Featured comment
This recipe was so delicious and so easy! I eased back on the red curry paste – my spouse doesn’t like anything too spicy – but the flavor adds so much even if you put in just a little. Put it on home-baked buns with tomato & cucumber and a little lettuce. I liked mayo as a condiment. Will definitely add to my recipe box.
John
How secretly great are salmon burgers?
They are golden brown, crispy, spicy, barely sweet and savory little bundles of flavor. You can serve them on a fluffy brioche bun with some spicy mayo and slaw, or just go bun-less and tuck these crispy flavor bombs straight into a salad, which is how I like them – just nestled onto some dressed spring greens, or a bagged salad mix, with a squiggle of spicy mayo on top.
These ones in particular have that umami-rich flavor and a little sweet-spicy zing to them from the combo of red curry paste and brown sugar and lively lemongrass. They are so, so good. I love them, Bjork loves them, toddler loves them. Five-star reviews all around in this house!
Salmon burgers are never the thing you think of, and yet, somehow. when they make their way into your life, they’re always a total dinner star. These ones are shockingly easy thanks to – yes, trust me – CANNED SALMON, and they are crispy, versatile, and super nutritious.
Long Live The Short Ingredient List
The ingredient list stays short (SOS) but the flavor is big, bold, and fun thanks to soy sauce, curry paste, and, if you can find it, lemongrass. (I use a lemongrass paste, which is very user-friendly and also adds a tad bit of sweetness and it’s just so lovable in so many recipes, especially these salmon burgers.)
Here are the ingredients worth mentioning:
- canned salmon (or cook fresh salmon and flake it up!)
- panko
- eggs
- red curry paste
- soy sauce
- lemongrass paste – not essential but very, very yummy
Likely you already have the rest: olive oil, salt, garlic powder, brown sugar.
And anything else is just the serve-with-it extras, which, to be honest, in our house is often a bagged or deli-purchased salad. No hard feelings! An exciting, vibrant, super delicious meal is on the table. Semi-homemade is the way it is right now. Let’s celebrate it.
Spicy Salmon Burgers: FAQs
You can use leftover poached, grilled, baked, or steamed salmon here if you have that handy.
Panko gives a really nice texture to this burgers – highly recommend! If you want to ditch the refined grains, whole wheat breadcrumbs could work as well. If you want a gluten-free option, almond flour could be substituted.
Leftovers keep really well – 3 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer!
Prefer To Watch Instead Of Read?
Click here to see the step-by-step web story instructions for this recipe!
Source notes: These salmon burgers are a play on our well-loved original salmon burgers recipe – except this time with a little bit of Asian-inspired flavor and subtle kick.
Print
Spicy Salmon Burgers
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
These Spicy Salmon Burgers are little bundles of flavor! Canned salmon, panko, refreshing lemongrass, and a sweet-spicy zingy combo of red curry paste and brown sugar. So good and so simple!
Ingredients
For the Spicy Salmon Burgers:
- 14–15 ounces canned salmon
- 2 eggs (see notes)
- 1/2 to 2/3 cup panko (start there, add more as needed)
- 1 tablespoon lemongrass paste
- 1 tablespoon red curry paste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- olive oil for frying
For Serving:
- buns and toppings like cilantro or sliced cucumber
- OR bagged salad (like an Asian-style salad)
- OR shredded cabbage (either homemade or store bought, tossed with olive oil, vinegar, salt, and sugar) <– my personal favorite
Instructions
- Drain the salmon and flake it apart. Mix the burger ingredients together. Form into 4 patties.
- Heat a little bit of olive oil in a nonskillet over medium heat. Add the burgers and cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
- Serve however you like! I love these burgers on a tangy slaw and topped with a dollop of plain yogurt, sour cream, or spicy mayo.
Notes
I feel like every batch I make of these is a little different depending on the amount of moisture in the salmon, so just play with the egg / panko ratios as needed. If you find that your mixture is too crumbly or not sticking together well, you can add another half or full egg (to total 3 eggs). I’ve had some 2-egg batches, and some 3-egg batches – both turned out great. You can also add more panko to help things hold, or you can add a little bit of mayo to help the whole thing stick together!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Pan-Fry
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
Keywords: salmon burger, spicy salmon, salmon recipe
MORE SALMON GOODNESS
- Caramelized Salmon (glazey, salty-sweet, and a teensy bit spicy)
- Coconut Curry Salmon (simple, creamy, barely spicy, and MEGA flavorful sauce)
- Simple Hoisin Glazed Salmon (ready 30 minutes with less than 10 pantry ingredients)
- Lemon Herb Salmon Burgers (a recipe that says “Summer is HERE!”)
Well I learned a lesson today… it’s a good idea to look for “boneless” if you’re going to buy canned salmon. Bones are not my thing lol so I ended up improvising and actually made this with tuna + the bagged Asian salad. Not bad!
Made the spicy salmon burgers and were absolutely delicious. I didn’t have curry paste so used 1 tsp curry powder. Loved the crispness. Will be a favorite in our home.
