How To Make Miso Salmon Bites

We’ve taken one of our most popular salmon dinners — this Miso Salmon recipe — and turned it into Miso Salmon Bites! These are perfect in rice bowls or served alongside your favorite Asian-inspired side dishes, like Blistered Shishito Peppers or Asian Brussels Sprouts.

These salmon bites require very little hands on prep and cook entirely under a broiler in 5-7 minutes. You really can’t do better than that on busy weeknights! Plus, the quick cook time ensures that the salmon doesn’t overcook. You’ll have flaky, tender salmon every single time, and it is absolutely packed with sweet, umami rich miso flavor!

Be sure to check out our tips on How To Cut Salmon For Salmon Bites — taking this extra step ensures that the salmon is perfectly cubed every single time.

Ingredient Notes

You’ll want fresh salmon fillets, though frozen can be used as along as they’re thawed and defrosted. For salmon bites, we recommend skin off.

Here’s what you’ll need to make our quick miso marinade:

• White miso paste: Also labeled shiro miso, this is the mildest variety of miso paste, likely due to it having the shortest fermentation period. We pretty much always have white miso on hand. If you prefer, you can use yellow miso or red miso, just note that they have a stronger, more intense flavor.
• Granulated sugar: Sugar helps to balance the umami rich taste of the white miso paste. It also caramelizes when broiled, giving the salmon a crisp exterior.
• Mirin: Similar to sake, mirin is a rice wine that is commonly used in Japanese cooking, but with a lower alcohol content and a bit more sugar. If you don’t have mirin, you can use rice vinegar.
• Low-sodium soy sauce: Instead of Kosher salt, use low-sodium soy sauce. If you’re making these salmon bites gluten-free, use tamari instead.
• Sesame oil: We love toasted sesame oil for its rich nutty taste — a little goes a long way!
• Ginger paste: So convenient, and no grating or peeling involved. One tube will last forever in your fridge! Yes, you can use fresh ginger instead.

We recommend serving over rice with toasted sesame seeds, sliced green onion, avocado, and lots of fresh cilantro.

How To Make Miso Salmon Bites

We strongly encourage you to quick cure the salmon fillet before cutting it into 1-inch cubes. This will not make the salmon salty — promise! — it just makes it easier to get those perfect cubes every single time. You can read the full instructions here: How To Cut Salmon For Salmon Bites.

1. Make the miso marinade! Tip: stir everything together in a 2-cup measuring cup for easy pouring! Reserve a couple tablespoons, then pour the rest on the salmon bites.
2. Marinate the cubed salmon pieces. These can sit for 5 minutes, 20 minutes, or none at all. Any amount of time is great!
3. Broil the salmon bites! Transfer the sheet pan to a preheated oven, then broil. Yes, it’s really that easy. You can drizzle or brush with reserved marinade for an extra saucy flavor.

Expert Tips

• Use a sharp knife! This seems obvious, but this is the best way to get uniform shapes with the cured salmon.
• Rotate the pan halfway through cook time. All broilers are different — some are stronger than others, and some don’t cook evenly across the length of the heating unit (this is the problem mine has). To help ensure even cook time for all salmon bites, we recommend rotating the pan halfway through.
• If curing the salmon, don’t let it cure too long. The longer it sits in the dry cure, the firmer the texture of the fish will be. While it’s safe to keep the salmon curing for up to 72 hours, we’re going for a tender, flaky texture, so keep the cure time to 10-15 minutes. And don’t forget to rinse the salt mixture off in cold water!

Can these be made in an air fryer? Yes! Place them in an air fryer basket, then air fry at 400F for the same amount of time: 5-7 minutes. You’ll want to shake the basket halfway through to ensure even cooking.

How To Serve

We love to serve salmon bites over white rice or seasoned sushi rice, then load it up with our favorite toppings, such as: pickled ginger, avocado, cilantro, sesame seeds, scallions, thinly sliced radishes, and thinly sliced jalapeño, serrano, or Thai chili peppers. Don’t forget fresh lime wedges! The fresh lime juice adds a burst of acidity that lightens up the whole dish!

Add your favorite roasted or blistered veggies, such as Oven Roasted Broccoli or Blistered Haricots Verts. Other side dish ideas: sautéed spinach, glazed carorots, edamame, quinoa salad, roasted sweet potatoes, or any stir-fried vegetables.

You could also serve the miso salmon bites in a bowl with cute toothpicks as a fun party appetizer! Maybe even have some reserved miso marinade in a bowl on the side for dipping!