavor. These burgers are worth every bite and really stand up against the more traditional grilled burger. The result is meaty, juicy, and filling!
More popular dinner ideas
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Watch how to make these salmon burgers
Salmon Burgers with Dill Aioli
Ingredients
For the burgers
- 1 ½ lb salmon (about 5 filets)
- ½ cup white navy beans drained and rinsed
- 1 tbsp capers drained
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 scallions (white and light green parts)
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ¾ tsp pepper
For the dill aioli
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 large clove garlic
- 1 tbsp chopped dill
- 2 tsp capers (with pickling liquid)
- ¾ cup neutral oil
Instructions
For the burgers
- Remove skin from the filets and cut into 1-inch cubes. Place about ¾ of the salmon in a food processor. Add the white beans, scallions, capers, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.1 ½ lb salmon (about 5 filets), ½ cup white navy beans, 1 tbsp capers, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 2 scallions (white and light green parts), 1 ½ tsp salt, ¾ tsp pepper
- Pulse the food processor until the salmon and beans are a thick paste, about five 5-second pulses. Add the remaining salmon and pulse a few times to combine.
- Form the salmon into six equal burgers. Flatten the burgers out to about four inches in diameter and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Heat 1 tbsp neutral oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, add the burgers to the skillet. Cook the burgers until a golden crust is formed on both sides and the inside of the burger reaches 120°F, about 3-4 minutes per side. Once cooked, remove from skillet and serve.
For the dill aioli
- In a small container or a blender canister, combine the egg, garlic, salt, pepper, mustard, capers, and dill. Use an immersion blender or blender and blend until the ingredients are combined and smooth. With the blender running, slowly drizzle in oil until the mixture has thickened, 30 seconds to one minute. Serve with the salmon burgers.1 large egg, 2 tsp Dijon mustard, ¾ tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, 1 large clove garlic, 1 tbsp chopped dill, 2 tsp capers (with pickling liquid), ¾ cup neutral oil
Notes
- Caloric information is for the salmon burgers only. No bun or aioli information is calculated.
