This post featuring my gluten-free salmon quinoa burger recipe contains affiliate links.
I love to make salmon a few times a month as the entire family enjoys it and it’s good for you. I feel like I’m always making meat, every night, so fish offers a reprieve from meat meals.
On top of that, my son LOVES salmon. It’s his favorite meal. So when I’m in the mood to see him smile and tell me how much he loves my cooking, I pull out the old salmon trick!
When I make salmon, I make the big full-sized salmon you get at Costco. It’s usually 2.5 lbs and it’s just too much for my family of four to eat in one night. So instead of serving up leftover salmon the next day, which rarely tastes as good as night one, I have found the perfect way to repurpose the leftover fish.
How to Make Salmon Quinoa Burgers
Let’s talk about how to make this salmon quinoa burger recipe. The first thing you’ll need to do is make quinoa. You’ll want to measure the quinoa cooked, not dry. This recipe calls for one cup of COOKED quinoa. If you have leftover quinoa, simply eat it with your meal or save it for another night.
You can use any quinoa to make this recipe, but I had some leftover Bob’s Red Mill Tri-Color Quinoa that I got at a conference, so I decided to use it because it looks so darn pretty. The bag is colorful, so I figured my salmon quinoa burgers would be colorful too.
Quinoa is considered a sacred grain by the ancient Incas. It has a slightly nutty flavor and is naturally a complete protein and a good source of iron, fiber and omega-3 essential fatty acids.
I combined the quinoa with about two cups of the leftover shredded salmon, rice flour, egg and a few seasonings of choice. When seasoning the patties, consider how well seasoned your leftover fish is. I tend to season my salmon well with lots of salt, pepper and a fish rub, but if you don’t season your fish as generously, consider adding a heavier pinch of Kosher salt and pepper.
You’ll then want to shape the mixture into burger patties. They will stick together well. Simply set them aside as you prepare your non-stick pan for cooking.
Heat your non-stick pan with three tablespoons of avocado or other high-heat vegetable oil (read my post on cooking oils), and when it’s hot, add the patties. Depending on how large your pan is, you should be able to fit them all. If not, work them in batches. Do not overcrowd them as they need a little space around them to cook properly.
After about 3-4 minutes, flip the patties and cook the other side. You should see the patties get a nice crispy brown surface. That’s what you want to see in a truly delicious salmon quinoa burger patty. A little crunch on both sides is perfect!
If the pan seems dry, add a little more oil. Don’t be stingy. These patties need to brown properly and may need additional oil to do so.
Once browned on both sides, remove the patties from the heat and place on a paper towel to soak up the excess oil.
How to Serve Salmon Quinoa Burgers
I serve these burgers bunless. Most gluten-free buns fall flat and just aren’t worth the calories. Instead, I serve these patties bunless with a side of French fries and hot sauce. Yes, hot sauce is a must!
When you fork into the salmon quinoa burgers, you’ll see that they are crispy on the outside, soft and flaky on the inside. They have a wonderful texture that is surprisingly savory and oh-so-delicious!
Another great way to serve salmon quinoa burgers is atop a salad or top each patty with a fried egg or tartar sauce (I’m not a huge tartar sauce fan, personally, but tartar goes well with fish).
Honestly, as I mentioned before, I simply top these burgers with hot sauce and just enjoy the wonderful nutty, salty and spicy flavors.
How do you top or serve your salmon quinoa burgers? Please leave a comment with your ideas – I’d love to know!
I love when I have leftover salmon because the next day I can make salmon quinoa burgers! These burgers taste great and are filled with healthy omega-3 fatty acids (thanks to the salmon) and a complete plant-based protein (thanks to the quinoa). Use the tri-color quinoa for an extra special looking salmon quinoa burger patty.
- 2 cups cooked salmon, shredded You can use canned salmon
- 1 cup cooked tri-color quinoa
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup rice flour
- 3 Tbsp avocado or vegetable oil
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste *see notes
In a large bowl, combine shredded salmon, cooked quinoa, egg, rice flour and salt and pepper. Mix ingredients well. Mix everything by hand (use gloves).
Shape salmon mixture into burger patties and set aside. You should have about 8 patties.
Heat a large non-stick skillet with avocado oil over medium-high heat.
Place each patty in the hot skillet and cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side until a crisp, slightly brown crust forms.
Remove burgers from skillet and place on paper towels to drain oil. Serve immediately.
A few notes:
- Because this recipe calls for leftover salmon, you may have already seasoned your salmon. When deciding how much salt and pepper to add, take into account how well the leftover salmon was previously seasoned
- Feel free to add additional seasonings to the burgers. I often mix in dried Italian seasonings, extra garlic, or even some onion flakes.
- I think these salmon quinoa burgers are best enjoyed with a side of hot sauce and French fries.
- If you really like eating burgers with buns, you can serve this with a gluten-free bun. I feel like the bun adds too many calories and isn't all that good, so I like to eat my salmon quinoa burgers bunless.
- If you don't have leftover salmon, you can use canned salmon. Just add more seasonings to compensate!