Salmon is easily my favorite fish and I try to eat it a few times a month. Pecan crusted salmon is my go-to recipe, but sometimes I am inspired to change it up a little. And with summer here and grilling season in full swing, burgers seemed like just the thing.
These keto-friendly salmon burgers are deliciously juicy and flavorful. Made with almond flour instead of breadcrumbs, they’re low carb but still perfectly moist and tender. I wanted a flavor that could stand on its own, with no sauce or bun required. So I tossed in some chopped jalapeño and cilantro, as well as fresh garlic and lime zest, for a little southwestern flair.
I also took some cues from a recipe posted in NYT Cooking, in which some of the salmon was ground to a paste. This helps bind the burgers together without a lot of filler and added carbs. It worked like a dream!
And they’re ready in under 30 minutes! Serve with some cilantro lime cauliflower rice for a super healthy, high protein meal any night of the week.
Why we love this recipe
- Bold Southwestern flavor: Jalapeño, lime, and cilantro give these salmon burgers fabulous flavor.
- Moist and tender: The mix of pureed salmon with some larger chopped salmon keeps these burgers extra juicy.
- Quick and easy: This healthy recipe is ready in under 30 minutes.
- Make ahead: You can form the burgers and refrigerate them overnight or freeze them for cooking later. And the cooked burgers keep for up to 4 days.
- Multiple cooking methods: Perfect for grilling, pan-searing, or air frying.
- Low carb: Made with almond flour, so it’s gluten-free and keto-friendly.
- High protein: Salmon is an excellent source of protein and healthy fats.
Ingredient Notes
- Salmon filets: Be sure to choose sustainably-sourced salmon for your own health and the health of our oceans. Wild caught salmon has the highest amount of nutrients so choose that whenever possible.
- Almond flour: A little almond flour helps bind the burgers and retain the moisture.
- Jalapeño: You can add a little or a lot, depending on how much heat you like.
- Fresh herbs: I add fresh cilantro and green onions to these burgers.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic gives the best flavor compared but garlic powder can be used if that’s all you have.
- Lime zest: Only the zest is needed for this recipe. It gives the burgers a light, fresh flavor.
- Salt and pepper
Recipe Overview: How to Make Salmon Burgers
- Process the salmon: Blend about two thirds of the salmon in a food processor until it becomes like a thick paste. This helps bind the burgers together really well.
- Chop the remaining salmon: Slightly bigger pieces of chopped salmon help keep the burgers juicy.
- Form the patties: Mixing in the remaining ingredients with your hands allows you to get things well distributed.
- Cook the burgers: Preheat the grill to medium high and lightly oil the grates. Place the burgers on the grill and cook on medium high, until done. You can also pan fry them in butter or olive oil, or even air fry the burgers.
Tips for Success
If the salmon filet is very wet, pat it dry before blending and chopping. The burgers can get mushy otherwise.
You can use frozen salmon for this recipe, but let it thaw completely and again, make sure to pat it dry properly. Make sure to remove the packaging before thawing the salmon, so that it doesn’t take on that fishy smell.
Blending some of the salmon really makes a difference to the consistency of these burgers. If you don’t have a food processor, spend some time chopping the salmon very very finely. Take a large knife and go back and forth over the chopped salmon until the pieces are minced. Then place it in a bowl and use a potato masher to press it into a paste.
Feel free to switch up the additions and flavorings! Some lemon zest and fresh dill, similar to these tuna patties, would also be delicious.
Frequently Asked Questions
These salmon burgers are absolutely delicious on their own and really need no toppings. But the Southwestern flavors pair really nicely with guacamole, sliced avocado, or a fresh salsa like pico de Gallo.
Yes! You can freeze the raw patties for easy meal prep. When ready to cook, you can grill or pan fry the frozen patty. They just need to cook a little longer than a thawed patty.
This keto salmon burger recipe has 3 grams of carbs and 1.3 grams of fiber per serving. If you count net carbs, it comes to 1.7 grams per burger.
More healthy fish recipes
Salmon Burgers Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lb (907.18 g) salmon filet, skin and pin bones removed
- 1/2 cup (56 g) almond flour
- 1 medium jalapeno, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
- 2 medium green onions, sliced, white and light green parts only
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp lime zest
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Guacamole or sliced avocado , for topping
Instructions
- Place about two thirds of the salmon in a food processor and process on high until it becomes like a thick paste. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Chop the remaining salmon to no more than 1/4 inch pieces. Add to the bowl.
- Add the remaining ingredients and mix with your hands until well combined. Form into 6 patties.
- Preheat the grill to medium high and lightly oil the grates. Place the burgers on the grill and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, until the internal temperature reaches 135ºF. Remove and let rest a few minutes.
- Alternatively, you can fry them in a pan with butter or olive oil, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- Serve with guacamole on top.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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I will most likely use canned salmon and make salmon patties instead of larger burgers. This means I can make them anytime, not just when I have fresh salmon. I love making “patties” or “cakes” out of salmon, tuna, crab and chicken. They are easy and usually can be eaten as an appetizer or main dish.
Thank you for this recipe
Have fun!
First attempt at making salmon burgers and they turned out wonderful with this recipe! I omitted the jalapeño but otherwise followed recipe. They were moist and flavorful. They even reheated the next day as leftovers and were still just as yummy! Thank you will be purring this in my rotation.
Great to hear!
Seriously THE BEST salmon burgers I’ve ever tasted! Don’t be afraid to add more jalapeño and cilantro if you like those flavours! They were absolutely delicious. They are so flavourful on their own, they really don’t need much in the way of condiments. The guacamole was a good accompaniment, and even a little mayo. THANK YOU! This will be in our regular recipe rotation for sure!
I am so delighted that you think so!!!
My sister and I made these for dinner tonight. We fried them in a skillet on the stove using butter, as recommended. VERY delicious. Thank you for another great recipe.
Your timing is perfect. Made salmon patties last night with another recipe and they were awful lol. So bland and flavorless. Can’t wait to try these!
That’s such a bummer. I’ve made salmon burgers in the past and been disappointed. But these were so good, I could eat them on their own. Just make sure not to overcook them!
Delicious!
Congratulations! You made a salmon recipe that isn’t dill and lemon. LOL! It sounds good. Thanks!
LOL! If you want no dill or lemon, be sure to check out my pecan crusted salmon. SO GOOD!