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These teriyaki salmon burgers are a tropical paradise in burger form. Soft pretzel buns are stacked with juicy salmon patties, grilled pineapple, and all the fixings. Add some teriyaki and creamy sriracha sauce to the mix, and you have a flavor explosion.
For a complete meal, try serving these burgers with Cajun fries and classic coleslaw. The spicy kick of the fries and the tangy crunch of the coleslaw perfectly complement the sweet and savory flavors of the salmon burgers.
These teriyaki pineapple and salmon burgers are quite incredible. Wonderfully moist, savory, zesty salmon patties are grilled, basted with sweet teriyaki sauce, and stacked on top of soft pretzel buns coated in spicy sriracha yogurt sauce. The patties are topped with grilled pineapple, zingy red onion, and crunchy lettuce, creating perfect flavors and textures. Don’t just take my word for it, though. Try them for yourself!
Why I Love This Salmon Burgers Recipe
- Easy. Making salmon burgers might sound intimidating, but they’re actually super simple. You just toss all of the ingredients for the patties into the food processor and let the machine do the work.
- Flavorful. These burgers are the perfect combination of sweet, savory, and ever so slightly spicy. The patties’ savory, herby, lemony flavor is complimented beautifully by the sweetness of the teriyaki sauce and the pineapple. Add a hit of that spicy sriracha yogurt sauce, and you’re in flavor heaven!
- So juicy. The patties themselves are so juicy. I’ve had too many dense, dry salmon burgers in my life, but these are anything but that.
- The patties actually hold together. I have been experimenting with salmon burgers for a while now and have found that, all too often, they fall apart on the grill. This recipe cracks the code and the patties hold together perfectly!
What You’ll Need
Time to head to the grocery store and grab the ingredients to make this easy salmon burgers recipe. It’s delicious and you’ll want to make it on repeat.
- Pink salmon fillets – Remove the skin, pat dry the fillets with paper towels, and chop them up. You can use frozen salmon if you’d like. Just thaw the fillets in the refrigerator overnight. Before using, pat the fish dry with a paper towel and, once chopped, squeeze out any excess moisture.
- Panko crumbs – Do not use regular breadcrumbs here. It will change the texture and cooking time. If you are gluten-free, I suggest pulsing gluten-free crackers in a food processor to form crumbs.
- Onion – I use yellow onion, but you can also use white or sweet onions.
- Dijon mustard – Adds a tangy flavor to balance the sweetness.
- Lemon juice – Use fresh lemon juice – it really does make a difference.
- Chili powder – Adds a bit of a kick to the salmon patties.
- Fresh parsley – Feel free to substitute dried parsley flakes if that’s easier.
- Pineapple rings – I use canned pineapple, but fresh will also work.
- Teriyaki sauce – I always reach for the low-sodium version, but you can use what you have on hand or use liquid aminos instead.
- Lettuce greens & Red onion rings – Used for building the burger.
- Pretzel buns – The buns are best toasted.
- Plain yogurt & Sriracha – The two main components of the sauce. If you don’t like a lot of spice, use less sriracha or substitute with ketchup.
- Garlic – I used fresh garlic, but you could use garlic powder instead.
- Salt & Pepper – Simple seasoning that enhances all the flavors.
How to Make Salmon Burgers
Here’s a brief overview of how to make salmon burgers on the grill. Scroll to the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
- Make the patties. Pulse the salmon, panko crumbs, onions, mustard, lemon juice, chili powder, parsley, salt, and pepper in a food processor until smooth and well combined. Divide the mixture into 4 patties.
- Grill the patties. Preheat a grill to medium-high heat and oil the grates. Grill the burgers for 4 minutes, flip, and brush with teriyaki sauce. Close the grill and cook for another 4 minutes. Flip, brush with teriyaki sauce, and cook for 1 more minute.
- Grill the pineapple rings. Put the pineapple slices on the grill, brush with teriyaki sauce, grill for 5 minutes, flip, brush with teriyaki sauce, and grill for another 4 minutes.
- Make the sauce. Whisk together the yogurt, sriracha, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- Assemble. Spread some Sriracha sauce over the bottom bun, top with salmon patties, pineapple, lettuce, and onion, and finish with a little more sauce and the top bun.
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Don’t over-mix. When combining the ingredients for the salmon patties in the food processor, process just until everything is combined. Overworking the mixture will end you with dense, dry burgers.
- Use a clean, well-oiled grill. Clean your grill grates thoroughly with a grill brush, and use a paper towel or a cloth soaked in olive oil to rub it down before cooking. This will help ensure that your patties do not stick and/or take on the flavor of whatever you were grilling last.
