Southwest Salmon Burgers
Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Salmon and taco seasoning go great together, and this juicy burger provides a heart-healthy meal that comes together quickly. The secrets that make this sandwich stand out are a soft brioche bun, thinly sliced salmon so that the sandwich isn’t too meaty, and a bed of smashed avocados to help round out the flavors. It is important to note that our taco seasoning does not come with salt added, so if yours does, please adjust the salt called for in the recipe accordingly.
Finally, the fish will cook very fast in this recipe, so watch the cooking times closely, it is better to undercook it slightly then dry it out.
Ingredients
1 medium SALMON FILLET (1.5 pounds)
1 ripe medium AVOCADO
1 ripe medium TOMATO
6 LEATUCE leaves
6 brioche BURGER BUNS
1 tsp SALT
3 tsp TACO SEASONING
1/8 tsp ground BLACK PEPPER
1 heaping tsp DRIED DILL
2 diced BABY DILL PICKLES
1 cup MAYONAISE
2 or 3 Tbsp OLIVE OIL
Directions
1. PREPARE THE SALMON
Briefly rinse and pat the salmon fillet dry. Grasping the salmon fillet by the tail, cut six to eight ¾ inch thick slices at an angle. At the end of each cut, angle the knife to separate the fish from the skin. Thinner pieces of salmon will allow the other ingredients in the recipe to provide better flavor balance to the burger.
2. SEASON THE SALMON
Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil (if using a grill) or parchment paper. Drizzle olive oil liberally on the surface. Take each piece of salmon and place it on the oil, then flip it to the other side to make sure each surface is well coated. In a small dish combine the taco seasoning, salt, and pepper. Use a spoon to evenly distribute the seasoning across the sliced salmon and set aside.
3. PREPARE THE CONDIMENTS
Cube a whole avocado in a small dish, add a dash of salt, and give it a few smashes with a fork. Gather 5-8 lettuce leaves. Slice one medium tomato. Warm the brioche buns in an oven or on a portion of the grill that receives indirect heat.
4. MAKE THE TARTAR SAUCE
In a half-pint mason jar or similar, add 2 diced baby dill pickles, 1-cup mayonnaise, 1 heaping tsp of dried dill, and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Stir with a fork to combine.
5. COOK THE SALMON
Pre-heat an outdoor grill or oven to 425F. If using a grill, slide the tinfoil onto the grill, or if using an oven place the sheet pan into the oven. Cook until the white proteins begin to accumulate on the surface (3 ½ – 4 minutes).
6. BUILD THE BURGERS
Place a small layer of smashed avocados on the bottom half of the bun and add a slice or two of tomato. Arrange 1-2 slices of the salmon on top of the tomato and then add the lettuce. On the underside of the top half of the bun put a generous smear of tartar sauce and place it on top of the burger.
