Vegan Salmon Burgers
These Vegan Salmon Burgers use white beans, beet powder, and kelp granules to get the feel, look, and flavor of salmon burgers. Then they are generously seasoned, formed into perfect patties, and pan-fried. Serve these fish-friendly burgers topped with some of our tangy vegan tahini slaw or on a burger bun with sliced avocado and spicy vegan mayo!
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Last year, I saw a post on the popular food blog Pinch of Yum about homemade salmon burgers served over slaw and knew I needed to make it vegan! It looked so healthy and fresh.
I had never heard of a salmon burger before, but if there’s one thing I know how to do it’s research the s!*# out of something to make fantastic vegan alternatives of it! Last summer, I set out to do just that.
This plant-based salmon patty is made with a white bean base which we par-mash to create that unmistakably flaky texture of conventional salmon. And we use beet powder for the salmon pink color.
If you are a fan of salmon burgers, I think this will be a great way for you to enjoy them in a fish-friendly way!
Why You’ll Love These White Bean Salmon Burgers:
Here are our top 3 reasons we think you’ll love this white bean salmon burger recipe!
- They replicate salmon’s delicate texture beautifully with simple plant-based ingredients.
- These patties are a nutrient-dense option that can be served in so many ways! Put them on our tahini slaw, stuff them into a pita pocket, or serve them on good buns with avocado and spicy mayo.
- They have a fresh zingy mild-yet-rich flavor that will shake up your plant-based meals in the best way.
Ingredients in Plant-Based Salmon Burgers
You’ll need 10 healthy ingredients plus spices to make this vegan salmon patty recipe.
Here, we’ll go over some ingredient notes to achieve the best results. Remember, the full recipe with ingredient amounts can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post!
- Ground flaxseed – We’ll use this to make a flax egg that will replace the traditional chicken egg in salmon burgers.
- Canned white beans – Navy beans and cannelini beans work best. You’ll want to drain and rinse them.
- Breadcrumbs – We used our homemade bread crumbs. Just be sure to read the ingredients on anything you buy because many bread crumb brands randomly contain dairy. (IYKYK)
- Celery – finely minced
- White or yellow onion – finely minced
- Lemon juice + zest – A touch of citrus goes a long way in attaining that fresh plant-based seafood vibe!
- Vegan mayonnaise – This adds so much flavor! We love the classic Vegenaise from Follow Your Heart. Make sure you love the flavor of the vegan mayo you’re using. Not all brands are equal in this respect.
- Beet powder – This adds that classic salmon color that makes these an absolute game-changer!
- Kelp granules – This adds the seafood flavor to plant-based foods! You can purchase this online, at your local Asian grocery store, or a healthy food focused grocery store like Whole Foods.
- Spice Cabinet – ground mustard, salt, celery salt, garlic powder, black pepper (Use good quality spices for best results!)
- Olive oil for pan frying
Substitution Options for Vegan Patties
If you need to substitute any of the ingredients we listed above, here are our best tips!
For the white beans: We have not tried chickpeas for this recipe. It could work, but you would need to play with it a bit because chickpeas have a fairly different texture than white beans. Pinto beans could be a better substitute.
For the vegan mayo: You can use your favorite vegan mayo recipe if you’d prefer. Plain, unsweetened non-dairy yogurt may work, but we haven’t tried it. Vegan cream cheese or vegan sour cream could also work, but again, we haven’t tried those.
For the beet powder: This adds the color, so you can skip it but you wouldn’t have the salmon pink color. You could also use 1-2 Tbsp grated beets or 1-2 Tbsp beet juice, but both of these would add moisture to the mixture. Adding some extra bread crumbs could remedy this, but we have not tried it.
For the kelp granules: Wakame or ground nori sheets can also be used. If you don’t want that seafood flavor, it’s fine to skip this ingredient. They will still have an incredible flavor!
For the olive oil: Feel free to use avocado oil, refined coconut oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil to fry your burger patties. You can also use a good non-stick pan to fry them oil-free.
For the flaxseed: You can sub chia seeds 1:1 for the flaxseed to make a chia egg.
