It has been a week of salmon burgers! They're one of my favorite things to make on the barbecue and we are in the very last throes of grilling season. I can't believe that fall is almost upon us! Pretty soon the leaves will be changing, the days will get shorter, and it will start dumping snow. Until that time, I am absolutely determined to make as much of my barbecue as possible!
I started the week by adding Tartar Sauce & Tomatoes to the burger. Then, I made a version for breakfast with a Runny Egg. And now I'm looking for something a little simpler. I tend to throw everything plus the kitchen sink at some dishes. After all, if I have a ton of things in my refrigerator, why not use as many of them as possible??
But I have started making some Mexican food components this week and don't exactly want to add a bunch of black beans and brown rice on top of a burger! While those are great components of a vegan burger and I could easily see myself making a meatless version of a Latin American-inspired dish? That's not exactly what I'm looking for today with my leftover salmon patties! So, I'm keeping it simple with tartar sauce and avocado dip.
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Variations of Barbecue Salmon Burgers
When I make salmon burgers, I tend to make all of the components, like the bun and patties, ahead of time and then mix and match the toppings throughout the week. This week I made a batch of 8 Brioche Rolls and have enough salmon for 4 patties. That means that, if you follow the directions for the recipe below, it will make 4 whole servings with some extra buns leftover. You could easily double the salmon section to make a full 8 burgers. I just live alone and cannot commit to eating that many burgers in a single week! Burgers are a fun way to play with toppings, though, and I'm quite fond of doing this in several different variations.
These homemade salmon burgers combine mayonnaise-free tartar sauce and avocado dip with red chilis, garlic, walnuts, and Greek yogurt. The lemons and Greek yogurt in the tartar perfectly mimic the limes and the Greek yogurt in the avocado dip. Both of which compliment the subtle flavor of the salmon, without having to slather it in mayonnaise.
This recipe utilizes a lot of things that you can make yourself or buy in a pinch. If you want to make everything from scratch, you will need to start a few hours ahead of time!For a quicker recipe, you can always substitute store-bought burger buns or salmon patties.
Brioche Rolls are the first thing that you will need to begin to prepare because it will take about 4 1/2 hours to rise and get ready to bake. It will also make 8 rolls, while the salmon patties here are going to make 4 servings. You can easily double the ingredients in the salmon patties to fulfill all 8 burger buns.
Tartar Sauce
Mince all of the produce and mix all of the ingredients together.
I would highly recommend letting this refrigerate for a couple of hours or the day beforehand in order to let all of the flavors permeate.
Avocado Dip
Add all of the ingredients into a food processor and purée until smooth.
Make Salmon Patties
Preheat the barbecue on medium heat.
Place salmon skin-side down on griddle or a baking sheet.
Drizzle with olive oil and add a dash of salt and pepper. Slice a lemon and place evenly on top of the salmon.
Bake the salmon for 12-17 minutes, or until it begins to flake. Salmon tends to be cooked when it loses the bright color and you can take a fork and it easily separates. Remove from the oven and let cool.
When the salmon has reached a manageable temperature, flake into a bowl with eggs, bread crumbs, and a splash of olive oil. Mix until combined.
Separate into 4 equal-sized portions and form into round patties, about 1/2 inch thick.
Place salmon patties back onto the griddle or directly on to the barbecue and fry until lightly browned, about 3-5 minutes. Carefully flip and repeat on the other side. Add more oil as necessary to keep the pan lightly coated with oil.
Assemble Burgers
Slice the roll in half. Place griddle or directly on the barbecue and toast until golden brown.
Place the roll on a plate. Top with with avocado dip and tartar sauce.
Add lettuce to the top half of the roll.
Add salmon patty to the bottom of the roll.
Serve immediately.
Tips, Tricks, & Notes
I have a more in-depth article on Mayonnaise-free Tartar Sauce w/ Greek Yogurt. It is just that simple as mixing everything together in a bowl! But there are some additional photos of what it should look like there.
For more information on baking salmon, check out my articles on The Fundamentals of Oven Baked Salmon and Barbecue Salmon. I'm particularly fond of cooking on a well-seasoned cast iron griddle because you don't need additional oil or foil to to keep it from sticking. But there are certainly ways around this if you don't want to dedicate an entire cast iron pan to fish! Cooking salmon is also more of an art than a science. No two filets are going to cook in the exact same amount of time and there are definitely some tips and tricks to nailing the cook on fish.
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