These irresistible Salmon Bites are a top-tier, melt-in-your-mouth meal, sautéed in smoky Cajun flavor and best served over a bed of warm white rice with a side of garlic aioli. Fresh salmon filets are cubed and coated in bold Cajun seasoning, then seared on a hot skillet for a gorgeous crust and tender, flaky center, all finished off with a tasty honey glaze.
If you’re looking for a simple, high protein, meal made in 20 minutes that will earn a spot on your weekly meal rotation, look no further than these Cajun Honey Salmon Bites!
Reasons You’ll Love This
Time Saving Dinner – When confronted with the impossible task of finding a nutritious dinner made in under 30 minutes, that doesn’t take insane amounts of brain power to accomplish, I make this recipe.
Protein Focused – In these modern times, we hear a lot about protein being important in your diet. This recipe is high in protein, and fits in perfectly with a carb and veggie of your choosing!
Pantry Friendly – While the ingredient list looks long and intimidating, worry not! The majority of it is seasonings you likely already have in your pantry, and requires nothing you can’t get at your local grocery store.
Air Fryer Option – You can absolutely stick these in the air fryer instead of searing them on a pan! Saves you time to accomplish the other steps in this recipe.
I don’t share too many seafood/fish recipes on my page because truthfully, I don’t always enjoy them. But these Salmon Bites have absolutely changed my outlook! Plus, I will always be a major fan of an easy dinner I can get on the table for those hungry, yet picky, eaters. They love and approve of this recipe!
Ingredient Information
- Salmon – I highly recommend using fresh salmon filets for this recipe. You can use frozen, thawed filets but the difference in texture is VERY noticeable. I would personally buy salmon that’s already skinless, but you can buy skin-on salmon and slice off the skin yourself. (Or leave it on if that’s your thing!)
- Honey – I think honey and salmon go really well together. You could also try subbing for agave or brown sugar in the sauce, just know the texture will be different.
- Soy Sauce – Regular soy sauce or light sodium soy sauce will both work for this recipe. You can also use seasoning sauce or even liquid aminos instead. I wouldn’t sub for teriyaki sauce, since that’s essentially what we’re making.
- Mayonnaise – This is for the garlic aioli. “But Christi! Aioli isn’t made with mayonnaise.” Tomayto, tomahto. You can make your own aioli from scratch. I however, will be using mayonnaise for the base of mine.
- Seasonings – There’s lots of seasoning used in this recipe so I will go ahead and list it for you here: Cajun seasoning, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, dried thyme, dried oregano, cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt.
- Olive Oil – Olive oil is just my go-to, but you can use whatever oil you have on hand. Avocado oil, vegetable oil, or even butter!
- Garlic – I’m a big believer that jarred minced garlic has a different flavor compared to freshly minced garlic. I use the fresh stuff, but feel free to use whatever is easiest for you.
- Optional Sides – I serve mine with some white rice and scallions. You can definitely serve this over some mashed potatoes instead, and feel free to add a veggie like brussels sprouts, a side salad, or green beans!
Step by Step Instruction Walk Through
- Grab a large bowl, then add the Cajun seasoning, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, dried thyme, dried oregano, cayenne pepper, black pepper and salt. Mix to combine, then add your cubed, skinless salmon to the bowl. Toss to evenly combine.
- Add your olive oil to a skillet, and bring to medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, gently place the cubed salmon on the skillet. Cook the salmon cubes for 2-3 minutes on every side. Flip gently to not break the cubes. You want every cube to be cooked through on the inside and have a crispy skin on the outside. Once cooked, remove from heat.
- In a separate saucepan or skillet, add the honey, soy sauce, dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, and cajun seasoning. Bring the pan over medium heat, and stir to combine. Let the sauce come to a simmer, stirring occasionally until everything is dissolved, and has slightly thickened.
- While the sauce cooks, start on the aioli. In a separate, small mixing bowl, add the mayonnaise, minced garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mix this together until evenly combined. Let this sit in the fridge for 10-15 minutes so the flavors can marinate.