I make the Salmon Salad & Burger frequently. All I can say is WHAT-A-BURGER!!!
Silly question, but I didn’t see it answered … I am planning to make extras and freeze them – what is the best way to cook from frozen? Thaw first, cook from frozen? on the stove top?
Any guidance would be so appreciated 🙂
Any
Love that idea! Just pop them in the skillet from frozen.
For those that can’t do eggs, Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer worked well in this recipe (way better than flax eggs).
This is a fun recipe and love getting to make my own salmon burgers (instead of buying frozen ones)! I find that the burgers are waaay too salty for my taste and would recommend halving the salt. Also, in my experience, the smaller burgers stayed together better 🙂
We are making these tonight so I’ll reply here once I can rave about how yummy they are 🙂 In the meantime, thought you’d want to know that each of the links under “More Salmon Goodness” link to the wrong recipe. Like, I tried to open the Lemon Herb Salmon Burgers and the link took me to Peanut Noodle Salad. Ha! Not quite the same flavor profile I was looking for.
First off, thank you very much for these wonderful post. It is very easy to follow, read and watch. I enjoy the simplicity of this recipe. Being quite outdoorsy and always looking for ways to make some fancy feeling foods in the middle of nowhere, this recipe is going to become a go to. Quick question, what are your thoughts on using canned tuna or other seafood? Would you change the recipe at all or stick with what works for the salmon? Any and all suggestions are welcomed and encouraged. Thanks.
Canned tuna would work wonderfully! No changes!
This looks so good, but can you leave out the 1/2 Tbsp of brown sugar without compromising the flavor? Maybe substitute honey if needed?
We like the hint of sweetness the brown sugar gives the burgers, but you can leave it out without compromising flavor. Honey would be an excellent substitute!
Can these be cooked in an air fryer? If so, temperature/time?
We haven’t tried cooking these in the air fryer, but we think that’d be a great idea!
These were amazing! I was really scared of canned salmon but I got past it once it was in the patty mixture with all the other yummy things – and it was so worth it. Served over a bag of premade salad from wholefoods with some avo on the side! Will definitely make again
Can you recommend a boneless or bone-in canned salmon? Bumblebee Pink Salmon has bones in it, which surprised me since I don’t normally buy canned salmon. Ultimately, I decided to remove the bones I saw. How would you recommend I proceed?
We like the Wild Planet brand, but have also used Starkist.
What ratios do you use for cabbage tossed with olive oil, vinegar, salt, and sugar?
Great question! We’ve never measured it out. You could try 2 cups shredded cabbage, 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, and a sprinkle of salt!
New favorite recipe!!!!! I didn’t have enough salmon so I also mixed in a can of tuna – super delicious! I also subbed eggs for flaxseed – a little vegan goodness 🙂
This was amazing! I look forward to trying more recipes
So glad you enjoyed the burgers!
Amazing! Maybe the best salmon burger I’ve ever had. Even our one year old ate his entire burger!
Awesome, Kaitlin! So glad your little one enjoyed them too!
So good! I am not big on spice so I used 1/2 tbsp curry paste and it was perfect. I didn’t have eggs so I used flaxseed + water and it worked just fine. I froze 2 uncooked for later and I look forward to having them!
These are so easy and delicious. Couldn’t find lemongrass paste at my grocery store, but they were super flavorful without. Also used flax eggs, and that worked out great. Served with a side of roasted veggies and baked sweet potato. Yum.
Awesome, Janice! Glad it worked out with flax eggs. Thanks for the comment!
So glad you enjoyed the burgers and that you were able to make them egg-free!
Looking forward to this recipe.
Can I freeze this for meal prep? Would you freeze before or after pan-frying?
Thank you!
Hi Carrie! Yes, you can freeze the burgers. We’d freeze after frying. Enjoy!
Love the recipe and very easy to make. But found it very salty. The second time I left out the soy sauce and salt but was still salty (and I love salt).
Any suggestions as to what ingredients to amend? Thanks
Hi Chris! You could reduce or eliminate the kosher salt!
Thanks. I left out the Kosher salt and soy sauce. I think the pastes must have a lot of salt (soy sauce).
This recipe exceeded my expectations. We enjoyed it and will definitely make again. So easy. I used Chicken of the Sea skinless & boneless salmon. Served with a spicy mayonnaise and an Asian flavored cole slaw. Thank you for sharing!
So glad to hear it, Glinda!
Can’t wait to try these. Will shop today!
Enjoy, Jean!
These were delicious! Can’t wait to make them again. That crunch! First time using that paste; you’re right, it really added something. I’m never getting storebought salmon cakes again.
We love hearing this, Joanna! So glad you enjoyed the burgers!
yummyyyyyyyyyyyyyy……..
Thank You for this Post.
I made these and they were delicious. I served with the prepackaged salad from Aldi just like the recipe said and it was great.
So glad you enjoyed the burgers, Kristen!
I really want to try these but cannot eat spicy due to GERD. And suggestions to add instead of red curry paste?
You could try regular yellow curry powder instead!