Salmon Burgers with Canned Salmon
What I Love About These Salmon Burgers
- I often have some canned salmon and canned tuna in my pantry. These burgers are what I make on the nights when I want something delicious fast or if I don’t have thawed protein in the fridge.
- Pantry staples do all the work here, so dinner happens without a store run.
- The patties hold their shape because I make sure to add a few different binders like egg, mayo, and bread crumbs.
- Capers and fresh dill turn plain mayo into a sauce that tastes like it came from a restaurant kitchen.
- Both the patties and the sauce come together in one bowl each, so cleanup stays small.
- Canned salmon costs a fraction of what a fresh filet does, which makes this a budget friendly weeknight recipe. Although, when I have leftover salmon of I got a good deal on salmon filets, I love to make my fresh salmon patties.
Table of Contents
Key Ingredient Notes
Canned salmon – Canned salmon is fully cooked and packed in liquid, which is the whole reason draining matters so much. You will find it two ways: bone-in with skin, or boneless and skinless. I prefer the pouches or a boneless, skinless can here because the texture stays cleaner in a patty. Bone-in works too, and those soft bones are edible.
Bread crumbs – These absorb the moisture the salmon gives off and keep the patty from spreading in the pan. Use gluten free bread crumbs if needed.
Mayonnaise – Mayo does three jobs at once: it binds, it adds fat where canned salmon is lean, and it keeps the inside from drying out.
Egg – The main binder. Without it the mixture has nothing to set around once it hits the heat.
Lemon juice and zest – Fresh lemon only. The zest carries far more aroma than the juice does, so both go in.
Capers – Briny little flower buds packed in salt or vinegar. They are the reason the sauce works with salmon, and they give the whole burger a pop of flavor.
Swiss cheese – Mild and nutty, so it melts into the burger without covering up the salmon. You can also use Havarti or mild cheddar.
See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Salmon Burgers with Canned Salmon
- Drain the salmon completely. Tip the can into a strainer and you can flake it part to get the trapped liquids out. This is important for the mixture to not be too loose where it doesn’t hold its shape.
- Mix everything in one bowl. Combine the salmon with the vegetables, egg, mayo, Dijon, bread crumbs, lemon juice, zest, salt, and pepper. Mix until it is evenly combined and holds together when you press it.
- Shape four patties. Pack them firmly and make them about three quarters of an inch thick. A packed patty holds, while a loosely shaped one falls apart more easily.
- Chill them for 15 minutes (optional but helpful step). The fat firms up and the bread crumbs finish absorbing moisture. Skip this only if you are truly out of time.
- Cook over medium to medium-low heat. Preheat the pan first for a few minutes and then add oil. Cook 6 to 8 minutes per side and do not disturb them until ready to flip.
- Make the sauce while the patties cook. Combine mayo, lemon juice, capers, dill, and salt in a small bowl and mix well.
- Build the burgers. Place the cheese on the hot patty so it melts, then the roll, lettuce, pickles, and plenty of sauce.
Why Do My Salmon Burgers Fall Apart?
Almost every time, the answer is moisture or not enough binder.
- Drain the liquid. Canned salmon sits in liquid, if you leave that liquid in, it will loosen the mixture too much.
- The mixture needs more binder. Different brands pack at different moisture levels. If the mix feels loose in your hand, add bread crumbs a tablespoon at a time.
- The pan let you down. A scratched pan, a dirty pan, or one without enough oil will tear a patty every time. This is the culprit people overlook most.
- Don’t touch it until ready to flip. Constant adjustment and moving will compromise the integrity of the burger.
- They got flipped too soon. Wait for the crust and starting to set. It acts like a shell holding the patty together.
Ways to Serve Salmon Burgers
Because canned salmon is already cooked, these are ready fast, which makes them a good fit for a full plate rather than a rushed one.
- Something crunchy on the side. My blue cheese coleslaw has a vinegar bite that works well against the rich sauce, and tropical slaw brings mango and lime if you want it brighter.
- Salads that hold up. Macaroni salad, avocado corn salad, or creamy cucumber tomato salad all round out the plate.
- Potatoes. Herbed grilled potatoes pick up the same dill running through the sauce.
- Swap the sauce. Tzatziki sauce or my burger sauce both work if capers are not your thing.
- Pile on toppings. Caramelized onions, avocado salsa, or corn salsa all belong on a salmon burger.
- Skip the bun. Set a patty over greens with a spoonful of sauce for a lighter lunch.
How to Store and Reheat Salmon Burgers
- Store: in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Keep the patties separate from the buns and toppings so nothing goes soggy.
- Reheat: in a pan over medium-low heat. I am food safety certified, and I will always tell you to skip the microwave with seafood. It overcooks the outside before the middle warms through. Preheat the pan, add the patties, cover with a lid, and heat both sides just until warmed through.
