Citric Acid Free Cilantro Lime Salmon Burgers
Fresh salmon is the star here, pulsed and hand-chopped into patties that are light, flavorful, and genuinely satisfying without relying on any processed binders or packaged sauces that could sneak in unwanted additives. The combination of fresh lime juice, lime zest, ginger, and cilantro gives every bite a bright, herbaceous kick that feels restaurant-worthy but comes together in a home kitchen with no fuss. Avoiding citric acid can be tricky with store-bought burger patties, condiments, and sauces — nearly all of them use it as a preservative or flavor enhancer — so making everything from scratch here is the real win. The creamy avocado sauce is just ripe avocado, fresh lime, cilantro, and a pinch of sea salt, mashed to a drizzleable consistency with a little water, so you know exactly what's going into it. Butter lettuce wraps stand in for buns and keep things clean and crisp, adding a satisfying crunch without introducing any ingredient you'd have to second-guess. The trick of processing two-thirds of the salmon and hand-chopping the rest gives the patties a sturdy, meaty texture that holds up beautifully in the pan and won't fall apart when you take a bite. These are the kind of burgers that make a weeknight feel like a special occasion.
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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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