Mini Wild Salmon Patties with Lemony Avocado Sauce
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These kid-friendly salmon patties are not only some of the healthiest burgers out there, but every bite is a burst of citrusy, fresh deliciousness. They are gluten-free, dairy-free, and make a great freezer meal. It’s super easy to keep all of the ingredients for the salmon patties on hand in the pantry and in the fridge. Using canned salmon makes it economical too!
About This Recipe
The combo of the crispy, dill-infused salmon patties with the Lemony Avocado Sauce just works. The sauce at the end lends some creaminess and extra flavor on top. I eat these little burgers warm or cold, to be honest. With the sauce, they are delicious either way!
What Makes Salmon Patties So Healthy?
The big gun ingredient is the Omega 3-rich wild salmon which the American diet is sorely lacking in. These burgers and the avocado sauce provide healthy fats, are high in protein, and are gluten-free and dairy-free. In other words, they fight inflammation in our bodies and fill you up at the same time. The dietician in your life will give you a standing O if you make these, I bet.
Why I Love These Salmon Patties
1) This recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free.
A great bonus if food sensitivities are a concern for your family. If you don’t have almond meal on hand, you can easily substitute Panko breadcrumbs or regular breadcrumbs instead.
2) Easily double and freeze a second batch for later.
You can double, triple, or even quadruple the batch easily, freezing extras for later. As long as you’re getting your kitchen and hands dirty, I’d suggest making the most of that time by doing so. Note: You do have to make the Lemony Avocado Sauce fresh.
3) It’s super easy to keep all of the ingredients for the salmon patties on hand in the pantry and in the fridge.
I almost always have everything I need to make them. (If you want the Lemony Avocado Sauce on top, you may have to make a trip to the store unless you usually have lemons and avocados on hand.)
4) Really economical!
Canned wild salmon is MUCH cheaper than fresh wild salmon. I paid about $2.75 per can at Aldi. One thing to know is that you will have to do a little dirty work to sort out the bones and skin over a colander. Don’t stress too much about the little bones, though. They are very tiny and brittle and you won’t notice them. Plus, they add in calcium!
How to Serve Salmon Patties
First of all, I’d highly recommend making the Lemony Avocado Sauce in the recipe to top these cakes. The creaminess and beautiful color of the sauce contrasts well with the warm, crispy salmon patties. You could also use an all-natural Tartar Sauce for serving, if you want.
My kids liked them on mini buns with a slice of cheese on top, like a burger. I ate these Salmon and Sweet Potato Cakes a la carte with some of the Avocado Aioli sauce on top. Delicious!
With these salmon patties as the center piece of your meal, all you need are a few simple, healthy sides. Here are a few ideas:
- Strawberry Avocado Salad with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Oven Roasted Broccoli
- Simple Boiled Baby Potatoes
- Oven Roasted Asparagus
- Your favorite fruit (i.e. cantaloupe, grapes, berries)
How to Freeze Salmon Patties
It’s easy to freeze salmon patties. They turn out tasting just like you made them fresh, if you freeze them this way:
Freeze For Later: Put the salmon patties together, but do not cook them. Freeze in a freezer bag or container in a single layer. If stacking patties, divide single layers with parchment paper.
Prepare From Frozen: Thaw completely in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours. Then cook according to the directions.
More Salmon Recipes:
Here are few more salmon recipes from our collection you might enjoy…
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Mini Wild Salmon Patties with Lemony Avocado Sauce
These kid-friendly mini salmon patties make for some of the healthiest burgers out there! Every bite is a burst of savory, salty, fresh deliciousness. Keep all the ingredients on hand in the pantry and fridge to throw together in minutes or make a few batches to freeze ahead of time. The Lemony Avocado Sauce at the end adds some creaminess to complement the crunchy texture and flavor of the patties.
Ingredients
Salmon Patties:
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can of wild salmon, skin and bones removed (drain extra liquid)
- Juice and zest of half a lemon
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley (or 1 tablespoon dried parsley)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried minced onion (or 1/2 teaspoon onion powder)
- 1/4 cup blanched almond flour/meal (or you can use all-purpose flour if you don’t care if it’s gluten-free)
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- Avocado oil (or your preferred cooking oil)
Lemony Avocado Sauce:
- 1 medium to large ripe avocado, halved and pitted
- Juice of 1/2 a lemon
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1–2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- dash of hot sauce (optional)
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Instructions
Make It Now:
- In a medium mixing bowl, place the salmon, lemon juice and zest, parsley, garlic, dill, Dijon, salt, pepper, minced onion, almond flour, and beaten eggs. Gently stir with a fork until combined.
- Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop out the mixture and then form into small burger patties. Place in a shallow dish, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use. It’s best to chill them for about an hour to help them hold together better, but you can make them fresh.
- Make the Avocado Sauce: Mash all the ingredients together in a small mixing bowl using a fork (or mix in the food processor), cover with plastic wrap, making sure to place it directly onto the surface of the sauce to prevent browning. Refrigerate until ready to use. You can make this up to about 2-3 hours prior to making the burgers. It will start to brown after a while, though, so try to make it fresh beforehand.
- Pour enough oil into the bottom of a large skillet to cover the bottom. Heat oil over medium heat until shimmering. Once the oil is hot, carefully place some of the salmon burgers in the pan, leaving room between them. Cook on each side about 3-4 minutes, or until a golden crust forms. (Total cook time is 6-8 minutes per batch.) Keep warm on a parchment-lined sheet pan in a warm oven that’s been preheated to 200°F until ready to eat.
- Serve warm with Lemony Avocado Sauce on top. For kids: place on a mini wheat bun with a slice of your favorite cheese. Mine even like it with…gasp…ketchup. 🙂
Freeze For Later: Follow Step 1. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop out the mixture and then form into small burger patties. Place in a shallow freezer dish or bag in single layers. Use Parchment paper to divide layers, if needed. Cover tightly or seal, squeezing out any excess air. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Prepare From Frozen: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Cook according to instructions beginning with Step 3.
Love salmon& the different way I can cook this😋
Glad to help you find a new way to enjoy salmon. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review Bettie!
Loved these, esp w the sauce!
I’m a big fan of the sauce. 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to leave a review Jessica!
Absolutely yummy and soo quick to whip up!
Awesome! Glad you enjoyed this healthy meal. I need to make this for my own fam again soon.
I will be pulling the other half of this recipe out of the freezer for dinner tomorrow! We have liked these every time we’ve tried them. They are very good with the lemony avocado sauce, or I have made homemade tartar sauce if I don’t have an avocado sitting around. Canned salmon is a great, affordable way for us to have fish semi-regularly.
Thanks for taking the time to leave your feedback and a rating, Rebekah. Really glad you enjoy these salmon patties.
My husband and I love these! We served them over butter lettuce which was the perfect contrast the richness of the avocado and salmon. I did sneak a table spoon of mayo into the avocado sauce to cut some of the lemon. Plus we now have another dinner in the freezer! Thank you for this great recipe.
Hey, that’s fantastic, Marie. So glad you like them. Thanks for the tip about the mayo and taking the time to leave a review.
Made this tonight. They were great! Thanks for the (inexpensive) recipe.
On buns for the kids; on an arugula salad for the parents.
“I serve them on a mini bun with a slice of cheese”
With a bun and cheese, I like it more!
Thanks for the recipe! Now I lose weight!
It is a pity that in the recipe there is no bacon)))