Shellfish Free Cilantro Lime Salmon Burgers
Fresh salmon — not crab, shrimp, or any other shellfish — is the star here, making this a completely worry-free option for anyone navigating seafood restrictions. The patties come together with bright cilantro, double lime (both juice and zest), fresh ginger, and green onion tops for a flavor combination that tastes like summer on a plate. A smart two-texture technique — part food processor, part hand-chopped — gives each patty a satisfying bite that holds together beautifully in the pan without any fillers or binders. The creamy avocado sauce is just mashed avocado, lime, and cilantro, drizzled right over the top for a cool, rich contrast to the golden-seared patty. Butter lettuce leaves stand in for buns, keeping everything light and fresh while still giving you that satisfying handheld experience. This is the kind of recipe that feels like restaurant food but comes together in your own kitchen with total confidence about what's in it.
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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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