Anna Louise I make these salmon burgers when I want something that feels genuinely light and fresh but still has the satisfying heft of a proper burger.
A well-made salmon burger — not a fish cake, not a salmon patty, but a proper burger with a golden exterior and a moist, herb-flecked interior — is one of the most pleasing things you can eat. It is not trying to be a beef burger. It is entirely its own thing and entirely wonderful.
The key is the texture of the salmon mixture. I blend part of the salmon finely and leave the rest in larger pieces — this gives a burger that holds together properly and has the right cohesion, while still having distinct, identifiable pieces of salmon throughout every bite rather than a homogeneous paste.
The lemon, dill, and capers give the burger a brightness and a freshness that makes them feel genuinely different from anything else I make.
Ingredients for Mary Berry Salmon Burgers
For the Salmon Burgers (Makes 4)
- 600g skinless salmon fillet — divided: 400g for blending, 200g for chopping
- 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh chives, finely snipped
- 1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp capers, rinsed and roughly chopped
- Finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 large egg yolk — helps bind
- 50g fresh breadcrumbs
- Salt and freshly ground white pepper
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil for frying
For the Lemon Dill Mayonnaise
- 4 tbsp good quality mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- Salt and white pepper
To Serve
- 4 brioche burger buns, lightly toasted
- Little Gem lettuce leaves
- Thinly sliced cucumber
- Thinly sliced red onion
- Extra lemon wedges
How to Make Mary Berry Salmon Burgers
Step 1 — Make the Lemon Dill Mayonnaise
Combine the mayonnaise, chopped dill, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard in a small bowl. Season with salt and white pepper. Taste — it should be bright, fresh, and clearly dill-flavoured. Refrigerate until needed.
Step 2 — Make the Salmon Burger Mixture
Place the 400g of salmon in a food processor. Pulse four to five times until the salmon is finely ground but not a smooth paste — it should look like very coarsely minced fish with some texture remaining.
Roughly chop the remaining 200g of salmon into 1cm pieces by hand.
Combine the blended and chopped salmon in a large bowl. Add the dill, chives, parsley, capers, lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, egg yolk, and breadcrumbs. Season generously with salt and white pepper.
Mix gently with your hands until just combined — do not overwork. The mixture should hold together when pressed but still feel slightly textured rather than smooth and paste-like.
Step 3 — Shape and Chill
Divide the mixture into four equal portions — I weigh them for consistency. Shape each portion into a burger patty approximately 2cm thick and slightly wider than the burger bun — they shrink slightly during cooking.
Place on a plate lined with baking parchment. Refrigerate for at least thirty minutes — one hour is better. The chilling firms the patties and helps them hold their shape during cooking.
Step 4 — Cook the Salmon Burgers
Heat the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the salmon patties. Cook for three to four minutes on the first side without moving — the patty needs undisturbed contact with the hot pan to develop a proper golden crust. If you move it too early, the crust tears.
Turn carefully with a wide spatula. Cook for a further two to three minutes on the second side until golden and the salmon is cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 63°C — or press gently in the centre and it should feel firm rather than soft.
Step 5 — Assemble and Serve
Toast the brioche buns cut-side down in the same pan for one minute until lightly golden.
Spread the lemon dill mayonnaise generously on both halves of each bun. Add Little Gem lettuce, cucumber slices, and red onion to the base. Place the salmon burger on top. Add the top of the bun. Serve immediately with extra lemon wedges alongside.
My Top Tips For Perfect Salmon Burgers
Use a combination of blended and hand-chopped salmon. This is the technique that gives salmon burgers their character. All-blended salmon gives a smooth, uniform patty that feels like a fish cake. All-chopped salmon gives a patty that falls apart during cooking. The combination gives cohesion and texture simultaneously.
Chill the shaped patties for at least thirty minutes before cooking. This is the step I used to skip and then regret every time. Chilling firms the patties and means they hold together when they hit the hot pan. Unchilled patties are fragile and can break apart during cooking.
Do not move the patty for the first three to four minutes. The crust needs time to form and set before the patty can be safely turned. Moving it too early tears the crust and the patty may break. Leave it completely undisturbed until it releases naturally from the pan.
Use a wide spatula for turning. A thin or narrow spatula does not give enough support under the patty and it can fold and break during turning. A wide fish slice or a large palette knife gives the patty the full support it needs.
Toast the brioche bun. A toasted bun holds up to the burger and the mayonnaise without going soft and soggy. One minute cut-side down in the same pan while the burgers rest is all it needs.
Serving Suggestions
In a toasted brioche bun with the lemon dill mayo and salad garnishes — the complete burger experience. With sweet potato fries alongside. With a simple cucumber and fennel salad for a lighter, more elegant presentation.
How to Store Salmon Burgers
Uncooked patties: Refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Cook on the day of serving.
Cooked salmon burgers: Store in the fridge for up to 2 days. Cold salmon burger is excellent flaked over a salad or served in a wrap the following day.
Freezing uncooked patties: Freeze on a lined tray until solid — transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Cook from frozen at a lower heat — medium rather than medium-high — for five to six minutes per side.
Mary Berry Salmon Burgers Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Mix mayonnaise, dill, lemon juice, and mustard. Season — refrigerate.
- Pulse 400g salmon in a food processor 4–5 times until finely ground but textured. Hand-chop remaining 200g into 1cm pieces. Combine in a large bowl. Add herbs, capers, lemon zest and juice, mustard, egg yolk, and breadcrumbs. Season generously. Mix gently until just combined.
- Divide into 4 equal portions. Shape into patties 2cm thick. Refrigerate 30 minutes minimum.
- Heat oil in a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Cook patties 3–4 minutes without moving until golden. Turn carefully — cook 2–3 more minutes until cooked through.
- Toast buns cut-side down in the same pan — 1 minute. Assemble with mayo, lettuce, cucumber, red onion, and salmon burger. Serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use tinned salmon?
Tinned salmon gives a very different result — softer, less fresh, less vibrant. Fresh salmon fillet is essential for a proper salmon burger.
Can I add sweet chilli sauce to the mayonnaise?
Yes — one tablespoon of sweet chilli sauce added to the lemon dill mayo gives a slightly sweeter, slightly hotter version that works very well.
Can I grill these instead of pan frying?
Yes — brush with oil and grill over medium-high heat for four to five minutes per side. The crust is slightly less even than pan-fried but the flavour is identical.
Can I make these gluten free?
Yes — replace the fresh breadcrumbs with gluten free fresh breadcrumbs made from gluten free white bread. All other ingredients are naturally gluten free.
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