- Freeze: freeze the shaped patties before cooking. Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze for 2 hours. Set a timer so you do not forget them. Stack the frozen patties in twos with parchment paper in between, then move them to a freezer bag. Get all the air out, seal, label, and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw: move the bag from the freezer to the refrigerator and thaw overnight. Cook them as written.
Salmon Burger Recipe FAQs
Six to eight minutes per side over medium to medium-low heat. Pull them when both sides have a deep golden crust and the center is hot and center is set to the touch.
Boneless, skinless canned salmon or salmon pouches give you the cleanest patty texture. Red sockeye has a firmer, richer flavor. Pink salmon is milder and softer. Both work here, so buy what you like. Whichever you choose, drain it hard.
You can, but the ratios change because fresh salmon carries different moisture. I have a separate recipe for salmon patties made with fresh salmon that is built for it.
Yes, and the smoky flavor is worth it. Use a grill basket or a fine grill topper, because the gaps in a standard grate are too wide for these patties. Grease the basket first and spray the tops of the patties before flipping. For a version built for the grill from the start, see my grilled salmon burgers.
No. The canning process softens them until they crush between your fingers, and they mash right into the salmon. They also carry far more calcium than a fresh filet does, and the FDA lists salmon among its best choices for eating fish. Buy boneless and skinless if the texture bothers you.
More Salmon Recipes to Try
- Blackened Salmon
- Teriyaki Salmon
- Pecan Crusted Salmon
- Salmon And Rice Patties
- Whole Baked Salmon Filet
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? PLEASE leave a 🌟 star rating! Let me know how you liked it by leaving the 📝 comment below or share and tag me on social media @willcookforsmiles. DON’T FORGET to subscribe to my newsletter!
Canned Salmon Burger Recipe
Ingredients
Salmon Patties:
- 10 oz salmon meat canned or pouches, liquid strained
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 2 garlic gloves
- 1 large egg
- 3 Tbsp mayo
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 lemon – zest
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil for cooking
Salmon Burgers Toppings:
- 4 Onion rolls
- 4 Lettuce leaves
- 12 Pickle rounds
- 4 Swiss cheese slices
Creamy Caper Sauce For Salmon Burger:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp minced dill
- 1 Tbsp capers drained
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Strain off the liquids from the canned salmon. Combine all ingredients for the salmon patties in a bowl and mix until all well combined.
- Preheat the oil in the pan on medium to medium-low heat.
- Divide the salmon mixture into 4 even patties. Shape the patties and cook on each side for about 6-8 minutes.
- Prepare the sauce while the patties are cooking: mix mayo, lemon juice, capers, dill and salt in a small bowl.
- Build your burgers and don't forget plenty of sauce!
Notes
- Gluten Free: substitute gluten free bread crumbs and use gluten free rolls.
- If the mixture feels loose: first, make sure to strain the liquids from the can. If needed, add bread crumbs one tablespoon at a time until it holds together when pressed.
- Store: in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
- Reheat: in a covered pan over medium-low heat. If using microwave, reheat in 30-second intervals.
- Freeze: freeze shaped uncooked patties for up to 3 months. See full instructions in the post above.
Nutrition
Would you like to save this recipe?
We'll email this post recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Categories:
30 Minute Meals, Burger Recipes, Lunch Recipe Ideas, Sandwich Recipes, Seafood Dinner Recipes,All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.
I tried to make this and bought canned salmon. Everything was so soggy it never turned into a burger… Was I supposed to buy a different kind of salmon? They sound good, but mine just didn’t turn out like a patty. Suggestions?
Hi Rachel! Personally, I prefer the packets but canned would work too. You have to make sure to squeeze all the juice out if you are using canned and try to make sure you get one that is just meat, no skin and no bones.
I really hope it works for you!!
Oh those look so tasty! I’ve never thought of using salmon for a burger but fantastic idea!
This salmon burger does look darn perfect! Much better than the grilled cheese sandwich that I just ate for dinner, lol
these are calling my name! what a great burger idea
The photo you took of the burger is so perfect! One of the best looking burger I have ever seen!
Plz do visit on my blog dear: http://topbestdesignideas.blogspot.in/
Happy to follow u will be g8 if u follow me back 🙂
We’ve made delish salmon patties but haven’t tried a burger on the barbie — certainly sounds good and we have baskets and fine grill toppers. We are a grilling family 🙂 Now you mentioned 10 oz. salmon meat packet. I am unfamiliar with that. Perhaps I haven’t been snooping around the grocery store enough. Is the meat already processed like the canned? I have seen the flavored tuna packets do they also have the salmon?? I will definitely make this once I find the salmon.
Looks delish! Salmon burgers sound good, I’ll have to try this sometime.
I love salmon, Lyuba, and this burger looks incredible! I love the sound of that lemony caper dill sauce. 🙂
Oooo I’ve never had a Salmon Burger! This looks delicious. Thanks for the link love 🙂