Recipe: Thai Salmon Burgers with Pickled Cucumber Slaw

Who said you had to sacrifice burger night when it comes to a healthy diet? These Thai Salmon Burgers use soy sauce, curry powder, turmeric, ground ginger and garlic for an authentic Asian flavor while still keeping a low-calorie, low-fat and low-carb profile. Serve them on a bed of lettuce with rice and a lime wedge like we did in the photos for a light, delectable meal. At only 126 calories and 3 SmartPoints for each burger, you won't think twice about burger night!

Here's how to dice that bell pepper:

Recipe: Thai Salmon Burgers with Pickled Cucumber Slaw

Prep time: 20 minutes + 30 minutes chill time
Cook time: 5-6 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Serving size: 1 salmon burger with ⅙ of the pickled cucumbers

Ingredients

Pickled Cucumber Slaw:

• ½ small English cucumber, thinly sliced

• ½ shallot or ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced

• ¼ whole carrot, thinly sliced

• 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

• 1 teaspoon stevia (or your favorite no-calorie sweetener)

• 2-3 mint leaves, chopped

Salmon Burgers:

• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

• 1 red bell pepper, diced

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic

• 1 pound fresh raw salmon, skin removed

• 1 tablespoon less-sodium soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon curry powder

• ½ teaspoon turmeric

• 1 teaspoon ground ginger

• juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)

Instructions

1. First, make the Cucumber Slaw by combining the cucumber, shallot (or red onion), carrot, vinegar, and sugar in a small mixing bowl. Reserve the mint leaves for later. The easiest way to slice these vegetables thin would be to use a mandoline slicer. If there are three settings, use the thinnest. Set aside in the refrigerator while the patties are being made and chilling.

2. Heat a small skillet over medium-low heat and add the sesame oil, red bell pepper, and garlic. Cook until soft, 8-10 minutes. Set the vegetables aside to cool.

3. In a food processor, pulse the salmon until it is the texture of ground salmon. If you do not have a food processor, this can be done by chopping it up very small with a sharp knife instead.

4. Transfer the salmon to a large mixing bowl and add the cooled vegetables, soy sauce, curry powder, turmeric, ground ginger, and lime juice.

5. Form the mixture into 6 equal-sized patties and refrigerate on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

6. When ready to cook, preheat the oven and bake at 425°F for 5-7 minutes.

7. Drain and reserve the liquid from the pickled vegetables.

8. Serve the salmon burger on a bed of mixed salad greens and drizzle some of the reserved pickling liquid over them.

9. Divide the pickled vegetables over each burger and evenly sprinkle the chopped mint over them.

Nutrition Information
Per Serving: (1 salmon burger with ⅙ of the pickled cucumbers)
Calories: 126
Calories from fat: 38
Fat: 4g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Cholesterol: 35mg
Sodium: 148mg
Carbohydrates: 5gFiber: 1g
Sugar: 2g
Protein: 16g
SmartPoints: 2

3.1 The nutrition content of recipes on Popculture.com have been calculated by Registered Dietitian, Jessica Penner, of Smart Nutrition.