Sesame Free Cilantro Lime Salmon Burgers
Fresh salmon gets the full bright-herb treatment here — lime zest, grated ginger, green onion tops, and a generous handful of cilantro all folded into hand-formed patties that are seared until deeply golden. The two-texture trick of pulse-chopping most of the salmon and hand-cutting the rest is what keeps these patties cohesive and satisfying rather than dense or mushy. Sesame oil and tahini are common additions to fish patties and burger sauces, but every ingredient here is naturally free of that allergen — no swaps or substitutions needed. The creamy avocado sauce comes together with just a fork, brightened with more lime and cilantro, and drapes beautifully over the warm patty. Butter lettuce stands in for buns, keeping things light and crisp while also making the whole build completely grain-free if that matters to your table. These are the kind of burgers that feel like a restaurant order but come together in a single skillet on a weeknight.
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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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