I am seriously appalled that it’s taken me this long to write a recipe for salmon burgers.
You have my humble apologies.
But, I guess that’s what New Years aspirations are all about, right? Setting new goals. Raising the bar. Raising the roof, even. ‘Cuz you know me…I do the cookings and the dancings. At the same time. Hollah!
Anyway, back to the burgers. These were actually invented back in the olden days (like 4, 5 months ago, give or take) when Michigan folk could comfortably enjoy a leisurely afternoon relaxing on a chaise amidst mosquitoes and carpenter bees, all the while reveling in the warmth of the late Summer sun. That seems like a distant memory, now. Especially as I peer out the window. Bleak.
Last Summer, these were simply salmon cakes — light and flavorful. But, today, I’ve tweaked them just a bit to make them slightly heartier to get us through the rough colder months. Sandwiched between two crunchy pieces of bread and layered with punchy red onions and peppery arugula, these salmon burgers really pack a punch. And they couldn’t be any easier to make. Here’s how:
Zesty Salmon Burgers
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients:
For the broiled salmon:
2 salmon filets; skin removed
1 T. unsalted butter; melted
1 t. lemon juice
Salt and pepper
For the burgers:
¼ medium red onion; chopped finely
¼ C. corn kernels
2 T. mayonnaise, preferably homemade
8 squirts sriracha sauce*
1 whole egg
2 T. bread crumbs
Salt and pepper
Vegetable oil
For the sauce:
¼ C. mayonnaise
1 T. lemon juice
4 kaiser rolls; toasted
Mache or arugula leaves
Red onion; sliced thinly
*Find this spicy hot sauce in the Asian section of your local grocer’s ethnic aisle
Cooking Instructions:
Set your oven rack to its highest level and turn the broiler on.
Place two salmon filets in the middle of a baking sheet. Generously season with salt and pepper. Using a pastry brush, paint the salmon with butter, then drizzle lemon juice on top. Put the salmon in the oven and bake until slightly golden brown and just cooked through, about 8 minutes.
When the salmon is done cooking, set aside to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, put the chopped red onion, corn kernels, mayonnaise, sriracha sauce, egg, and bread crumbs into a medium-sized bowl. Once the salmon has cooled down, shred it roughly with a fork. Add shredded salmon to the bowl with ingredients. Mix to combine. Add salt and pepper.
Begin to form the patties in your hands and set aside.
Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat with vegetable oil. When the pan is hot, gently place the salmon patties onto it, allowing to cook for about 6-7 minutes on one side, until golden brown, and then gently flipping over to cook on the other side, about another 5 minutes.
Set the cooked salmon patties to the side.
Prepare the sauce by combining the mayonnaise and lemon juice together.
Assemble the zesty salmon burgers by slathering the mayo sauce on the bottom bun, putting the salmon patty over that, then topping with red onions and mache/arugula leaves. Finish with the bun.
Eat!
Provecho!
XO,
Steph
Salmon, salmon, salmon! (that was said in a sing-song chant). I love salmon, and I love finding new recipes for it. Yum!
LOL…I don’t think I’ve heard such a chant! :-p I’ll have to look it up. We always have salmon laying around. We buy them frozen from Costco. Yum!
That looks healthy and delicious! Must try.
I am so excited to have found your blog from Food Gawker! The salmon burger looks A-Maze-Ing! Seriously. Also…the name of your blog is one of my favorite “catch phrases” I use with my kids. I can assure you that I will be following along now and am pretty darned excited to make the salmon burgers.
Hi Geni,
Nice to meet yah! Thanks for stopping by. :-p I know, I use that saying a lot, too. Especially when I was teaching at the child care center years ago.
I had never associated in my mind salmon with burgers. I mean, they were only ham-burgers. It’s genial! A wonderful idea. A very different way to have salmon. 😉
I got tired of always having the usual broiled salmon with a side of couscous and vegetables, so I started playing around with it. It’s also wonderful on a bed of mixed baby lettuces!
I love a good salmon burger, and the sriracha sounds great in this! Wish I could have this for lunch today.
Looking good. I like the fitted bun. Keep up the good work.
Hey Melissa,
The fitted bun was spontaneous…it wasn’t until after I cooked the salmon patties that I noticed they were quite a bit smaller than the buns I bought. So, I grabbed my biscuit cutters and chopped them to fit. :-p I thought it might look weird at first, but I think they ended up looking all right.
Just found this recipe through Food Gawker — it looks delicious! Just one question: If the very idea of mayonnaise makes me queasy, do you think it’s possible to omit it in the recipe for the burgers without ruining the texture? If not, do you know of any substitutes? Thanks! I’m off to peruse more of your blog. 🙂
Hey Emma,
Thanks for visiting! You can certainly substitute the mayonnaise for something like plain yogurt or maybe even buttermilk. But, honestly, it should be okay also if you decide not to add anything, the egg should keep it together and the salmon will remain juicy, so long as you don’t overcook it under the broiler the first time, since you will be continuing to cook it again on the fry pan. Just be sure to get a good, golden crust on one side of the salmon patty before flipping over so that it stays together. Sometimes these can be a little fussy. :-p
Another way to eat my favorite fish! Looks yummy and pretty
Thank yah! Salmon is one of my favorites, too!
OMG !!!!!!! Just made these and WOWWWWWWW ! I could barely contain my excitement just making them, and as my boyfriend proclaimed ” This recipe’s a keeper ! ” He said he had room for three, but as stuffed as I was after one, I had to have another 🙂 I made an Avocado, corn & red onion salsa with a splash of lemon which went perfectly 🙂 Thanks sooo much for this recipe 🙂 Here’s a pic of mine http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=137596926299455&id=100000331414215&ref=notif¬if_t=feed_comment_reply#!/photo.php?fbid=1716209861081&set=a.1150077908136.2023622.1113246276
That is awesome! I’m so happy that it turned out well for you. And I LOVE the fact that you changed it up a bit. That relish of yours sounds excellent — I adore avocado!! :-p I’m bummed the link to your photo doesn’t work, though. I wanna see!
That link is sooooo wrong LOL
Oh man! These salmon burgers look amazing!!! My mouth is totally watering!! Love it! 🙂
I have to admit, they were pretty darn tasty! And easy as pie to make, too!