The healthiest way to make fresh salmon burgers is without breadcrumb fillers! These simply-salmon burgers with a homemade Greek tzatziki sauce and endless topping ideas are great for any occasion and can even be made ahead!
The Secret to Healthy, Fresh Salmon Burgers
No Fillers, No Breadcrumbs
Chances are, if you’ve bought salmon burgers at the grocery store, they’re loaded with breadcrumbs, not salmon! These fresh salmon burgers are simply fresh salmon formed into burger patties! No breadcrumbs, no BS! Just straight up goodness.
Serve with Homemade Dill Pickles. Yum.
Healthy, Delicious Salmon Burger Sauce
Salmon burger sauce can be delicious and nutritious! An easy homemade tzatziki sauce is packed with flavor and nutrients from ingredients like non-fat Greek yogurt, cucumber and dill!
Endless Salmon Burger Toppings
The list of potential toppings for salmon burgers is endless. Whether you opt to eat your salmon burgers solo (no bun needed!), or on a bed of bibb lettuce, or on a soft brioche bun – you can’t go wrong with these healthy topping ideas:
- Thin slices of red or sweet onion
- Thin slices of cucumber
- Thin slices of fennel
- Arugula
- Bibb lettuce
- Capers
- Pickles
- Avocado
- Feta
- Fresh squeezed lime or lemon juice
Salmon Burger Ingredients
You only need a handful of ingredients to make fresh salmon burgers:
- Fresh salmon – I recommend skinned, fresh salmon fillets. I don’t recommend using canned salmon!
- Non-fat Greek yogurt – plain, non-fat Greek yogurt is the perfect base for our tzatziki that will be used to bind our salmon into patties and as a sauce on top!
- English cucumber – English cucumber adds a crunch to our tzatziki and moistness to our salmon burgers.
- Garlic – garlic. Enough said!
- Lemon juice – lemon juice adds flavor and brightness.
- Fresh dill – dill adds that signature Greek tzatziki taste.
- Extra virgin olive oil – olive oil is used to pan sear our burgers and to add flavor to our sauce.
- Toppings of choice – see the above section for healthy topping ideas!
How to Cook Salmon Burgers
These fresh salmon burgers are so easy to cook! The full instructions and step-by-step video are in the recipe card below!
- Make the tzatziki sauce.
Mix together yogurt, grated cucumber, a dash of olive oil, dill, lemon, garlic, salt and pepper.
- Finely chop the salmon.
Finely chop cold salmon (just like you’d finely chop veggies) with a sharp knife. Add in 1/3 cup sauce and mix.
- Form burger patties.
Use your hands to divide chopped salmon into 4 portions. Tightly squeeze finely chopped salmon into roughly ¾ inch thick, average-sized patties on a baking sheet or plate. Refrigerate for 30 minutes for firmer, more tightly packed patties (if desired).
- Cook salmon burgers.
In a preheated, large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil and then 2 salmon patties. TIP: use 2 wide spatulas to help slide patties into pan if you don’t have time to refrigerate them (they’ll be very delicate). Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown and internal temp reaches at least 145 degrees. Repeat for consecutive batches (no need to add more oil).
- Serve.
Serve with desired toppings on a soft brioche bun, bed of bibb lettuce or alone with more tzatziki sauce!
What to Serve With Salmon Burgers
Looking for healthy salmon burger side dishes? I have your back!
- Homemade Dill Pickles
- Easy Beet Hummus with 30-Minute Wheat Naan
- Simply Delicious Radish Salad
- Fast Broiled Asparagus
- Healthy Baked Tortilla Chips
- Watermelon Corn Salsa
- Simple Tomato, Cucumber Salad
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes, salmon burgers are healthy and packed with nutrients from salmon and no-fat Greek yogurt based tzatziki (plus no breadcrumb fillers!).
Yes! So the burgers don’t stick, refrigerate your burgers for 30 minutes before grilling, and place your burgers on a well-oiled piece of heavy duty foil or grill plate. Grill for 3-4 minutes per side.
Store uncooked salmon burgers, covered, in the fridge for 1-2 days.
Store cooked salmon burgers, covered, in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat burgers wrapped in foil in the oven at 350 degrees until hot (about 10-15 minutes). You can also heat in a covered microwave dish, but the oven is recommended!
Freeze salmon burgers by wrapping individually in plastic wrap and then placing them in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 2 months, thawing in the fridge before cooking normally in a pan.
More Sandwich Recipes You’ll Love on Tastefully Grace!
- Best Salami Sandwich
- Turkey Club Sandwich With Black Pepper Parmesan Mayo
- Pesto Chicken Cutlet Sub Sandwiches
- Tomato Sandwiches
Fresh Salmon Burgers (No Breadcrumbs!)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds fresh salmon, skinned and chilled
- 1 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
- ½ English cucumber
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- Toppings of choice
Instructions
- Use a cheese grater’s coarse setting to grate half of an unpeeled cucumber. Pat dry excess liquid from grated cucumber with paper towels. Mix together yogurt, grated cucumber, 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, dill, lemon, garlic, salt and pepper.
- Finely chop chilled salmon (just like you’d finely chop veggies) with a sharp knife. Add in 1/3 cup tzatziki yogurt sauce and combine.
- Use your hands to divide chopped salmon into 4 portions. Tightly squeeze finely chopped salmon into roughly ¾ inch thick, average-sized patties on a baking sheet or plate. Refrigerate for 30 minutes so salmon patties firm up and are more easily transferred to pan (optional, if time allows).
- In a preheated, large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil and then 2 salmon patties. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown and internal temp reaches at least 145 degrees. Repeat for consecutive batches (no need to add more oil).
- Serve with desired toppings on a soft brioche bun, bed of bibb lettuce or alone with more tzatziki sauce!
Video
Notes
- TIP: use 2 wide spatulas to help slide patties into pan if you don’t have time to refrigerate them (they’ll be very delicate).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
