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In This Post

Why You’ll Love My Salmon Burger Recipe
Ingredients & Substitutions
How To Cook Salmon Burgers
My Recipe Tips
Storage Instructions
Serving Ideas
More Summer Salmon Recipes
My Tools For This Recipe
Salmon Burger Recipe Recipe card
Recipe Reviews

Gimme a juicy beef burger any day of the week, and I’m a happy girl (with a happy family, ha). But sometimes, you just want something a little lighter, and this summer I’m experimenting with other proteins. Enter my salmon burger recipe. It may not be your traditional kind, but if you’re a fan of salmon like me, you’re going to love these. They’re herby and flavorful, and the perfect way to change up your burger game. Grab some fresh salmon and let’s make some salmon burgers!

Why You’ll Love My Salmon Burger Recipe

Fresh and flavorful – I’m obsessed with the Mediterranean-inspired flavors here. You get a zesty kick from the lemon juice, a creamy tang from the Greek yogurt, a subtle punch of garlic and onion, and a fresh, herby vibe from the dill and chives.
Perfect texture – I don’t like my salmon burgers tasting like mush, so I use a combination of finely chopped salmon and a puree. You get a tender inside and a crispy outside, and it’s so much better than using the canned stuff.
Simple ingredients – Because we all need simple in the summer more than ever, right? You can find all you need at any grocery store.
Easy, healthy dinner – The prep takes a little more time than a regular burger, but I often do it in advance, so your dinnertime can still be a breeze. And my salmon burger recipe is packed with protein and omega-3s, without any processed binders or gluten that some recipes use.

Golden brown salmon burger topped with tzatziki sauce on a lettuce leaf.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for my salmon burger recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.

Salmon Fillets – I usually tell you to keep the skin on for more flavor, but skinless salmon works best for burger patties. You can use any kind of salmon — King, Coho, Atlantic, or Sockeye. I usually choose a middle-of-the-road cut and save the expensive ones for my salmon recipes where they’ll be left intact (like baked salmon or pan seared salmon). If all you’ve got is canned fish, I recommend following my tuna patties recipe instead — you can easily use canned salmon with it.
Aromatics – I add both garlic and onions for flavor. My mom often puts grated onions in her regular burgers and it’s just as amazing in my salmon burgers. Feel free to use any kind of onions you like. You can substitute 2 teaspoons of onion powder and 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder if you don’t have fresh aromatics, but to me it’s just not the same.
Lemon Juice – A splash of lemon juice adds a nice, tangy kick. If you’re feeling fancy, a sprinkle of fresh lemon zest can really turn up the zesty flavor!
Full-fat Greek Yogurt – My secret ingredient to keep this salmon burger recipe super moist! It also adds a nice, creamy tang. You can use mayonnaise for a similar effect, though mayo doesn’t have that tang.
Egg – I wouldn’t use one with meat, but for salmon, an egg holds the patties together. If you need a substitute, a flax egg works.
Dijon Mustard – I prefer Dijon because it’s more mild, but you can use stone-ground or yellow mustard, too. I’d recommend using half the amount with those.
Fresh Herbs – Fresh dill and fresh chives just scream summer to me. Feel free to use other herbs, like parsley or tarragon, if you want to change it up.
Oil – Olive oil is my go-to for frying just about anything. Avocado oil has a more neutral taste if you prefer that.
Sea Salt & Black Pepper

Salmon pieces in a large bowl with labeled bowls of garlic, onions, fresh herbs, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, egg, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

How To Cook Salmon Burgers

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.

Chop the salmon. Add the salmon chunks to a food processor. Pulse intermittently, until chopped into 1/8-inch pieces. Remove 3/4 of the salmon and transfer to a large bowl. (Leave the remaining 1/4 in there.)
Puree the other ingredients. Add the onion, garlic, lemon juice, Greek yogurt, egg, mustard, sea salt, black pepper, fresh dill, and fresh chives to the food processor with the remaining 1/4 of the salmon. Puree until smooth.

Salmon diced into small pieces in a food processor.

Remaining ingredients added to the blender and pureed.

Mix together. Pour the mixture from the food processor to the bowl with the chopped salmon. Mix until just combined.
Form the salmon patties. Divide the salmon mixture into 4 patties, approximately 1/2 inch thick. Place them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Salmon mixture in a bowl with a spatula.

Raw patties on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Cook until golden. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. (Alternatively, preheat your grill to medium-high heat instead.) Fry or grill the salmon burgers on both sides, until the outside is golden brown and the inside is done to your liking. I have recommendations on this below.
Let them rest. Resting for a few minutes keeps your burgers nice and juicy, plus it improves the inner texture. You can prep your fixings while you wait. See how I serve my salmon burger recipe below!

Cooked salmon burger recipe in a cast iron skillet.

