If you were around for our Seattle era, you KNOW we were making these Spiced Salmon Burgers on repeat. For that glorious 12-month stretch, I was hitting up the fish market twice a week—rain or shine—and bringing home the freshest salmon I could get my hands on. These burgers have been a staple in our house for a very long time! And I can promise you will love them!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
I have a daughter that is obsessed with "pink" fish aka salmon. She insists on waiting in line at her favorite fish vendor every sunday at our local farmers market and ordering her fair share of salmon for the week! I can't fault her as it is one of my favorite types of fish and so incredibly versatile. If we're going for something a little more exciting than just roasted salmon, these salmon burgers are IT!
These Spiced Salmon Burgers are packed with fresh herbs, a little heat from jalapeño, and just enough crispiness from the panko to hold everything together. And the toppings? Avocado (because, duh), pickled red onions for a little tang, and harissa mayo to bring the perfect creamy, spicy kick. Whether you're grilling outside or using a grill pan indoors, these Spiced Salmon Burgers come together in no time and are a total crowd-pleaser. (omit the harissa if you want if you're feeding to kiddos!)
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Salmon
- Green Onion
- Cilantro
- Parsley
- Jalapeño
- Eggs
- Olive Oil
- Salt
- Panko Bread Crumbs
- Brioche Buns
Toppings
- Avocados
- Pickled Red Onions
Harissa Mayo
- Garlic
- Mayonnaise
- Harissa Paste
- Lemon
*For a full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card below.
How to Make Spiced Salmon Burgers
Step 1: Combine garlic, mayo, harissa paste and lemon juice/zest and mix to combine. Taste and adjust lemon as needed. Set aside.
Step 2: Preheat an indoor grill pan to medium heat. Using a large sharp knife, finely dice the salmon. Place in a large bowl. Add the green onions, cilantro, parsley, jalapeño, eggs, olive oil and salt and mix to combine.
Step 3: Gently mix in the panko bread crumbs to the salmon, and form 6 patties.
Step 4: Transfer patties to the grill and grill the for about 4 minutes on each side.
Step 5: Generously spread the bottom buns with the harissa mayo and then put the burger on the bottom bun. Pile the Burger with layers of avocado and pickled red onions. Top with the other half of the bun and enjoy immediately.
Tips & Tricks
- Finely chop the salmon! This makes all the difference in getting a burger that holds together instead of falling apart on the grill. You want it almost like a coarse tartare.
- Don’t overmix. Treat this like a delicate fish cake rather than a beef burger—just mix until combined so it doesn’t get tough.
- Harissa mayo is life. This sauce is a game changer. It’s creamy, tangy, a little spicy, and perfect on just about everything. If you have extra, save it for sandwiches or even as a dip for fries.
- Chill the patties. If you have time, pop them in the fridge for 15-20 minutes before cooking. It helps them firm up so they stay together when flipping.
- Use a hot grill pan or cast-iron skillet. You want that nice golden crust on each side, so don’t be shy with the heat!
FAQs
Can I use frozen salmon?
Totally! Just make sure to thaw it completely and pat it dry before chopping.
Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes! You can form the patties and store them in the fridge for up to a day before cooking. You can also freeze them—just separate them with parchment paper and thaw before cooking.
How to store Spiced Salmon Burgers
You can store extra cooked patties in the fridge for 1-2 days and assemble the burger when its time to eat.
How to freeze Spiced Salmon Burgers
You can freeze the patties in the fridge for up to three months. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap first to avoid freezer burn and make sure the freezer bag/box is airtight. Thaw in the fridge overnight when it is time to eat.
What can I serve these with?
I love these with a simple arugula salad, sweet potato fries, or even grilled corn in the summer.
Similar Recipes
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today
Spiced Salmon Burgers
Ingredients
- 2 pounds salmon skinned and deboned
- 1 cup green onion thinly sliced
- ¼ cup cilantro finely chopped
- ¼ cup parsley finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon chopped jalapeño plus more if you want more heat
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
Toppings
- 6 brioche buns
- 2 avocados sliced
- Pickled red onions
Harissa Mayo
- 3 tablespoons Mayonnaise
- 4 teaspoons harissa paste
- 1 clove of garlic
- ½ lemon zested and juiced
Instructions
For the the Harissa Mayo:
- In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, harissa paste, minced garlic, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Set aside.
For the Burgers
- Using a sharp knife, finely dice the salmon until it reaches a coarse tartare-like texture. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the green onions, cilantro, parsley, jalapeño, eggs, olive oil, and salt to the bowl with the salmon. Gently mix until combined. Sprinkle in the panko and fold it in until just incorporated. Be careful not to overmix.
- Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and shape them into patties. If time allows, chill the patties in the fridge for 15–20 minutes to help them hold their shape.
- Heat a grill pan or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Lightly grease with olive oil if needed. Cook the patties for about 4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Spread a generous amount of harissa mayo on the bottom half of each brioche bun. Place a salmon patty on top, then layer with sliced avocado and pickled red onions. Finish with the top bun. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition Information
Photo by Matt Armendariz / Food Styling by Adam Pearson / Recipe lightly adapted from Heather Christo
Do you think these could be prepped into patties, frozen, thawed, and then cooked?? Thanks
yes absolutely
Delicious!!! And that sauce!!!!! I tried to make my own mayonnaise but it didn't thicken for some reason. But I used it anyway, in the more liquidy form,,, So so good!!! Thanks, Gaby.
Made these "unspiced" for the kids with no jalapeño and a simple garlic aioli. They loved them.
I might have also read the recipe wrong and cooked the salmon before forming the patties. Doh! So I cooked very quickly on both sides just to hold them together in burger form. They still tasted amazing. Will try the correct way to do it next time. 🙂
can't wait to hear what you think
I absolutely adore these burgers! I came across them when looking for freezer-friendly meals to help us survive during quarantine and boy have these delivered. They were super easy to throw together and freeze before cooking. We've been pulling them out to have burger style or to eat on top of a salad. We finally reached the end of our freezer stash and I'm definitely loading up on ingredients to make another batch next time I go to the store. Thank you, Gaby!!
Can I ground the salmon in the food processor instead of dicing? Doing a large batch
absolutely!
This was delicious! 🙂 The patties did turn out to be not quite sticky enough and kind of fell apart on the grill - any tips on how to avoid that next time around? Thanks!
I'd pat them together even harder so they stick, and oil the grill so it's easy to flip them!!
I have Trader Joes wild salmon on hand , Will this work the same?
yes
Salmon is definitely my favorite kind of fish, too! As a kid, I didn't like ANY type of fish, but salmon was the first one I started warming up to. These sound amazing! Especially with that touch of jalapeno and the green onion - yum!!
This looks like a weekend winner, for sure!!