Burgers are a perennial game-day favourite, but not always a nutritional win. Root for the healthier team by swapping out beef for salmon and cheese slices for a velvety feta yogurt sauce. And then finish everything off with a stack of veggies. To let all the other flavours and textures shine through, consider subtracting the bun. For burgers, panko bread crumbs or quick-cooking oat flakes can be used as a replacement for almond flour.
Thrill of the grill
The salmon burgers can be prepared on the grill—but they’re delicate, which makes placing them directly on the grill grates a risky undertaking. If you want to safeguard against burgers sticking to or falling through the grates, you can lay a cast iron griddle on top of the grill and use that to heat your burgers. A greased metal vegetable basket can also work as a cooking platform.
Salmon Burgers with Lemony Whipped Feta Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) plain Greek yogurt
- 2 oz (57 g) feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp (45 mL) chopped dill
- 1 lb (450 g) skinless salmon, chopped into 1 inch (2.5 cm) chunks
- 1 large organic egg
- 1/3 cup (80 mL) almond flour
- 1/3 cup (80 mL) finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 shallot, peeled and chopped
- 1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 2 tsp (10 mL) capers (optional)
- 1 tsp (5 mL) lemon zest
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) black pepper
- 2 tsp (10 mL) grapeseed oil or avocado oil
- 4 whole grain hamburger buns, preferably toasted
- 4 thick slices tomato
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) sliced cucumber
- 2 cups (500 mL) arugula or baby spinach
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories589
- protein46 g
- total fat32 g
- sat. fat9 g
- total carbohydrates28 g
- sugars7 g
- fibre2 g
- sodium679 mg
Directions
01
For sauce, to food processor or blender container, add yogurt, feta, lemon juice, and dill; blend until smooth. Remove sauce from container and set aside. Clean container.
02
For burgers, in food processor container, place salmon, egg, almond flour, sun-dried tomatoes, shallot, jalapeno, capers (if using), lemon zest, salt, and black pepper; pulse several times until you have a chunky paste. Form salmon mixture into 4 equal-sized patties. Refrigerate patties for at least 15 minutes.
03
In skillet over medium-high, heat oil. Place salmon burgers in skillet and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, or until crispy on the outside but just barely cooked through in the middle. The thickest part of the burgers should reach 145 F (63 C) when tested with a food thermometer.
04
Place burgers on bottom halves of buns and top with feta sauce, tomato, cucumber, and greens. Top with more sauce and place tops of buns on burgers.
Matthew Kadey, MSc, RD, is a dietitian, nutrition writer, and recipe developer. He is also the author of Rocket Fuel (VeloPress, 2016) and Muffin Tin Chef (Ulysses Press, 2012).