My Recipe Tips

Be careful not to overprocess the salmon. In the first step, you’re going for salmon pieces that are 1/8 inch in size, not a puree. This is why I start and stop my blender (pulse intermittently) instead of letting it run.
Don’t have a food processor? Use a knife and a blender. A blender, even a powerful one, won’t work well for chopping the salmon, so you’d need to do that part by hand. But you can do the pureeing step in a blender.
Refrigerating is crucial. This not only lets the flavors meld nicely, but also firms up your salmon burgers, so that they don’t fall apart when you cook them. I’ve learned the hard way!
Use parchment paper to help with transfer. The patties are delicate and sticky, so transferring them to your skillet or grill can be tricky. The key is the parchment paper on the pan you use to refrigerate them! It not only prevents them from sticking to the pan, but also helps me transfer them to cook. I just cut the paper around each patty, flip it into the pan or my grill, and peel off the paper.
For the stovetop method, a cast iron skillet works best. Even though it’s not nonstick, I swear by cast iron for these. You can’t beat that golden and crispy crust on a salmon burger!
Don’t flip too early. Flipping the patties too soon can lead to a crumbly disaster or sticking. If they don’t release easily, give them more time to brown underneath before you flip.
For best results, go by internal temperature. The best way to know for sure that your patties are done is to use a meat thermometer (I like this one). The USDA recommends 145 degrees F for fish, but I prefer 140 degrees F. I think my salmon burger recipe is more juicy that way. The cooking time can vary depending on how thick your patties are — my times here are based on patties that are about 1/2 inch thick. If they start browning too quickly but aren’t firm yet, just turn the burner to medium-low heat for a bit.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. You can reheat them later (see below), or repurpose them. I’ve used the crumbled patties to make my salmon salad or mixed them into zoodles with Alfredo sauce.
Meal Prep: My salmon burgers recipe already calls for at least 30 minutes in the fridge, but you can do it for up to 24 hours. I like to meal prep them ahead, so dinner takes just a few minutes the day-of.
Reheat: To get them crispy again, reheat the burgers in a skillet over medium heat.
Freeze: I freeze these in zip lock bags with parchment paper between them to prevent sticking. They’ll last for up to 3 months in the freezer. You can reheat the salmon burgers in the oven from frozen, but I prefer to thaw them first so they are more juicy.

A juicy salmon burger on a bun with all my favorite fixings.

Serving Ideas

A salmon burger pairs well with many of the same foods that a regular burger does, but I think it goes particularly well with the ones that have Mediterranean flavors. Here are some of my faves:

Fixings – My favorite salmon burger toppings (shown above) are fresh tomato slices, red onions, arugula, and my homemade tzatziki sauce. You can serve these on buns (I used gluten-free ones above) or open-faced over a lettuce leaf. Sometimes I change it up with other sauces — my garlic aioli or tahini sauce both make an excellent salmon burger sauce.
Salads – I love these with fresh salad recipes the most. My favorite is a Greek salad, but a simple cucumber tomato salad is also wonderful.
Potatoes – I highly recommend Greek lemon potatoes to go with the flavors in these burgers, but you can keep it simple with garlic parmesan fries or sweet potato wedges, too. For a lighter summery touch, try my zucchini fries… they actually taste great with the same sauces!
Veggies – If you’re grilling, whip up some grilled eggplant or patty pan squash. When I’m making my salmon burger recipe indoors, I usually opt for sauteed asparagus or sauteed zucchini, so I can repurpose the same pan.

More Summer Salmon Recipes

I eat salmon year round, but I love adding a summery flair to it this time of year! Try some of my other options:

My Tools For This Recipe

Food Processor – Mine is large enough to fit all the fish for this salmon burger recipe, and has lasted me for nearly a decade.
Cast Iron Skillet – For getting that perfect sear. I have this one in multiple colors.
Instant Read Thermometer – I love how quickly it reads. No more overcooking.

Salmon Burger Recipe

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7 Comments

linagrech
0 Jun 8, 2025Reply

Thanks, they are very good!
- Wholesome Yum D
  0 Jun 9, 2025Reply
  
  You’re very welcome! I’m so glad you liked them!
Beryl
0 May 22, 2025Reply

This looks yummy. Do you use real bread buns or another type of bread please?
- Maya | Wholesome Yum
  0 May 27, 2025Reply
  
  Thank you, Beryl! You can use any kind of buns that fit your lifestyle, or lettuce wraps. I have serving ideas above. I personally sometimes do gluten-free buns and sometimes lettuce wraps.
Priscilla Sanchez
0 Jul 15, 2024Reply

The lemon juice and herbs added great flavor to the salmon. So good and healthy. Adding this to my weekly rotation.
Sally
0 Jul 8, 2024Reply

These salmon fillets were delicious! The fresh dill and chives was a twist. Made them for a family dinner, and everyone liked the light, tangy taste from the lemon juice.
Alisa
0 Jun 3, 2024Reply

I love these! Reminds me of fish filet burgers which are my fave! These salmon burgers are a tasty change from beef burgers! They’re full of flavor and a great lighter choice for summer. I highly recommend them!