Simple and delicious salmon quinoa burgers make the perfect weekday dinner that's that little bit special. Enjoy as an easy salmon pattie as is, make a salmon quinoa salad or stuff the little patties into a burger bun and enjoy with all the fixings.
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Poached Salmon Quinoa Burger
Would you believe that a regular ol' salmon burger is one of the first dishes I made from the first cookbook I ever bought.
It was the first meal I ever tried out that made me think 'oh wow, I can totally do this cooking thing!'
It seems like a lifetime ago, and I know I have come so far from those first few fumbles in the kitchen, but I still love to turn back time and indulge in a salmon burger from time to time.
Plus salmon burgers happen to be one of the meals the kids always eat without quarrel, so they happen a fair bit around these parts.
How To Make These Healthy Salmon Patties
So, what is so special about these little burgers?
Well, we have gotten rid of the breadcrumbs and loaded them up with quinoa instead, which is just perfect as it bulks them up enough to be super filling but still packs a nutritional punch.
The salmon is poached in milk which makes them retain a bucket-load of moisture, and they can be done and on your table in twenty minutes from start to finish.
Unless you are like me and get side-tracked multiple times by fighting children throughout the process, in which case...all bets are off on how long it will take 🙂
You are going to need:
- Salmon
- Milk
- Quinoa
- Spring Onions
- Parsley
- Mayo
- Dijon mustard
- Lemon zest and juice
- Paprika
- Plain flour (sub in almond flour to reduce carbs/make it gluten-free)
First, you are going to want to poach the salmon. I do this in milk as I find it cooks the salmon just perfectly, and also gets rid of that super fishy taste which can be so off-putting for many people (especially kids).
Once the salmon is poached, take it out of the milk and flake it into nice chunks. If the salmon isn't cooked enough when you remove the lid, just pop the lid back on and pop the saucepan with the milk and salmon still in it onto the stove-top on medium heat for 1-2 minutes, then try again.
Pop the flaked salmon into a bowl with all of the other ingredients. Mix until everything is combined and then fry in 1/4 cup batches.
Tips and Substitutions
These are very easily made by frying them in a skillet over medium heat. However, I cheat and use a mini pie-maker simply to get them all the same shape and size:
If you are following a gluten-free diet: sub in some gluten-free flour in place of the plain flour used.
If you are following a keto diet, or prefer to keep your meals lower in carbs: sub in some almond flour.
If you want an egg-free version: replace the egg with a chia egg by simply mixing 1 tbsp of chia seeds with 3 tbsp of water, letting sit for 5 minutes, and then using as the egg is used in the recipe.
Meal prep salmon patties: If you would like to make these ahead of time, just make them up according to the instructions and store in the fridge. To reheat simply pop them in the air fryer for about 8 minutes or on a rack in the middle of the oven for about 10 minutes.
You can also reheat in the microwave if you are desperate, but they may become a bit soggy rather than crispy.
How To Serve Up Quinoa Salmon Burgers
The great thing about these easy salmon burgers is that they are super versatile.
Enjoy in many ways:
- As is straight from the pan with a squeeze of fresh lemon and some mayo
- As a salmon burger - loaded into a burger bun with some red onion, tomato, and lettuce
- As a salmon quinoa salad - just pop the salmon burgers on top of a plain garden salad and you are good to go
- As a wrap with whatever veggies you enjoy.
Need some more salmon based recipes in your life? Try these out:
- 4 Ingredient Teriyaki Salmon
- Sundried Tomato and Salmon Alfredo Pasta Bake
- 6 Ingredient Teriyaki Salmon Rice Bowl
- Salsa Verde Baked Salmon
- Creamy Barley and Smoked Salmon Brunch Bowl
Happy Eating.
xx
Quinoa and Milk Poached Salmon Burger
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk
- 1 lb fresh salmon
- 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa completely cooled
- 1/4 cup plain flour
- 2 green onion white and light green part only, sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- cooking oil for cooking I use avocado oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- lemon wedges to serve
Instructions
- In a small saucepan with a lid, bring the milk to a boil. Remove from the heat, pop the salmon into the milk and put the lid on. Leave for about 3-4 minutes before removing the salmon and flaking it with a fork and setting aside to cool (if you have a thicker cut, you may need to turn the filet over halfway through). Throw the milk away.
- Once the salmon has cooled be sure to pour away any extra liquid that has gathered in the bowl as the salmon cooled.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, plain flour, green onion, parsley, mayonnaise, mustard, egg, lemon juice, lemon zest and paprika. Stir to combine. Once cooled, add in the flaked salmon and season with salt and pepper to taste.Give it a mix until everything is combined
- Heat a little oil in a medium sized pan. Once hot, add heaped tablespoons full of the salmon mixture to the pan and cook for about 4 minutes on each side
- Once cooked, remove from the pan and serve with squeeze of lemon
Notes
Nutrition
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If you tried this recipe please comment and rate it. I love hearing your feedback and answering your questions! And if you make this please tag me on Instagram with @wholefoodbellies so I can share it <3
Jennifer says
I'mpretty sure my dog would appreciate that milk.
Donna1 says
Ha my dog LOVES it too 🙂
Morgan says
I couldn't get these patties to stay together without crumbling apart? I hope I didn't miss something but I don't think the egg was enough to bind all these ingredients?
Donna1 says
Oh no, I am so sorry they didn't work out for you Morgan, I have made these so many times and never had that problem. You didn't by any chance add the milk that the salmon was cooked in did you? I just realized I may not have made it clear enough that the milk should be thrown away afterwards. You can always try popping the mixture into the fridge for about 20 minutes which will help them bind together more.
swayam says
Wow Donna! This sounds and looks perfect. I have seen so many quinoa recipes but this is something else!! Brilliant!
Donna1 says
Oh thank you so much Swayam 🙂 We are big fans around here!
Kate @ Veggie Desserts says
These burgers look great - especially with the quinoa. I'm glad you weathered the storm!
Donna1 says
Yes we may be a little bit addicted to adding quinoa to everything, but it works so well in these burgers I couldn't pass it up!
Ronda Eagle says
I love salmon but, like Brian Jones, also have not yet tried Quinoa. These scrumptious-looking Salmon Burgers give me a good excuse to try it and maybe even sneak it in past my husband. 🙂
Donna1 says
Haha I remember trying to sneak it past my husband when we first started eating it 🙂 Now he requests it instead of rice, so it worked!
Sarah says
This sounds like a filling, satisfying and {most importantly} absolutely delicious meal! Love the quinoa and salmon combo! Yum! Thanks so much for sharing!!
Donna1 says
Oh thanks so much for the lovely words Sarah!
Brian Jones says
These sound wonderful and really unusual, although I have to say I am probably one of the last food fanatics to have never tried Quinoa, it just hasn't made it's way to Rural Hungary yet 😉
Loving the storm story, we get fabulous storms here and I race outside with my camera to capture the lightning strikes, not exactly sensible but something I love to do!
Donna1 says
Oh wow, I cant believe you haven't tried Quinoa yet! But I am sure you are trying lots of other delicious foods in rural Hungary 🙂 Oh I know, as soon as it started and the kids and I ran outside, and my next door neighbour immediately popped over to tell me how dangerous it was 🙂
Bethany @ athletic avocado says
Im starting to crave salmon more and more now, due to that fact that its seafood season! I NEED these salmon burgers in my life asap!
Donna1 says
I know right! How good is the fresh seafood around right now!!