Salmon Burgers pair best with citrusy and crisp white wines such as Sauvignon Blanc, an Unoaked Chardonnay, or Riesling. For red wine with a Salmon Burger, you won’t find anything better than a Pinot Noir, however, a light Beaujolais Villages will also be a fantastic pairing. Rosé and Salmon Burgers also make for an incredible pairing, especially for a lunchtime meal on a sunny but shaded patio. All of these wines are acidic, which is important as it ensures they will cut through the oily salmon flavours.
Sauvignon Blanc pairs well with a salmon burger, bringing its crisp acidity and zesty citrus notes that cut through the richness of the fish. The wine’s flavours of lime, green apple, and hints of herbaceousness add a refreshing contrast to the burger’s savory and slightly fatty texture. Its vibrant, clean profile lifts the dish without overpowering it, while the bright acidity helps balance the salmon's richness. This pairing creates an enjoyable interaction where the fresh, lively qualities of the Sauvignon Blanc provide a nice counterpoint to the rich and buttery flavours of the salmon burger.
Beer
Wheat Beer
Salmon Burgers
The beer’s soft, citrusy notes and hints of spice bring a bright lift to the rich, flaky salmon, while its smooth, slightly creamy texture enhances the burger's juicy texture. Wheat beer’s light carbonation also helps cleanse the palate, making each bite of the burger feel fresh. Any herbs or citrus-based toppings, such as a dill sauce or lemon zest, are elevated by the beer’s natural fruitiness, creating a vibrant pairing.
Pinot Noir pairs well with a salmon burger, offering a light body and bright red fruit flavours that interact nicely with the richness of the fish. The wine's notes of cherry, raspberry, and subtle earthy undertones provide a refreshing contrast to the savoury, slightly oily texture of the salmon. With its smooth tannins and balanced acidity, Pinot Noir doesn’t overpower the burger, allowing both the wine and the fish to stand out without clashing. This pairing offers a pleasant balance of flavours, where the wine’s freshness highlights the richness of the salmon in an enjoyable way.
White Wine
Chardonnay, Unoaked
Salmon Burgers
The wine’s bright acidity and flavours of green apple, citrus, and pear enhance the rich, flaky salmon, bringing a refreshing contrast to its natural richness. Without the influence of oak, the Chardonnay’s crisp, mineral-driven character allows the fresh herbs, spices, or creamy toppings on the burger to shine through.
Riesling’s bright acidity and fruity notes, such as green apple, peach, and citrus, elevate the richness of the salmon, balancing the burger’s flavours beautifully. The wine's slight sweetness can soften any spice or bold seasonings on the burger, while its vibrant minerality enhances the freshness of the fish. Whether the burger is topped with creamy sauces or fresh herbs, Riesling's lively, crisp profile helps bring out the vibrant elements of the dish, making this pairing light, refreshing, and full of flavour.
Beer
Lager
Salmon Burgers
A salmon burger pairs effortlessly with a crisp lager, creating a refreshing and balanced combination. The beer's light maltiness and subtle bitterness provide a clean contrast to the rich, flaky salmon, while its carbonation helps cut through the burger's fatty elements. The lager's smooth, slightly bready character enhances any toasted bun or grilled notes, while its refreshing finish allows the fresh herbs, spices, or toppings like aioli to stand out.
Tea
Tea, Green
Salmon Burgers
The delicate, vegetal notes of green tea provide a refreshing contrast to the rich, flaky texture of the salmon while its mild earthiness harmonizes with the fish's natural sweetness. If the salmon burger is seasoned with herbs or spices, the green flavours of green tea will dance beautifully with them.
The light, fruity notes of the rosé, often featuring flavours of strawberry, watermelon, and citrus, enhance the rich, flaky texture of the salmon and highlight its natural sweetness. The wine’s crisp acidity cuts through the burger's richness, achieving a beautiful balance of flavours. Additionally, if the burger is topped with fresh herbs, creamy sauces, or a hint of spice, the rosé’s bright character brings these elements to life, adding a lively freshness to each bite.
This light-bodied red wine, made from Gamay grapes, offers bright red fruit notes of cherry and raspberry that enhance the natural sweetness of the salmon. The wine's soft tannins and lively acidity cut through the burger's richness, creating a refreshing contrast. Additionally, Beaujolais Villages' subtle earthiness complements any grilled or smoky elements in the burger while allowing the fresh herbs and toppings, such as dill or aioli, to shine through.
A salmon burger, with its rich, flaky texture and robust flavour, pairs beautifully with Grüner Veltliner, creating a delightful balance on the palate. The wine’s crisp acidity and zesty citrus notes cut through the richness of the salmon, while its characteristic peppery spice adds an intriguing depth that enhances the burger’s seasoning. Grüner Veltliner’s herbaceous undertones harmonize with any fresh herbs or toppings in the burger, such as dill or arugula, complementing the dish’s vibrant elements.
Beer
Pale Ale
Salmon Burgers
Pale ale pairs nicely with a salmon burger, bringing a balanced interplay of flavours that works well with the fish. The beer’s moderate hop bitterness and citrus notes, such as grapefruit and orange, provide a refreshing contrast to the richness of the salmon. With a medium body and a crisp finish, pale ale cuts through the oily texture of the burger, making each bite feel lighter. The malt backbone adds a touch of sweetness, which nicely offsets the savoury elements of the salmon.
Beer
Gose
Salmon Burgers
Gose pairs well with a salmon burger, providing a unique and refreshing contrast to the richness of the fish. This German-style sour beer is characterized by its slightly salty and tart profile, often brewed with coriander and salt, giving it a distinctive flavour. The bright acidity and effervescence of Gose cut through the oily texture of the salmon, while its citrus and herbal notes bring an interesting complexity to the dish. The beer's slight salinity can also mirror the flavours of the ocean, creating a delightful interplay with the salmon.
