Southwest Salmon Burgers with lime cilantro slaw

Southwest salmon burgers are full of fun mix-ins and tasty seasonings plus have lots of topping options, including an easy lime cilantro slaw! They are great for a delicious, healthy burger at lunch or dinner.

Did you know it's May? Oh wait, of course you did. We're ⅔rds of the way through it.

But did you know May is Burger Month?

I've shared the burger love previously with fiesta turkey burgers and Greek turkey burgers with tzatziki sauce.

My BBQ chicken burgers, zucchini turkey burgers and cheddar chicken burgers are other faves.

Today's recipe in burger land was kind-of a long time coming...

I always thought salmon burgers were complicated or hard to make.

And yet I love them.

So I bought some frozen ones once at Costco. Big mistake. Huge. (“I have to go shopping now…” Anyone know that movie?!)

We hated them and had 6 left that no one wanted to eat.

Ugh, I hate wasting food.

So I finally got over my fears, rolled up my sleeves and made some basic salmon patties. And they of course were way tastier than the frozen store-bought kind.

But I still wanted to amp up the flavor and that’s how I came up with these southwest salmon burgers.

They have all kinds of fun mix-ins — bell peppers, corn, cilantro — and great seasonings to give them a southwestern flair.

Plus, you get all kinds of fun topping options with these burgers! Takes them even more over the top!

I also love how pretty and colorful these salmon cakes are! We’re going to load them up with toppings of course, but they really do look lovely on their own.

I love that these stay together so well, too. Nothing is as disappointing as a burger patty that falls apart in the pan or on the grill, right?

And I promise, they really are easy to make.

So let's get cooking.

Now, I’ve got some notes, tips and FAQs coming up for this recipe. Just tryin’ to be helpful.

If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.

Recipe Notes:

• Salmon: I recommend fresh wild caught salmon for these burgers. It has the most flavor and bonus, is also the healthiest.
• You can also use canned salmon, however. More details on that below.
• Peppers: Red bell peppers have great sweetness - and look pretty too. However, you could use another color bell pepper if you prefer.
• Refrigerating these burgers is a required step. It helps them set up so that they’ll hold together well for cooking. Even just 15 minutes will do it.

You’ll also want to be sure NOT to overcook these burgers. Overcooked and dried out salmon is no bueno.

They really only take 4 minutes per side. Promise.

Canned Salmon Instructions:

Yes, you can use canned salmon. I have tested the recipe that way and they were also delicious. (I also love salmon grain bowls for using canned salmon.)

For this recipe, I used a 14.75 ounce can of wild salmon. You’ll want to drain your canned salmon very well and then flake it up in a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients for the burger patties and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

I do recommend you reduce the amount of salt a little though, since the canned salmon often has salt in it already.

As I mentioned, I I prefer the fresh salmon, but it is good to know the canned salmon can work in a pinch.

And now, of course, some toppings. Cause all burgers need some fun toppings!

Topping Ideas:

• Crunchy cilantro lime coleslaw (recipe included below)
• Sliced avocado or a dollop of guacamole
• Sliced fresh tomatoes
• Salsa or pico de gallo
• Spicy Greek yogurt (Greek yogurt mixed with a bit of hot sauce or sriracha)
• Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
• Pickled red onions
• Pickled jalapeños

Or any other favorite burger toppings you love.

Finally, don’t just stop at burger buns for serving these.

You can also use the salmon burger patties for wraps or as a protein on top of a salad or grain bowl.

I hope you give these a try for a fun new summer burger!

Enjoy!

XO,

Kathryn