Salmon Burgers on Cloud Buns

Cloud buns are a great no-grain alternative to hamburger buns. In this recipe, they hold juicy homemade salmon burgers for a healthy dose of omega-3 fatty acids (1). Chilling the salmon cakes after forming them makes them less fragile and easier to flip in the pan, so don’t skip this step. Serve with sliced cucumbers sprinkled with rice wine vinegar for a complete meal.

Active time: 25 minutes | Total time: 1 hour

Salmon Burgers on Cloud Buns

Ingredients

For the buns

• Cooking spray
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp (57g) cream cheese at room temperature
• 1/2 tsp nutritional yeast (optional)
• 1/2 tsp sesame seeds

For the burgers

• 1 1/4 lb (567g) skinless salmon fillet, pin bones removed
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 5 tbsp (70g) mayonnaise, divided
• 3/4 tsp dried dill
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest, finely grated
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp dill pickle, finely chopped
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 4 medium romaine lettuce leaves

Directions

Preheat the oven to 300°F (149°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and coat with cooking spray. Separate the eggs, putting the egg whites in a medium mixing bowl and the egg yolks in a large mixing bowl. Add the cream of tartar and salt to the egg whites. Beat with a handheld mixer until the egg whites form stiff peaks when you stop and lift the beaters. Set aside.

Add the cream cheese and nutritional yeast (optional) to the bowl with the egg yolks and beat until smooth. Gently fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture with a rubber spatula, making sure not to knock the air out of the egg whites; the mixture should still be foamy and fluffy. Spoon the mixture into 8 mounds on the prepared baking sheet, spreading the mixture into 4-in rounds. Sprinkle 4 of the rounds with the sesame seeds. Bake until light golden brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer the buns to a cooling rack and set aside.

Cut the salmon into 1/4-in chunks. Working in small batches, chop the salmon into smaller bits with a sharp knife until the mixture is in tiny pieces, about 1/8 inch. Put the salmon in a medium bowl and add the green onions, 2 tbsp mayonnaise, dill, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Stir well to combine. Divide into 4 portions (about a heaping 1/2 cup). With slightly moist hands, press each portion into a 4-in wide patty. Put the patties on a parchment-lined plate and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the tartar sauce by combining the remaining 3 tbsp mayonnaise with the lemon juice and pickle; set aside. Coat a nonstick pan with cooking spray and set over medium heat. Add the salmon patties and cook without moving them until golden brown on the first side, about 4 minutes. Gently flip the burgers with a silicone spatula and cook on the second side until the burgers are just cooked (the center will be opaque pink), about 2–3 minutes. Do not overcook, or the burgers will be dry.

Put the salmon burgers on the bottom side of the 4 buns that don’t have sesame seeds. Top each burger with tartar sauce, lettuce and the remaining buns, sesame side-up. Serve immediately.

Serves: 4 | Serving Size: 1 bun, 1 burger and 1 ½ tbsp tartar sauce

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 358; Total Fat: 25g; Saturated Fat: 7g; Monounsaturated Fat: 6g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g; Cholesterol: 218mg; Sodium: 840mg; Carbohydrate: 3g; Dietary Fiber: 1g; Sugar: 1g; Protein: 30g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 169mg; Iron: 6%; Vitamin C: 6%; Calcium: 5%

Originally published March 28, 2021; Updated June 2026

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