Time for a fun spin on one of my faaavorite cooking ingredients: salmon! In the form of burgers. Specifically, Paleo Salmon Burgers with Dairy-Free Tzatziki and Sweet Potato Buns. Because it’s time to get all fancy up in here.
So – salmon burgers. I made them in a cooking class once, they turned out great, but then when I tried to adapt the recipe at home it was a total flop. Nothing held the burgers together so they totally fell apart, and it was just like I was eating chopped up salmon – which was still delicious, but definitely not what I was going for.
Fast forward about a year later and I finally decided to give them another shot. Because Salmon is my faaavorite fish, and I’m trying to come up with more creative ways for me (and you guys) to enjoy it too! Turns out these burgers are actually a lot easier than I thought they were to make – all I needed to do was chop up the fish a little more, and use a binder (duh) like you commonly do with making burgers. DUH, DANA.
These burgers are inspired by my Loaded Greek Chicken Burgers with Cauliflower Buns. Sub salmon for the chicken, and to make these babies Whole30-friendly, I used a thick sliced & baked sweet potato for the “bun” instead of a cauliflower bun. But you could totally use those delicious Cauliflower Buns too if you like!
Also. This dairy-free tzatziki sauce? I’ll admit, I was skeptical at first. Could you really replace greek yogurt with coconut cream and achieve that delicious, tangy, herbiness of tzatziki? YES. Confirmed by my brother, who just got back ate his way through Greece this summer. Clearly I’ve rubbed off on him with my travel/food habits, seeking out the best local food wherever I go – sorry not sorry!
Top it all off with some sun-dried tomatoes and fresh dill? Fancy-looking, flavor-packed, but super easy. Try these out and serve with my Dill Roasted Carrots!
- 2 large white or orange sweet potatoes, peeled
- 1 tsp melted coconut oil or avocado oil
- 1 lb salmon
- ½ cup almond flour
- 1 egg, whisked
- 1 tsp each: dried oregano, thyme, savory (sub: parsley)
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp Sea salt
- 1 tsp dehydrated minced onion
- Optional: ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 can coconut cream (5.4 oz)*
- ½ cucumber, diced small
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- sea salt and pepper, to taste
- Spinach or arugula
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- First, make the sweet potato buns. Cut a large white sweet potato into about ¾ inch thick slices. Brush both sides with avocado oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Pop in a 400 F preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until easily pierced with a fork, then set aside until ready to serve.
- Next, prepare the burgers - cut up the salmon into very small pieces, so it resembles ground meat. You can do this in the food processor, but I just used a knife and went at it!
- Combine the chopped salmon with the almond flour, whisked egg, herbs, lemon juice, garlic, onion, sea salt and pepper in a large bowl, and stir until combined.
- Form 4 even-sized burgers from the mixture.
- Preheat a grill pan or cast iron skillet with 1 Tbsp avocado or coconut oil for 1 minute, until hot.
- Pop the burgers on the pan and cook for 4 minutes per side, until cooked through.
- While the salmon burgers are cooking, make the tzatziki sauce: make the tzatziki: mix all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.
- When the burgers are done, make your stacks: start with a sweet potato slice and layer some lettuce, a salmon burger, tzatziki sauce, and sun-dried tomatoes on top.
- The tzatziki will last about a week in the refrigerator.
Like this recipe? You’ll love these too!
Dill Roasted Carrots with Tzatziki Sauce
