Broiled Salmon Burgers With Curry Remoulade Recipe

Suffering from burger boredom? These broiled salmon burgers with curry remoulade might be the answer to burger blues. Recipe developer Julie Kinnaird shares her favorite way to make tender and juicy salmon burgers topped with an easy homemade remoulade sauce and quick-pickled cucumbers. Finish them off with soft brioche buns and some fresh vegetable garnishes for a burst of flavor and texture in every bite. 

These burgers are free of breadcrumbs or other binders, but hold together beautifully when cooked. Kinnaird uses a technique of pureeing part of the fish into a paste with whole-grain mustard and lemon zest. This mixture is combined with cubed salmon, shallots, capers, garlic, and smoked paprika to form the patties. These are quickly cooked under a broiler, keeping them intact and making them easy to flip while still giving a bit of char and smoky flavor. The tangy remoulade starts with a basic homemade mayonnaise recipe, which is a great technique to master and so easy to do at home. Capers, fresh tarragon and chives, shallots, and a good dose of curry powder flavor the tangy sauce to crown the burgers along with the super fast pickles.

You will start this recipe with a quick pickling of fresh cucumber (seeded or seedless work equally well). For the brine you will need white wine vinegar, granulated sugar, and some Kosher salt. To make the burgers, select a meaty center-cut salmon filet that is skinned and has pin bones removed (you can also do this process yourself). Fresh salmon works best, but frozen and thawed filets will also work — just be sure to drain off any excess liquid from the thawing process and pat the filets dry. You will combine the raw salmon with whole grain mustard, lemon zest, Kosher salt, white pepper, shallot, brined and drained capers, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. To make the curry remoulade sauce, use a very fresh egg, additional white wine vinegar, whole-grain mustard, sunflower or other neutral-flavored vegetable oil (canola, avocado), a few more capers, chopped shallot, fresh tarragon, chives, and curry powder. For serving, use soft brioche buns (or your favorite variety of hamburger bun), butter lettuce leaves, and thinly sliced red onion. A bit of olive oil is needed for brushing on the burgers before broiling, or additional sunflower oil is just fine.

To make the cucumbers, place the slices in a medium bowl.

Add the water, vinegar, sugar, and salt and stir well to combine. Set aside.

To make the burgers, cut the salmon filets into ½-inch cubes.

Place ⅓ of the cubed salmon in the bowl of a food processor with the mustard, lemon zest, salt, and white pepper.

Process until the mixture forms a rough paste.

Add the remaining salmon, shallot, capers, garlic powder, and smoked paprika to the food processor bowl and pulse a few times just until incorporated.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Form the salmon mixture into four patties and place on the baking sheet.

Cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 8 hours).

While the burgers are chilling, start the curry remoulade by combining the yolk, vinegar, and mustard in a medium bowl.

Whisk in the oil a few drops at a time, slowly increasing to a steady stream while whisking constantly to incorporate until thick.

Stir in the capers, tarragon, shallots, chives, curry powder, salt, and white pepper.

Preheat the oven to broil.

Remove the plastic from the burgers and brush each with a little of the olive oil.

Broil the burgers for 6 minutes on each side, or until cooked through to your liking.

Remove the burgers from the oven.

Assemble the burgers by placing a lettuce leaf and a few onion slices on the bottom of each bun.

Top with the burgers.

Add some of the remoulade sauce.

Top with a few slices of the pickled cucumbers.

Serve the burgers immediately.

Remoulade sauce is a classic condiment found everywhere from New Orleans to Europe that is used with a variety of foods, such as fried fish, french fries, sandwiches, oysters, and hot dogs. Remoulade is similar to aioli, though there are distinct differences between them. Remoulade is French in origin and thought to have first come from the Picardy region in northern France during the 17th century. Early versions of the sauce were recorded in print as more of a flavorful broth used to mask the off-taste of unrefrigerated meat and fish (yikes!) than the thick, golden-hued, piquant variety we know today. 

Remoulade is made from a base of mayonnaise and mustard that is mixed typically with shallots and capers, sweet or sour pickles, and a variety of spices. Kinnaird explains that remoulade is quite popular in the Nordic countries, and her version takes inspiration from the Danish preference of adding a good dose of curry powder to the mix. In New Orleans, remoulade is a staple in Cajun cuisine and has a healthy splash of hot sauce.

Using the broiler method for these burgers ensures that they will hold together while cooking and will be easy to flip on the non-stick parchment surface. Kinnaird offers a few tips if you prefer to pan-fry or use a grill to cook the burgers. Choose a non-stick or well-seasoned skillet for pan frying, and use a couple of tablespoons of a neutral oil with a high smoke point for frying (you can also skip the step of brushing the patties with oil before cooking). Keep the heat in the medium range to allow the salmon to cook gently without over-browning. Gently flip the patties after cooking for a few minutes on each side until they have a golden brown crust and are cooked through to your desired doneness. 

If you want a traditional grilled burger, make sure that your grill grates are cleaned and well-oiled so that the patties will not stick. Preheat the grill to a medium heat and cook as desired, taking care when flipping. You can also try using this pro tip to prevent the salmon burgers not only from sticking to the grill, but to enhance them with a bit of extra flavor.