I live in Alaska and eat fresh salmon from my freezer regularly, but do you think I have a salmon recipe posted on my website? Nope, not a single one. You see, I've had salmon prepared just about every way imaginable. Like most Alaskan kids, I've been eating it my entire life.
My family has caught them, gutted and cleaned them, smoked them, canned them, fried and baked them, and even fed them to our cats (Halibut and cod included, and no - I'm not joking. Although my mom would only give the cats the freezer-burnt fish).
We probably ate salmon and halibut more frequently than chicken or beef growing up.
Out of all of the ways I've had salmon, smoked is still my favorite. Nothing beats the taste of fresh caught and smoked salmon. It's the best (although these burgers are really high on my list too)!
I'm so accustomed to eating salmon that posting a recipe for baked or grilled salmon for all of you just wasn't going to cut it. Nope. In order for this Alaska chick to finally post a recipe for salmon it had to be something extra special (the baked and grilled recipes will come later).
I promise you these Slammin' Alaska Salmon Burgers with Garlic Dill Aioli were well worth the wait. These burgers are moist, flavorful, and even better yet - gluten free, grain free, and packed with heart healthy omega 3 fatty acids.
And these are particularly popular with children. My girls gobble them up and it is rare that we actually have any leftovers whenever I make them.
The Garlic Dill Aioli is a wonderful addition to these salmon burgers; however, the sauce is optional. The burgers are perfectly flavored and seasoned, making them excellent on their own. But, don't let me dissuade you. If you are a garlic lover, the Garlic Dill Aioli packs a powerful punch of flavor. It's delicious - and not just for pairing with salmon burgers.
Slammin’ Alaska Salmon Burgers with Garlic Dill Aioli
These salmon burgers are moist, flavorful, and even better yet – gluten free, grain free, and packed with heart healthy omega 3 fatty acids.
Ingredients
For the Slammin’ Alaska Salmon Burgers
- 1.75 pounds Alaska wild caught salmon fillet, skinned & deboned (I use sockeye)
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 large egg
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ¼ teaspoon dried dill
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup almond flour, gently packed
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
- ¼ cup green onion, chopped
- oil, for frying
For the Garlic Dill Aioli
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ½ cup olive oil
Instructions
- To make the Slammin’ Alaska Salmon Burgers, cut the salmon into 2 inch chunks, and combine ⅓ of the pieces with the mayonnaise, lemon juice, egg, and garlic in a food processor and process until the mixture turns into a paste.
- Add the remaining salmon pieces and pulse until the larger salmon pieces are partially combined with the paste mixture. Do not over process; ¼ inch pieces of salmon should remain.
- Place the mixture into a bowl and stir in the dried dill, sea salt, black pepper, almond flour, cilantro, and green onion. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, form into 6 patties, packing firmly.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add 2 tablespoons of oil and let it warm. Transfer the patties using a sturdy spatula to the hot pan. Cook the burgers, 3-4 minutes per side, or until they are just cooked through and crisp and golden. Be careful not to overcook. Add more oil to the pan as needed.
- To make the Garlic Dill Aioli, mash the minced garlic with the sea salt until it’s a paste. Combine the garlic paste, egg yolks, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and dried dill in a medium sized mixing bowl. Whisk until the yolk mixture is frothy and bright in color. Slowly drizzle in a few drops of olive oil at a time into the yolks and continue to whisk constantly until all of the oil is incorporated and the mixture emulsifies. Chill in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
You don't have to have a food processor in order to make these burgers, but it does make the process much easier. In lieu of the food processor, simply follow the instructions above and use a good sharp kitchen knife!
In regards to deboning salmon, sometimes I'll use my fingers to pull the bones out and sometimes I'll use a pair of tweezers. Either way you choose, the bones come out easier if you pull them out going against the grain of the salmon.
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All my love!
xo,
Megan
Amber says
I love this post Megan! I have to say, I am a big fan of salmon. I envy not only your beautiful Alaska, but the accessibility to fresh caught fish. So awesome.
These burgers really look fantastic. I can imagine how moist they are...and flavorful!
And thank you for sharing those awesome shirts. What a great idea. 🙂
We are off to visit family for a few days. Have a great Monday and week!
xo,
--Amber
Megan says
Thank you, Amber! You'll have to come and visit me one of these days! 😉 Have a wonderful time visiting your family!
xoxo,
Megan
Lori says
Megan,
How lucky that you have access to a boatload of fresh salmon! My brother used to live in Alaska and nothing beats the salmon--or halibut (my favorite) freshly caught there. Your recipe sounds amazing and I want to try it soon. Thanks for sharing! Aloha, Lori
Megan says
Hi Lori,
Thank you! Yes, I agree - I am very blessed to live here and have access to fresh salmon. 😉 I'd imagine you have some great fresh seafood accessibility in Hawaii too?! Do you have any favorite Hawaii seafood staples?
Hugs from Alaska!
Megan
Laura @ Gluten Free Pantry says
This post brings back so many memories. I was born in Alaska right by the ocean and my parents met at a fish business in Alaska. They adored good Wild Alaskan salmon and have passed on the palate to me! One of these days I am going to come visit you and we are going to make these burgers. In the meantime, I will have to go to my local Whole Foods (not the same as fresh from the boat!) and make myself these amazing burgers!