Beer
Berliner Weisse
Salmon Burgers
Berliner Weisse pairs intriguingly with a salmon burger, offering a light and refreshing contrast to the richness of the fish. This German-style sour wheat beer is known for its low alcohol content, bright acidity, and effervescent qualities. Its citrus and tart notes beautifully swim with the savoury flavours of the salmon, enhancing the dish without overshadowing it. The crisp, refreshing finish of Berliner Weisse helps cleanse the palate, making each bite of the salmon burger feel bright and lively.
Beer
Pilsner
Salmon Burgers
Pilsner pairs nicely with a salmon burger, providing a refreshing contrast to the richness of the fish. The light, crisp character of the pilsner complements the savoury flavours of the salmon without overwhelming them. Its subtle hop bitterness adds a nice balance, cutting through the burger's oily texture while enhancing the overall flavour profile. The carbonation in the pilsner helps cleanse the palate, making each bite of the salmon burger feel light and enjoyable.
Marsanne pairs with a salmon burger in an interesting way, bringing its round texture and subtle fruit flavours to the dish. The wine’s notes of pear, apricot, and hints of honeyed almonds provide a rich contrast to the savoury and slightly oily salmon. While Marsanne has a fuller body and lower acidity than some other white wines, its smooth mouthfeel pairs well with the salmon’s texture, adding depth to the overall experience. However, due to Marsanne's richer style, it may not offer as much brightness as a higher-acid wine.
Type
Varietal
Food
Why this pairing works
Salmon Burgers & Sauvignon Blanc Pairing
A Sauvignon Blanc is a must-have with salmon burgers. For one thing, Sauvignon Blanc has a green, herbal fragrance and flavour, so it’ll blend nicely with the fresh parsley, dill or basil mixed into your Salmon patties. Sauvignon Blanc is also acidic and tart, complementing any lemon juice used in the creation of your Salmon Burger patty. With refreshing flavours of lemon, grapefruit, nectarine and peach, Sauvignon Blanc will certainly keep you focused on the deep flavours of your Salmon Burger. Meanwhile, the wine also showcases flavours of smoke, which will complement any grilled Salmon Burgers.
Lighter white wines, like Pinot Grigio, don’t hold up to the rich flavours of Salmon, and the delicate flavours of the wine get drowned out. Sauvignon Blanc, on the other hand, is high in acidity, so not only will it hold up to the meaty flavours of Salmon, but it also washes the fats away in between bites.
Chardonnay & Salmon Burger Pairing
With its tropical flavours, an unoaked Chardonnay will have no issue dealing with Salmon Burgers. The acidity of the wine will cut right through the richness of Salmon while at the same time releasing complex aromas, including green apple, mango, pear, and pineapple. This makes the entire pairing taste fresh and vibrant.
For grilled Salmon burgers where you also want to highlight the bun, it’s on, you might want to reach for an oaked Chardonnay as oak has a unique way of rounding out sharp edges, making for something smooth and delicious. The hints of toast, vanilla and butter also complement the bread used in the bun, along with the char marks on your grilled Salmon Burger.
Pinot Noir & Salmon Burgers
For Red wine, an Oregon Pinot Noir has incredible bright flavours of dark cherry, plum and raspberry, along with subtle notes of earth, smoke and truffle that complement grilled Salmon Burgers perfectly.
Pinot Noirs are extremely food-friendly, and pairing it up with a Salmon Burger is no exception. The smooth Pinot Noir seals the deal on a Salmon Burger that will entice your guests with its first bite!
The only problem with Pinot Noir is that it is not cheap for a good bottle. I wouldn’t buy anything less than $30 (actually, that’s a lie, I tend to stick to $45 and above). Bottles of Pinot Noir under $20 tend to take shortcuts and come across more candied and artificial, rather than elegant and mesmerizing as the real thing should.
Rosé Wine & Salmon Burgers Pairing
A Rosé wine, when in doubt, seems to go with everything, and Salmon Burgers are no exception. While Rosé appears to be sweet, it is typically dry, sharp, and crisp. Full of fresh berry fruit flavour on the nose, including cherry, raspberry and strawberry, Rosé is extremely refreshing when paired against the rich oil content of a Salmon burger.
The acidity also works hard, cutting through the healthy oil content found in salmon flesh, while the lively berry notes hold up to the rich salmon flavours.
Rosé from France will often feature a bit of herbs and citrus, which makes it wonderful with Salmon Burgers prepared with lemon juice and herbs. White pepper, mineral, peach and watermelon round up some of the other flavours for this perfect summer afternoon sipper.
Riesling and Salmon Burger Pairing
Riesling is an acidic white wine full of bright lemon, lime, peach, melon and mango flavours, along with notes of petrol, mineral and honey. Salmon Burgers are rich with their meaty and salty flavours, so the lean acidity of Riesling works well to dilute those bold salmon flavours.
Rieslings are also crisp on the palate, a natural fit for Salmon Burgers that will refresh you long after your meal is over. Salmon Burgers can be cooked in any way imaginable: grilled, barbecued or fried, but they all share one common characteristic – they tend to be fairly oily from the fatty salmon flesh, which means that Riesling’s high acidity cuts through this richness like a knife.
The range of styles in Riesling makes them particularly versatile as there’s something out there for every taste. However, my preference with a Salmon Burger would be a dry Riesling that tastes fresh, with no hint of sweetness. If you prefer a slightly sweet version of Riesling, pick up an off-dry Riesling.
