Wheat Free Cilantro Lime Salmon Burgers
Fresh salmon, bright lime, and a handful of cilantro come together in a patty that feels indulgent but comes together in a single skillet. The technique here is clever — most of the salmon gets pulsed in a food processor while the rest is hand-chopped, giving each bite a satisfying mix of textures that holds together beautifully without any breadcrumbs or fillers. That means no wheat, no starchy binders, nothing hidden — just clean, real ingredients doing all the work. Crispy-edged and golden on the outside, the patties get wrapped in cool, double-layered butter lettuce leaves instead of a bun, which keeps everything light and lets the flavors shine. The creamy avocado sauce — mashed with lime juice and fresh cilantro — drapes over the top and ties the whole thing together. A hit of fresh ginger in the patty adds just enough warmth to make this feel like something you'd order at a restaurant, not just throw together on a weeknight. If you've been skeptical about salmon burgers, this is the one that will change your mind.
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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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