Fresh Grilled Salmon Burgers Made from Real Fish

Making fresh salmon burgers is simple and rewarding—and you don’t need canned salmon. Use high-quality salmon and a few complementary ingredients for delicious grilled salmon burgers that hold together and stay juicy.

Great salmon burgers depend on balance: enough fat so the patties stay moist, and a texture that holds together on the grill. How you prepare the salmon affects texture—finely chopped by hand or briefly pulsed in a food processor both work, as long as you don’t overwork the fish.

Because these are grilled, we prefer fresh salmon and minimal binders so the salmon flavor comes through. Below are tips on selecting salmon, prepping the fish, forming patties, grilling, and finishing with a simple sauce and toppings.

Start with Good Salmon

Fresh ingredients make a huge difference. Wild-caught or line-caught salmon offer better flavor in burgers; Coho and King (Chinook) are excellent choices because of their natural fat content. If fresh salmon has been previously frozen, it should not smell strongly fishy—ask to inspect the fillet before buying.

Buy a whole fillet and have the fishmonger remove the pin bones if possible. Pin bones run along the center of the fillet and are unpleasant to eat. If they aren’t removed, you can pull them out at home with kitchen tweezers. Farmed salmon will work if it’s what you have available, though it tends to be milder and oilier.

Prepping the Salmon

If the pin bones remain, remove them now with tweezers. Trim any silver skin from the belly area using a sharp fillet knife; the belly is rich and tender but sometimes covered with a thin membrane. Carefully separate the flesh from the skin, then cut the salmon into roughly 1-inch cubes. Avoid over-crushing the pieces—loose chunks are fine.

How to Make Salmon Burgers

Once the salmon is prepped, assemble the burgers:

1. Cut the salmon into 1″ cubes.
2. Dice additional ingredients such as red bell pepper and shallots.
3. Place the salmon, bell pepper, shallots, and garlic into a food processor and pulse a few times in short bursts until the mixture resembles coarse ground meat. Alternatively, finely chop and mix by hand.
4. Transfer to a bowl and gently fold in Dijon mustard (acts as a binder), panko breadcrumbs (or gluten-free breadcrumbs), salt, and pepper. Mix just until combined.
5. Form the mixture into evenly sized patties.
6. Refrigerate the patties for about an hour to firm up before grilling.

Grilling the Burger

A charcoal grill provides excellent flavor, but a gas grill or grill pan will also work. Aim for a hot sear and follow these steps:

1. Preheat the grill using a two-zone setup and target a high direct heat to get a good sear.
2. Clean and oil the grates, and brush the patties with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.
3. Grill the patties over direct heat to develop a crust. Salmon cooks quickly, so they may not need to move to indirect heat.
4. If the patties stick at first, wait until a sear forms and they release naturally before flipping.
5. Remove the burgers when they reach your preferred internal temperature and toast the buns briefly if desired.

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Temperature to Cook Salmon Burgers

We recommend cooking salmon burgers to an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) measured with an instant-read thermometer. When grilling, cook to temperature rather than to a set time for best results.

Burger Toppings

Toppings are personal—keep them simple to highlight the salmon. Our favorite combination is green leaf lettuce, fresh tomato, sliced red onion, and a chipotle-lime mayo. The sauce is equal parts mayonnaise and freshly squeezed lime juice with chipotle adobo sauce stirred in to taste.

Wine Pairing for Grilled Salmon Burgers

Pinot Noir is a classic red pairing for salmon. For white, opt for a richer style like Chardonnay or a Rhone-style white. A fruity rosé is a versatile choice—the acidity helps cut through the richness of the burger.

More Popular Salmon Recipes

• Perfect Smoked Salmon
• Chipotle Maple Cedar Plank Salmon
• How to Grill Salmon
• Smoked Salmon Dip
• Grilled Salmon with Orange Maple Glaze

Salmon Burger Recipe

Homemade Salmon Burger Recipe (serves 4)

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 pound fresh salmon fillet (pin bones removed)
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup diced shallots
• 2 cloves garlic, diced
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (or gluten-free panko)
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Chipotle-Lime Sauce

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons chipotle in adobo sauce (sauce only, to taste)
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

Toppings

• 4 brioche buns
• 1 medium red onion, sliced
• 1 large tomato, sliced
• Green leaf lettuce, as needed

Instructions

Make the sauce: Combine mayonnaise, chipotle sauce, and lime juice in a small bowl. Set aside.

Form the patties: Remove skin from the salmon and cut the flesh into 1″ cubes. Pulse the salmon, bell pepper, shallots, and garlic in a food processor in short bursts until the texture resembles coarse ground meat. Transfer to a bowl and gently stir in panko, Dijon, salt, and pepper. Form into four equal patties and refrigerate covered for about an hour to firm.

Grill: Preheat the grill using a two-zone setup aiming for high direct heat. Brush both sides of each patty with olive oil to prevent sticking. Grill over direct heat—about 6 minutes per side as a guideline—until an instant-read thermometer reads 145°F. Toast buns for about a minute if desired.

Serve the salmon burgers warm with lettuce, tomato, onion, and the chipotle-lime mayo.

Nutrition values provided are approximate and should be used as a guide.

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