I have been an avid food blog reader for years. I have some blogs that I follow religiously, wait to see their weekly meal plans, watch all their Instagram videos, and try as many of their recipes as I can (P.S. I do hope to one day be one of those blogs for all of you!) One such blog is Skinnytaste. I have made many of her recipes over the years, and always have a list of ones I am planning to try. Last night I made one that has been on my list for a while – her Salmon Quinoa Burger. Healthy, fresh and original, containing so many ingredients that I love all pulled together into one delicious burger.
To start off, you want to buy good quality fresh salmon. Fresh wild salmon has the best flavor and good ingredients lead to a better final product. Ask your fish monger to give you a 16oz filet and remove the skin – trust me this is a task better left to the professionals.
Cut about 4 ounces off of the filet and place it in a food processor. I know, it seems unnatural to process fresh salmon into a paste, but this is the “glue” that is going to hold the burgers together.
Once processed, add the salmon to the cooked quinoa. Then take the remaining salmon, chop it up finely and add it to the bowl with an egg, mustard, old bay, salt and pepper. If you haven’t used Old Bay Seasoning before, give it a shot. It is a special ingredient in my house because my husband is from Baltimore where Old Bay is used almost as often as salt and pepper. It is their signature seasoning, finding its way into every good crab cake, sprinkled onto kettle cooked chips, and coating everything in a good crab boil. As a New Yorker, I can confidently say I am an Old Bay lover…give it a try! Mix the ingredients together to form the base of the burger.
Dice up the shallot and kale and sauté in a pan quickly until they soften and wilt. Add the cooked vegetables to the burger mix and combine. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes so all the flavors can combine and the mixture can set up.
Then form them into burgers and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, until cooked through.
In the recipe on Skinnytaste, she serves the burger over a delicious salad with grapefruit and a mustard shallot vinaigrette. I decided to put the salmon burger onto a bun and use the lettuce/vinaigrette as a topping. I served it alongside airfyer sweet potato fries…yum! A healthy alternative to the classic burger and fries!
Salmon Quinoa Burger
Burger recipe from Skinnytaste. A delicious alternative to the classic burger!
Ingredients
- 16 oz wild salmon skin removed
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced shallot
- 1 cup kale chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3/4 cup cooked quinoa
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp old bay
- 1 large egg
Instructions
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Place about 4oz of the salmon in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
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With a knife, finely chop the remaining salmon filet. Add the chopped and pulsed salmon to a large bowl with the cook quinoa.
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Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium head. Saute the shallots and kale until softened and wilted. Season with salt and pepper.
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Add the sauteed vegetables to the bowl with the salmon and quinoa along with the egg, mustard and old bay. Mix to combine and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Form the mixture into patties.
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Spray a non-stick skillet over medium heat and add the salmon patties. Cook for 4-5 minutes on both sides until cooked through.
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Serve on a bun with the toppings of your choice – lettuce, avocado, tomato, etc.
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