These Asian-inspired salmon burgers won’t leave you missing the beef or the bun. And keep this fruity and fiery salsa in mind the next time you want to jazz up grilled chicken or taco night. Serrano pepper or chile de arbol would be good swaps for bird’s eye pepper in the salsa. You can even mix some Sriracha sauce into the burgers to further punch up the meal.
Skin deep
Skinless fish is the only way to go for burgers. A helpful fishmonger will kindly skin fillets for you before purchase. As an alternative to salmon, you can also blend up skinless fillets of arctic char or rainbow trout.
Salmon Burgers with Mango-Thai Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) skinless salmon
- 1 large organic egg
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) panko bread crumbs
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 1/3 cup (80 mL) fresh, chopped basil
- Zest of 1 lime
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- 2 tsp (10 mL) fish sauce
- 1 tsp (5 mL) sesame oil
- 1 tsp (5 mL) coconut sugar
- 1 1/2 cups (350 mL) halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup (250 mL) cubed mango
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1 bird’s eye chili pepper, minced
- 1/3 cup (80 mL) chopped cilantro
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) peanut oil or grapeseed oil
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories345
- protein26 g
- total fat19 g
- sat. fat3 g
- total carbohydrates18 g
- sugars9 g
- fibre2 g
- sodium474 mg
Directions
01
In food processor container, place salmon, egg, bread crumbs, garlic, soy sauce, basil, and lime zest, and pulse several times until you have a chunky mixture. Form into 4 patties.
02
In large bowl, whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, sesame oil, and sugar. Stir in tomatoes, mango, green onions, chili pepper, and cilantro.
03
In large skillet over medium-high, heat oil. Place salmon burgers in skillet and cook for 3 minutes on each side, or until crispy on the outside but just barely cooked through in middle, to an internal temperature of 145 F (63 C). Alternatively, you can prepare the burgers on an outdoor grill over medium heat, making sure grill grates are well greased.
04
Serve salmon burgers topped with salsa.
Matthew Kadey, MSc, RD, is a dietitian, nutrition writer, and recipe developer. He is also the author of Rocket Fuel (VeloPress, 2016) and Muffin Tin Chef (Ulysses Press, 2012).
