Description
Turn canned salmon into crispy-edged smash burgers with melty cheese and special sauce. This is the canned fish recipe that your whole family will love!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 14-15 oz canned salmon, drained well
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 tablespoon dehydrated onions
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 8 slices American cheese
- 4 brioche buns
- Best Smash Burger Sauce (or your favorite burger sauce)
- Shredded iceberg lettuce, sliced tomato, red onion for serving
Instructions
- Drain salmon. Whether you're using salmon packed in water, oil, or natural juices, press it through a fine-mesh strainer and let gravity do its work for a few minutes.
- Mix with purpose. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, dehydrated onions, Worcestershire, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Add the drained salmon and panko, folding gently until everything's evenly distributed.
- Form and chill. Shape into 8 equal balls. Pop them in the fridge for at least 20 minutes. This step prevents your patties from falling apart when you smash them.
- Heat skillet. Heat 2 tablespoons of neutral oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Smash with confidence. Place a chilled salmon ball in the skillet, cover with parchment paper, and smash flat using a large spatula or the bottom of a pie plate or handled saucepan (my preferred method... more even pressure). Don't be gentle. You want these thin and crispy.
- Sear and flip. Cook for 3-4 minutes on the first side until deeply golden and those edges start to look lacy and crispy. Flip, immediately top with cheese, and cook another 60-90 seconds until melted.
- Stack it like you mean it. Toast your brioche buns, slather with burger sauce, and stack with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles and two cheesy salmon patties per burger.
Notes
- Make-ahead friendly: Form the balls up to 24 hours ahead and keep chilled. They actually hold together better after a longer rest
- Oil temperature test: Drop a small piece of the mixture in first...if it doesn't sizzle immediately, your oil isn't hot enough for crispy edges
- Batch cooking: Work in batches of 2-3 patties max to avoid crowding and temperature drops.
- Leftover hack: These reheat beautifully in a toaster oven / oven or air fryer (better than microwave) and freeze well for up to 3 months
- Don't skip the American cheese: I tried fancy Swiss, creamy provolone, even sharp cheddar. They're all delicious, but they're not quite right. American cheese melts into those crispy edges and gives you that nostalgic burger shop experience that makes the whole thing work.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: Easy Recipes
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American