Grilled Salmon Patty Burgers With Aioli

Content… The Beauty of Salmon Burgers Recipe Ingredients How to Make It Recipe Variations Tips and Tricks Make-Ahead Instructions Serving and Storage Instructions FAQs What to Serve More Savory Salmon Recipes to Try Conclusion

The Beauty of Salmon Burgers

Ok, so more on this recipe. Salmon burgers are kinda like hamburgers, but instead of ground beef, we’re using fresh salmon. We pulse it in a food processor to grind it, add a few extra-tasty ingredients, and then shape it into patties. Fresh herbs, garlic, peppers, and Cajun seasoning give this burger a fantastic range of flavors and just a hint of spice. Serve it on a buttery brioche bun with a tangy aioli sauce, and you’ll be in burger heaven after just one bite.

Recipe Ingredients

1. Aioli Sauce – Mayo, garlic (and lots of it!), lemon juice, and VONS® exclusive O Organics® EVOO made my aioli sauce shine. I must say, bold aioli sauce and fresh salmon are a match made in heaven!
2. Fresh Salmon – I highly recommend fresh salmon for this recipe. The texture is perfect for making patties, and the strong flavor can hold its own with other bold tastes, like the tangy aioli sauce. 🙌
3. Fresh Herbs and Veggies – Onion, parsley, and red pepper round out the flavor of these salmon burgers nicely. Instead of bell peppers, I used VONS® exclusive Signature Farms® sweet mini peppers because they are super fresh and flavorful and always affordable.
4. Cajun Seasoning – You know how much I love making my own seasonings because I know what’s in them. However, VONS® exclusive O Organics® Cajun Spice is a tasty timesaver with a subtle kick. And ya know I’m an honest Cajun spice critic, so that’s saying something. 
5. Burger Toppings – You can certainly get creative with your toppings, but I kept it simple and used onion, tomato, and VONS® exclusive O Organics® baby spinach and arugula. Oh yeah!

How to Make Grilled Salmon Burgers and Aioli Sauce

Grilled Salmon Burger

• Combine minced garlic, mayonnaise, lemon, salt, and pepper, and add olive oil as needed.
• Season with Cajun seasoning. Refrigerate the sauce tightly covered until you’re ready to use it (this can be done a day ahead).
• Process Salmon – Place chopped salmon in a food processor with onions, bell pepper, and garlic.
• Continue Processing – Pulse the salmon a couple of times and scrape down the sides as needed until the salmon is coarsely ground.
• Season – Add the rest of the burger ingredients – eggs, parsley, breadcrumbs, Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper. Pulse until thoroughly combined.
• Chill – For easier handling, cover and refrigerate the salmon mixture for at least an hour or more until firm.
• Form the Patties – Divide the salmon mixture into four equally-sized balls and form them into slightly flattened, round patties. Then place them on a plate and chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• Heat the Grill – Thoroughly clean grates with a grill brush and olive oil, then preheat on medium-high.
• Grill – Once hot, add salmon patties and cover. Cook until brown and slightly charred on one side, about 4-5 minutes.
• Flip and cook an additional 4-6 minutes or to the desired doneness. Note: Do not overcook them, as it will result in a dry burger. You can also use a meat thermometer (145℉/63℃) to check for the desired doneness.
• Final Stretch – Remove and place on a plate, tent with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes.
• Toast the Buns – Lightly toast the burger buns, if desired.
• Assemble salmon burgers by spreading buns with garlic aioli and topping with spinach and arugula, grilled patties, tomatoes, and onions.

Enjoy!

Recipe Variations

1. If you want to skip the fresh salmon for any reason, you can use canned salmon instead. Use the same amount that this recipe calls for; just squeeze out all the water or oil before you add it to the food processor. If your patties are too dry and have trouble sticking together with the canned salmon, add an extra egg to the mix.
2. If you aren’t a fan of aioli sauce, swap it out for something you love! Remoulade sauce, Peruvian green sauce, Jerk sauce, or Homemade Dill sauce also work great with this recipe. 
3. You can also use almost any kind of bread you like. Instead of brioche buns, try sourdough bread, focaccia, or ciabatta. For a gluten-free keto-friendly version, use a large lettuce leaf as a “bun.”

Tips and Tricks

1. To make your salmon mixture easier to handle and shape into patties, refrigerate it for an hour or more until it firms up.
2. To keep the salmon burgers from sticking to your grill, thoroughly clean the grates with a grill brush. Then, apply olive oil to the grates, giving your burgers a little extra flavor and making your grill perfectly non-stick.
3. Be careful not to overcook the salmon patties, which will result in a dry burger. If you can’t tell by looking at them if they are done, use a meat thermometer (145℉/63℃) to check the internal temp to take out the guesswork.

Make-Ahead Instructions

You can make the sauce and form the burgers a day ahead of time if you’d like. Simply whip up the sauce, shape your salmon patties, and store them separately in airtight containers. Both should be kept in the fridge until you’re ready to fire up the grill.

Serving and Storage Instructions 

Let your salmon burgers rest for five minutes before assembling and dousing them in aioli sauce. Assemble these for your family or set up a toppings buffet and let everyone make their burger how they like it.

Store leftover salmon burger patties in an airtight container in the fridge. The same goes for any leftover aioli sauce. Both will keep for about 3 days. 

I like to reheat my salmon burgers by lighting up the grill and reheating them (covered) for 5-10 minutes or until heated through. Your microwave will also do a fine job of reheating them though.

FAQs

What to Serve With Salmon Burgers

Who can resist the classic burger and fries combination? I usually switch things up when I make salmon burgers and serve them with yucca fries dipped in the aioli sauce or baked Cajun sweet potato fries. Mmm! 😋

Salmon burgers also pair perfectly with coleslaw. Personally, I like to make either crunchy Coconut coleslaw or Caribbean coleslaw with this recipe. You could always serve them with a tossed salad, especially if you have some leftover greens.

More Savory Salmon Recipes to Try

1. Grilled Salmon
2. Salmon Pasta
3. Creamy Tuscan Salmon
4. Salmon Croquettes
5. Crab-Stuffed Salmon

Conclusion

Give these salmon burgers a try, and don’t forget to sign up for the VONS® Deals & Delivery app and the VONS® for U™ Member program to save yourself some valuable time and money. It’s the perfect time of year to spend your afternoons grilling out with the fam, and salmon burgers are the perfect excuse. Get more summer recipe inspiration at vons.com/summer.