- Get the grill nice and hot: Putting your burgers on a properly preheated grill is key. Aim for medium-high (around 375°F). The patties are likely to stick to a grill that is too cool, and a grill that is too hot will likely burn the patties.
- Don’t overcook unless you want dry salmon patties. Use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature of the patties. Aim for 145°F.
- Toast the buns. Use a toaster or an oven, or toss the pretzel buns on the grill just before serving. This really softens them up and gives them a nice crunch that you won’t want to miss.
- Consider your spice tolerance. The sriracha yogurt sauce can be a bit spicy for some. If you want to adjust the heat, use less sriracha or substitute with red pepper sauce or curry ketchup.
Serving Suggestions
My Crispy Air Fryer Onion Rings are the perfect side for any burger, including this one. You should also try my Crispy Air Fryer Frozen French Fries or, if you’re feeling fancy, these Parmesan Truffle Fries. My Crispy Sweet Potato Wedges are great, too!
This Coconut Lime Cauliflower Rice has the ultimate tropical vibe and pairs beautifully with teriyaki grilled salmon burgers. Add a little green to your plate with my Grilled Zucchini Salad or this Cabbage Cucumber Salad. You’ve got the grill on already; go ahead and give it a second job with this Perfect Grilled Zucchini or Grilled Corn with Herbed Butter.
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
Refrigerator. Allow the salmon patties to cool completely before sealing them in separate airtight containers. Close the sauce in its own airtight container. Keep everything in the fridge, unassembled, for up to 3 days. You could also freeze the patties for up to 3 months.
To reheat. Heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil in a large skillet over low heat. Arrange the patties and pineapples in the skillet and cook until just heated through.
More Salmon Recipes
- Oven Baked Pesto Salmon
- Air Fryer Salmon with Mustard Sauce
- Lemon Butter Grilled Salmon
- Crab Stuffed Salmon
- Salmon in Sundried Tomato Sauce
- Grilled Salmon with Avocado Salsa
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Salmon Burgers
Ingredients
For the salmon burgers
- 4 (4-ounces each) salmon fillets, skin removed, coarsely chopped (If salmon is wet, pat it dry with paper towels)
- 1 cup panko crumbs
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ⅛ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 pineapple rings
- ⅓ cup low sodium teriyaki sauce
- lettuce greens
- red onion rings
- pretzel buns, toasted
For the sriracha-yogurt sauce
- 1 cup nonfat plain yogurt
- 1 to 2 teaspoons sriracha
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
For The Salmon Burgers
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine salmon, panko crumbs, onions, mustard, lemon juice, chili powder, parsley, salt and pepper; process until mixture is smooth and combined.
- Divide the mixture evenly into 4 patties.
- Heat an outdoor grill to medium-high; about 375˚F.
- When the grill is ready, rub the grates with vegetable oil. (I dip paper towels in vegetable oil and rub across the grate.)
- Transfer the salmon burgers to the grill, close the grill, and cook for 4 minutes.
- Flip the burgers and brush them with teriyaki sauce.
- Close the grill, and cook until the patties are cooked through, about 4 minutes.
- Flip again and brush with teriyaki sauce; continue to cook for 1 more minute.
In the meantime, grill the pineapple slices.
- Place pineapple slices on oiled grates; brush with teriyaki sauce and grill for 5 minutes.
- Flip the pineapple slices, brush again with teriyaki sauce, and continue to grill for 4 minutes.
Prepare the Sriracha Yogurt Sauce.
- In a mixing bowl, combine yogurt, sriracha, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper; whisk until smooth.
Build your burger.
- Beginning with the bottom bun, spread a tablespoon of sriracha yogurt sauce, top with salmon, add a pineapple slice, lettuce, onion, one more tablespoon of sriracha yogurt sauce, and top it off with your toasted top bun. Serve.
Notes
- Salmon: I use salmon fillets for my salmon burgers, but if you want to use canned salmon, you’ll need one 15-ounce can.
- Maintain medium-high grill heat (around 375°F). If you don’t have a grill, you can use a grill pan.
- To avoid dry patties, don’t overcook. Aim for an internal temperature of 145°F.
- Storage: Cool the salmon patties and pineapple rings to room temperature, then store them in separate airtight containers and keep them in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Avoid freezing the sauce. For reheating, use a skillet with olive oil, ensuring not to overcook the patties.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Can I use smoked salmon for this?
This may be a silly question, but I’m going to ask anyway… You use uncooked salmon in the patties, correct? Looks so great! Looking forward to making them this week.
That’s an amazing idea, saved the recipe and will definetly try it soon. Thanks ๐
Oh, I love that teriyaki pineapple. What a killer burger!
Hmm… This sounds great. My dad would have loved this for Father’s Day.
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