Megan says
Hi Laura,
You have a DEAL! I would love that! 😉 I can't wait to hear how you like the burgers!
xoxo,
Megan
Lisa Sands says
These look delicious!
Amy | Club Narwhal says
These salmon burgers definitely look slamming! Also, can I just take a moment to be super jealous of your non stop fresh Alaskan salmon? You lucky duck 🙂 Stopping by from Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays 🙂
Megan says
Thanks Amy - and thank you for stopping by! 🙂
Megan
Dawn @ Transformed By Food says
These look amazing! I too am jealous that you live in Alaska and have easy access to the freshest wild salmon. That's wonderful for you!
I can't eat egg whites, so for anyone who can't eat traditional mayonnaise, and is interested in making their own, here's a great recipe from Nom Nom Paleo that would work well here:
http://nomnompaleo.com/post/3440774534/paleo-mayonnaise
I hope it's okay to share the link! If not, please feel free to delete it.
Thanks for sharing! Have a happy, gut healthy day.
Megan says
Hi Dawn,
Thank you! It is wonderful, although ask me about it again in Dec/Jan when there's only 4 hours of daylight and the temps are sub-zero. HA! 😉 You can't beat the summers though... or the fresh salmon.
Thanks for sharing the link to Nom Nom Paleo. Her mayo looks wonderful.
Hugs,
Megan
GiGiEatsCelebrities.com says
Oh my! I bet the flavors in those burgers are out of this world amazing! I adore salmon and an aioli sauce to go with it, now that's just amazing!
Megan says
Thank you! 😉
Suzanne perazzini says
I love salmon burgers and make them with all sorts of different seasoning and additions. I use them with my tapioca burger buns for a completely gluten-free meal. The aioli would be a great addition.
Megan says
Hi Suzanne,
We normally eat our salmon burgers bunless, but I wanted buns for the picture. 😉 It was a special treat to have them (they were gluten free)!
Megan
Kate @ Eat, Recycle, Repeat says
These look incredible! I am so jealous of your salmon situation. Japan sells so many polluting, factory-farmed salmon and it just breaks my heart to see that pale, sickly pink. But these are beautiful! I'm not much of a fisher, but I'd love to try it in Alaska some day. The aioli looks out of this world too.
I'd never heard of shirts like that, but what a great thing for kids to have! Best wishes to your family.
Megan says
Thanks, Kate! And I hear you on the farmed salmon. Although I've never see the factory-farmed Japanese salmon here, I know what fresh beautiful wild-caught salmon should look like. It definitely shouldn't look sickly pink unless it's old, washed up on the side of the river, and is about ready to die. ;( And even then, I'd still rather eat it than a farmed one.
Hugs to you - have a great weekend!
Megan
Megan says
Made these last night and they were a hit! Thanks so much for the recipe!!
I made with spicy sweet potato fries and the aioli and they went together perfectly!
Megan says
Hi Megan! You are very welcome - so glad to hear they were a hit! Thank you for the wonderful review. 😉
Megan
ps-great name!
Debi says
I LOVE smoked salmon. Next to a really good salmon nigiri, it's my favorite salmon preparation. 😀
Megan says
I love smoked salmon too, Debi! I'm not much of a raw salmon fan though... lol. 😉
Hugs,
Megan
Brandon says
It's great that you have access to fresh salmon! I just moved to Seattle, and the availability of fresh seafood is incredible. I never used to care for seafood when I lived in Upstate New York, but now that FRESH seafood is available, I'm quickly changing my point of view.
Megan says
Oh, I can only imagine how quickly your mind is changing. Seattle has great seafood! I hope you're settling in well to your new town. Thank you for stopping by! 😉
Robyn @ simply fresh dinners says
Hi Megan,
I loved your ice cream on Google+ so came to visit your beautiful blog. Love your recipes, your photos, your stories of Alaska! I'm from Vancouver Island so I'm a big salmon fan as well. This burger looks fantastic and I will definitely be trying it this summer.
I'll be looking forward to your future recipes!
Megan says
Hi Robyn,
Thank you so much! I'm happy to connect with you!
😉 Megan
Scott says
Hello--
The salmon burgers sound great. I live in Bethel, AK. I have many food allergies. The most common are dairy, eggs, pork, shellfish and foods high in nickel. That being said--how can you make aioli with above issues? Any ideas for other recipes would be great!
Megan says
Hi Scott,
You might be able to make it with Veganaise, although I don't know what type of nickel content it has... Being in Bethel though, I'd imagine you probably can't find Veganaise anywhere. If you Google "how to make vegan mayonnaise" there are all types of different recipes available. You might try making one that looks good to you and then add the dill and garlic to some of it? And maybe more lemon juice to taste? I hope that helps!
Megan
Shirley @ gfe & All Gluten-Free Desserts says
Seeing this old photo of your Dad made me tear up a bit, Megan. You know why. Beautiful post and amazing looking recipe! I love salmon burgers and with garlic aioli ... wow!
xoxo,
Shirley
Megan says
Awe, Shirley, thank you. ((Hugs)) And I do know why, and I'm so, so sorry.
xoxo,
M