Dairy Free Cilantro Lime Salmon Burgers
Fresh salmon, bright lime, and a handful of cilantro come together in a burger that feels light and vibrant without sacrificing any of the satisfying, savory depth you want from a good patty. The technique here is smart — most of the salmon gets pulsed in a food processor for structure, while the rest is hand-chopped for texture, so every bite has a little character instead of that dense, uniform feel you sometimes get with fish cakes. Grated ginger and lime zest push the flavor even further, making these taste genuinely restaurant-worthy with very little effort. The creamy avocado sauce is made entirely from whole ingredients — avocado, lime juice, cilantro, and a splash of water — so it delivers that rich, cool contrast without any cream or butter in sight. Butter lettuce wraps keep everything fresh and crisp, and they make the whole thing naturally hand-held and mess-friendly. If you've ever worried that skipping dairy means skipping richness, the avocado sauce alone will change your mind. These are the kind of burgers that make a weeknight feel like something worth sitting down for.
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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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