For the breadcrumbs: You may be able to substitute all or part chickpea flour, but I’d start with half the amount because the absorption rate is vastly different.
Shake up the seasonings: Feel free to shake up the seasonings as you see fit. Add some onion powder, cumin, lemon pepper seasoning, or coriander!
Variations:
Once you make them, feel free to play around with the ingredients and add-ins to make different variations of this vegan salmon burger recipe!
Add kalamata olives and crumbled vegan feta for a mediterranean-inspired salmon burger. Sun-dried tomatoes and chopped basil could be a great addition as well!
You also may be able to use this recipe as a base for making salmon croquettes, but we have yet to try that!
How to Make Vegan Salmon Patties
This vegan salmon burger is a pretty standard veggie burger recipe that does not require a food processor. The ingredients may be different, but the process will be very familiar! They’re kind of like a copycat version of Good Catch’s Plant-Based Salmon Burgers.
Step 1: Prep the ingredients.
Start by making the flax egg. Mix the water and flaxmeal in a small bowl and set it aside for at least 5 minutes to thicken. If you haven’t already, mince your veggies and gather the rest of your ingredients.
Step 2: Mash the white beans.
Strain and rinse the beans + transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Use a potato masher or back of a wooden spoon to par-mash the beans. You want them to be mostly mashed with some larger bits throughout, not like a puree.
Step 3: Make the burger mix
Add the rest of the burger ingredients (including the flax egg) to a large mixing bowl and stir until combined.
Step 4: Form and cook the burgers.
Form the mixture into 3 large or 4 medium patties. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a nonstick skillet. When hot, fry the burgers for 3-5 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy. Place on a paper towel lined plate before serving.
Note: We prefer to pan-fry these plant-based patties, but you can also cook them in an air fryer.
How to Serve Vegan Salmon Burgers
Serve these plant-based burgers on a bed of vegan tahini slaw or classic vegan coleslaw. They’re also great served on a big green salad with lots of cucumber and vegan ranch dressing.
You can also serve it in a more classic style on a burger bun with slaw, sliced avocado, and spicy vegan mayo! A ring of sweet grilled pineapple or pineapple salsa could be another great topping idea!
How to Store Leftover White Bean Burgers
Fridge: Store leftover vegan salmon patties in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezer: Store leftover vegan juicy burger in a freezer-safe bag or container in the fridge for up to 2 months. We like to separate each patty with a square of parchment paper to keep them from sticking.
Reheat: Reheat leftover white bean burgers in a skillet on the stove, flipping every few minutes until warmed through.
More Veggie Burger Recipes:
- California Veggie Burgers
- Mushroom Quinoa Veggie Burgers
- TVP Burgers
- And if you love vegan seafood, check out our Vegan Crab Cakes recipe!
I hope this satisfies your cravings for salmon burgers!
When you try it, we’d love to hear what you think! Please leave a star rating and review on the recipe below. This helps more people find our recipes, and we always love hearing from you!
Let’s do this!
Vegan Salmon Patties
Ingredients
- 1 flax egg 2 Tbsp water + 1 Tbsp ground flax
- 1 (14-oz) can white beans drained and rinsed
- 3/4 cup bread crumbs
- 1/3 cup finely minced celery
- 1/4 cup minced white or yellow onion
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1.5 Tbsp vegan mayo
- 1-2 tsp beet powder optional, for color
- 1 tsp kelp granules
- 1/2 tsp ground mustard
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp celery salt
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp fine ground black pepper
- 1/8 tsp lemon zest
- Olive oil for pan frying
Instructions
- Start by making the flax egg. Mix the water and flaxmeal in a small bowl and set it aside for at least 5 minutes to thicken. If you haven’t already, mince your veggies and gather the rest of your ingredients.
- Strain and rinse the beans + transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Use a potato masher or back of a wooden spoon to par-mash the beans. You want them to be mostly mashed with some larger bits throughout, not like a puree.
- Add the rest of the burger ingredients (including the flax egg) to a large mixing bowl and stir until combined.
- Serve these burgers on a bed of vegan tahini slaw or on a burger bun with sliced avocado and spicy vegan mayo!