- Pour the thickened glaze over the cooked salmon bites in the skillet, and gently toss to combine.
- Serve the salmon bites on a plate over a bed of white rice. Serve the aioli as a dip on the side, or drizzle it over the bites. Top with scallions, and a lemon wedge on the side. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Tips & Advice
Storage – Store the remaining salmon bites in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave, air fryer, or throw them back on an oiled skillet for 4-5 minutes until warmed through.
If you want to prepare the salmon a day ahead of time, cube the salmon and coat it in the seasoning like normal. Then, transfer to a gallon freezer bag, and keep in the fridge for up to 24hrs before cooking.
If you want to freeze it, line a baking sheet with parchment, then place the salmon bites on the baking sheet so they’re not touching. Freeze for 24hrs, then remove from the baking sheet and store in a gallon freezer bag in the freezer. When ready to cook, thaw overnight in the fridge before cooking.
Air Fryer Alternative – If you want to cook these in the air fryer instead, you absolutely can! Here’s how: Preheat your airfryer to 400°F, and prepare the salmon cubes as normal. Cook in the air fryer for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Prepare the sauce and aioli as normal.
Baked Option – Baking them will be very similar. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prepare salmon normally. Line them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cooked through on the inside. Prepare the sauce and aioli as normal.
HOW TO PREPARE SALMON
Preparing raw salmon can feel very intimidating. If you can, I would buy the skinless salmon filets. If you have to remove the skin yourself, here are some easy ways to do it.
Place the salmon flesh side down on a wire rack in a clean sink or on a deep baking sheet . Boil some water, then pour it over the skin evenly. Allow it to cool for a minute or two then peel the skin right off!
You can also take a blow torch to the skin and evenly fire the skin until you see black spots. Let it cool for a minute then peel it right off!
Cube with a sharp knife (Be careful!) into even bite sized pieces.
Equipment
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy Salmon Bites recipe:
FAQs
You can pair this with plenty of other foods like potatoes, asparagus, broccoli, salad, fried rice, and so much more!
You’ll be able to tell when the salmon is done when it’s warm with an opaque light pink color on the inside. The internal temp should be anywhere from 130°F to 145°F. You can also tell its done when the salmon flakes really easily when cut open with a fork.
Serves Well With
Salmon is one of those main dishes that pair well with many different foods! Here are a few side dishes I would serve it with for dinners or lunches. Save this recipe so you can try it with multiple different sides. Enjoy!
More Recipes You’ll Love!
Salmon Bites
Ingredients
Salmon Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh salmon skin removed, cubed into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Honey Glaze Ingredients
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
Garlic Aioli Ingredients
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Serve With
- green onions / scallions
- white rice
- lemon wedges
Instructions
- Grab a large bowl, then add the Cajun seasoning, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, dried thyme, dried oregano, cayenne pepper, black pepper and salt. Mix to combine.
- Add your cubed, skinless salmon to the bowl. Toss to evenly combine.
- Add your olive oil to a skillet, and bring to medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, gently place the cubed salmon on the skillet. Cook the salmon cubes for 2-3 minutes on every side. Flip gently to not break the cubes. You want every cube to be cooked through on the inside and have a crispy skin on the outside. Once cooked, remove from heat.
- In a separate saucepan or skillet, add the honey, soy sauce, dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, and cajun seasoning. Bring the pan over medium heat, and stir to combine. Let the sauce come to a simmer, stirring occasionally until everything is dissolved, and has slightly thickened.
- While the sauce cooks, start on the aioli. In a separate, small mixing bowl, add the mayonnaise, minced garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mix this together until evenly combined. Let this sit in the fridge for 10-15 minutes so the flavors can marinate.
- Pour the thickened glaze over the cooked salmon bites in the skillet, and gently toss to combine.
- Serve the salmon bites on a plate over a bed of white rice. Serve the aioli as a dip on the side, or drizzle it over the bites. Top with scallions, and a lemon wedge on the side. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Leave a Reply