Pan-Fry

Shortcut Salmon Burgers

October  4, 2022
4.5
2 Ratings
Photo by Linda Xiao
  • Prep time 15 minutes
  • Cook time 6 minutes
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

Canned salmon is a convenient and economical alternative to fresh, and it’s ideal for easy burgers. Don’t worry about any bones in the mix. When cooked, they become undetectable, and they are a source of calcium. Ilike to schmear these burgers with a combination of ketchup and mayo—delish. —Jenna Helwig

Test Kitchen Notes

Jenna Helwig believes in keeping things simple, unfussy, but still delicious. In her cookbook Bare Minimum Dinners, she finds great little shortcuts to get a meal on the table fast without sacrificing deliciousness. (Fish stick tacos? Why yes please.) Here, Helwig uses an underutilized powerhouse—canned salmon—to make a breezy, flavorful meal that comes together in less than the time it would take to watch an episode of Seinfeld. —Editors

Recipe excerpted with permission from Bare Minimum Dinners: Recipes and Strategies for Doing Less in the Kitchen by Jenna Helwig, published by Mariner Books © 2021. Reproduced by permission of Mariner Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. —The Editors

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 15 ounces canned salmon, drained (2 to 3 cans)
  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 burger buns (preferably brioche), toasted
  • butter lettuce leaves, avocado slices, and sliced
  • red onion, for serving
  • ketchup and mayonnaise, for serving
Directions
  1. Combine the salmon, panko, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Form into 4 patties and place on a parchment-lined plate. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet. Cook the patties until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve on the toasted buns with lettuce, avocado, red onion, ketchup, and mayonnaise.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

1 Review

cmcinnyc April 15, 2022
Super simple, basic recipe. I'd never made salmon burgers before and wanted a "beginner" recipe and this is it. Tasty, and no need for extra frills, but easy to see how you could make endless variations.