Salmon Burgers with Lemon-Caper Spread and Fennel Slaw

5 from 8 votes

Salmon Burgers with Lemon-Caper Spread and Fennel Slaw

Salmon burgers with lemon-caper yogurt spread and crunchy fennel slaw. Hearty, healthy, and freezer-friendly, this salmon burger recipe will become a household favorite. Don't be intimidated by the long ingredient list—A lot of the ingredients are used on repeat.

Prep Time40

Cook Time20

Total Time1

Course: Entree

Cuisine: American

Diet: Diabetic

Servings: burgers

Author: Jamie Vespa MS, RD

Equipment

Large rimmed baking sheet
Large skillet
Mixing bowls

Ingredients

Salmon Burgers

1 (1-lb.) center-cut, skin-on salmon fillet
1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1/2 tsp. black pepper, divided
1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise (I use avocado oil-based mayo)
1 large egg, whisked
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill
1 to 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil for cooking
4 buns, toasted

Fennel Slaw

2 cups shaved fennel (from 1 medium fennel bulb) plus 2 Tbsp. chopped fennel fronds (sub fresh dill)
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. each kosher salt and black pepper

Lemon-Caper Yogurt Spread

1/3 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise (I use avocado oil-based mayo)
1 tsp. lemon zest, plus 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 tsp. capers, drained and finely chopped
Cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions

Position oven rack 6 inches from the broiler and set oven to broil on HIGH.
Pat salmon dry with a paper towel, and place on a baking sheet, skin side-down. Lightly coat flesh with ~2 tsp. oil (avocado or olive oil) and season with 1/4 tsp. each of salt and black pepper.
Broil salmon until medium-rare, about 7 to 8 minutes. (Totally fine if it's more rare in the center!). Set aside until cool enough to handle.
Use a fork to flake salmon off skin into small pieces (discard skin); transfer to a large bowl. Add Panko, mayonnaise, egg, Dijon mustard, parsley, dill, and remaining 1/4 tsp. each of salt and black pepper. Use your hands to mix and mash ingredients together until combined.
Form into four uniform patties, and place on a parchment-lined plate or baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate 20 minutes.
While the salmon patties chill, prepare Fennel Slaw by combining all slaw ingredients (fennel, red onion, parsley, lemon, sugar, salt, and black pepper) in a large bowl; toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Set aside.
In a separate smaller bowl, prepare Lemon-Caper Yogurt Spread by combining all ingredients (yogurt, mayo, lemon, parsley, capers, and black pepper); stir until smooth.
Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Once hot, arrange salmon patties in pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown. Gently flip, and cook another 2 to 3 minutes.
To assemble burgers, spread Lemon-Caper Yogurt Spread on the bottom and top of each bun. Add one salmon patty to the bottom bun, and top with a generous amount of fennel slaw. Top with other half of bun, and enjoy!

Notes

*Nutrition Facts do NOT include bun.

To Make Ahead: Assemble the salmon patties up to 1 day in advance, and store in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator. You can also prepare the lemon-caper yogurt spread up to 1 day in advance and store it in a separate airtight container in the refrigerator.

To Store: Refrigerate all components separately in airtight storage containers for up to 2 days.

To Reheat: Gently reheat salmon patties in a nonstick skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat. It's also helpful to add a splash of water into the skillet, then cover it to help the patties steam. Alternatively, you can reheat the salmon patties in the toaster oven on a low heat setting.

To Freeze: Individually wrap cooked (or uncooked) patties, and freeze them in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating or cooking.

Nutrition