Low Sugar Cilantro Lime Salmon Burgers
These salmon burgers are bright, fresh, and packed with bold flavor — cilantro, lime zest, grated ginger, and green onion come together with the fish in a way that feels almost restaurant-worthy. The two-texture technique, where part of the salmon is pulsed in a food processor and the rest is hand-chopped, gives each patty a satisfying bite that holds together beautifully in the pan. Skipping the bun entirely and wrapping everything in crisp butter lettuce keeps things light without feeling like a compromise. The creamy avocado sauce is made with just avocado, lime juice, cilantro, and a little water — nothing hidden, nothing sweetened, just clean ingredients that let the salmon shine. For anyone watching added sugars, this kind of recipe is a genuine find because the flavor comes entirely from herbs, citrus, and good fat rather than any sweetened condiment or glaze. A quick chill in the fridge before cooking helps the patties firm up and sear into a deep golden crust that releases cleanly from the skillet. Serve with extra lime wedges and a few fresh cilantro sprigs and you have a weeknight dinner that looks and tastes like you put in way more effort than you actually did.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the patties
- 1 ½ lb fresh salmon fillet, skin removed, cut into 1-inch chunks
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice (from about 1 lime)
- 1 tsp lime zest
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 2 green onions (green tops only), thinly sliced
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp coconut oil or avocado oil
For the avocado sauce
- 1 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice (from about 1 lime)
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 2–3 tbsp water, to thin
For serving
- 8 large butter lettuce leaves, for wrapping
- lime wedges, for serving (optional)
- fresh cilantro sprigs, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Make the avocado sauce: combine the avocado, lime juice, cilantro, sea salt, and water in a small bowl and mash with a fork until smooth and spoonable, adding water 1 tbsp at a time until the sauce is thin enough to drizzle. Set aside.
- 2
Place about two-thirds of the salmon chunks in a food processor and pulse 6–8 times until coarsely chopped — the mixture should hold together when pressed but still have visible texture, not a smooth paste. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
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