Salmon Burgers with Avocado Garlic Sauce

Flaky Salmon Burgers are rich in omega-3s and topped with a flavorful Avocado Garlic Sauce.

Make Salmon Burgers part of your menu this week!

Are you stuck in a dinner rut? Having the same ‘ol meals week after week? It’s time to change it up and give these burgers a try! Salmon Burgers are made flavorful with fresh dill, minced shallots and lemon juice. They’re quick to make and nutritious, providing an adequate source of good quality protein and healthy omega-3 fatty acids. These burgers are a great way to use up leftover salmon. In fact, whenever I make grilled or broiled salmon for dinner, I purposely make extras so that I have enough for Salmon Burgers the day or two after. With that said, you could also cook up a couple of salmon filets during your weekend meal prep to help save yourself some time during the week.

Simple, savory and scrumptious.

Toss all of the flavorful ingredients in a bowl, mix, form into patties and cook. But before you get cookin’, here are some pointers for making these Salmon Burgers.

• When forming patties, you’ll notice they don’t stay together all that well…but no sweat! As you begin to cook the burgers, the eggs will start to cook and hold the burgers together. Handle the patties carefully when forming and when transferring to the pan to cook.
• Make sure the oil is nice and hot before adding the patties to the pan.
• If you feel that the salmon burger mixture is too “watery,” feel free to add an extra tablespoon or two of almond flour.

We love salmon for many reasons! Not just taste, but nutrients too – it’s a nutritional powerhouse for sure.

• Excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids containing up to 2 grams in 4 oz. (This is half of most people’s daily needs.) The Omega-3s found in fish come in the form of both DHA and EPA, two Omega-3s that our bodies thrive on and can easily absorb.
• DHA is known to be the most important fat in the brain. This fat improves both mood and cognitive health. Increased intake has been shown to reduce risk of depression and the cognitive decline that occurs with aging.
• EPA is known to improve joint health and reduce inflammation in the body which helps alleviate any pain associated with inflammation.
• Diets high in Omega-3s improve cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, and high triglycerides.
• Salmon is also an excellent source of Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, and Selenium.

Read more about the nutritional benefits of salmon at www.whfoods.com.

Oh, and quality matters too! Choose your salmon wisely.

We always recommend purchasing fish that is of good quality and wild-caught. My go-t0 salmon comes from a Minnesota company called Surrender Salmon. It truly is the best salmon! The owners themselves are the fisherman and make several trips to Alaska each year to catch the salmon. So if you live in MN, I highly recommend you look them up or find them at a couple of the local Farmers Market’s in Minneapolis.

Bottom line: When purchasing fish, you want to make sure that it supports the environment and is sustainable. The Monterey Bay Aquarium in California evaluates fishing practices around the world and rates sustainability based on the following criteria: inherent vulnerability of the fish, effects of fishing on the overall habitat, the status on the stock, and the nature of the by-catch. They have found that wild-caught Alaskan salmon is the most sustainably sourced of all salmon. Watch this video to learn more on this topic. 

As you can see, I’m pretty passionate about the topic of food quality and could go on and on. Maybe a future blog post on sourcing quality seafood?!

Let’s get back to the recipe…

How about that Avocado Garlic Sauce?!

Top Salmon Burgers with this delicious and creamy Avocado Garlic Sauce. When I think about how I should make salmon or any fish for that matter, lemon and dill always come to mind. This sauce is not only made with avocado and garlic, but it also calls for lemon juice and dill! It’s versatile in that it can also be used as a veggie dip, a topping on a salad or used in place of mayo to make a creamy chicken salad.

I hope you’re ready to give this recipe a try!

Serve these salmon burgers on top of a salad, in a lettuce wrap or simply as is. They even make for a delicious afternoon snack that’s full of protein and healthy fats to keep your body and mind energized until dinner. This recipe is gluten-free, Paleo and Whole30-friendly. In addition, it is also freezer-friendly. Simply place in an airtight container, separate each burger with parchment paper and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen in a pan over medium-high heat.

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Let's Get Cookin'

Salmon Burgers

Serve these burgers over a bed of greens or tucked into a crisp lettuce wrap. Top with freshly squeezed lemon juice and a dollop of Avocado Garlic Sauce.

• Author: The Real Food Dietitians
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 35 mins
• Yield: 4 servings
• Category: Entree, Whole30

Print Recipe

★★★★★ 5 from 5 reviews

Ingredients

Salmon Burgers:

• 12 oz. wild-caught salmon, baked and chopped 
• 1/2 lemon, juiced  (~2 Tbsp.) + ½ tsp. lemon zest
• 1 small shallot, minced (may substitute 2 cloves garlic, minced)
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1 Tbsp. fresh dill, chopped (may substitute 1 tsp. dried dill)
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup almond flour
• 1 Tbsp. coconut oil or ghee/clarified butter

For the Avocado Garlic Sauce:

• 1 medium avocado, halved and pit removed
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 Tbsp. fresh dill (may substitute 1 tsp. dried dill)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper

Instructions

For the burgers:

1. Combine all of the salmon burger ingredients, except the coconut oil, in a large bowl and mix well. If mixture is pretty wet, add additional almond flour 1 Tbsp. at a time.
2. Form into 6-8 patties. Patties easily fall apart until they are cooked. Handle with caution.
3. Heat coconut oil on a griddle or pan to medium-high heat.
4. Once hot (oil must be hot), carefully add burgers to pan and cook for 5-6 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Patties should sizzle when added to pan.
5. To serve, top with 1-2 Tbsp. avocado garlic sauce and tuck into a lettuce wrap if you wish.

For the Avocado Garlic Sauce:

1. In a food processor or blender, combine all of the ingredients and process until smooth.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 4 servings (2 burgers)
• Calories: 195
• Sugar: 1 g
• Sodium: 300 mg
• Fat: 9 g
• Carbohydrates: 4 g
• Fiber: 0 g
• Protein: 24 g

Do you like fish? If so, what is your favorite kind? We’d love to know so that we can create recipes based on your favorites!

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About Stacie Hassing

Stacie is a Licensed and Registered Dietitian from rural southern Minnesota where she and her husband reside on 5 acres with their two pups, Walter & Lucy. She’s a creator of simple and wholesome recipes, a lover of nature, a crossfitter, a seasonal runner, and she’s on a mission to inspire as many as she can live a healthier and happier life from the inside out.