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. And give our Air Fryer Hot Honey Salmon Bites a try next 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. This is Norwegian salmon, though you can check out our salmon guide for more information on the different species.
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.
- 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.
- Marinate the cubed salmon pieces. These can sit for 5 minutes, 20 minutes, or none at all. Any amount of time is great!
- 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.
Leftovers, Storage, and Reheating
Leftovers: Store in an airtight container in a fridge for up to 4-5 days.
Reheat leftover salmon the next day gently in a microwave until warm, about 1-1½ minutes.
To freeze, place cooked miso salmon on a sheet pan in a single layer, then freeze until solid, about 2-3 hours. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in a fridge before serving.
Variations and Substitutions
- Salmon: You can absolutely use another type of seafood with our miso marinade, just beware of the difference in cook time based on the thickness and type of seafood you use. Black cod or sea bass will have a similar cook time, whereas arctic char, which is much thinner, will cook more quickly.
- Miso paste: You can use any variety of miso paste you like — red miso paste or yellow paste are also easily accessible — but they tend to have a stronger, richer, sometimes funkier taste, due to longer fermntation.
- Sugar: If you don’t want to use sugar, try substituting with honey or maple syrup.
- Other marinade entirely: You can use this same method of quick curing salmon to make any flavor salmon bites you want! Teriyaki sauce salmon bites, lemon pepper salmon bites — see what inspires you!
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!
If you make this Miso Salmon Bites recipe, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below.
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More Salmon Recipes To Try!
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How To Make Miso Salmon Bites
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs salmon fillet skin off
- ¼ cup white miso paste
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup mirin or rice wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp ginger paste
- 1 tsp granulated garlic
- Cooked rice or other grain for serving
- Optional garnishes: sesame seeds, cilantro, scallions, cucumber slices, thinly sliced chiles, pickled ginger, avocado
Instructions
- Cure the salmon. If you haven't already cured and cubed the salmon, full instructions can be found here. It takes just 15 minutes to quick cure.
- Prepare the salmon. Preheat a broiler on high with a rack set just below it. Transfer the cubed salmon to a large mixing bowl.
- Make the marinade. Whisk ¼ cup white miso paste, ¼ cup sugar, ¼ cup mirin, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp sesame oil, 2 tsp ginger paste, and 1 tsp granulated garlic in a small bowl or measuring cup. Reserve 2 Tbsp of marinade, then pour the rest on top of the salmon. Gently toss to evenly coat. Allow this to sit for 20-30 minutes (though you can cook it right away if you don't have time).
- Cook the salmon. Transfer the marinated salmon to a parchment or silicone lined rimmed baking sheet. You can pour the salmon and marinade right on top of the sheet pan, just note that the excess marinade might burn a bit, not the salmon. If you prefer, you can use tongs to transfer the salmon without excess marinade to the sheet pan. Broil on high for 5-7 minutes, rotating the pan once halfway through to ensure even cooking.
- Garnish, then serve. Serve salmon bites over sushi rice with reserved salmon marinade brushed on top, if desired. Garnish with avocado, scallions, cilantro, sliced cucumbers, pickled ginger, sesame seeds, and chiles, then serve immediately!
Notes
- Nutrition facts do not include rice or garnishes for serving: just the miso salmon bites.
- Soy sauce is quite salty on its own, so we recommend using low-sodium to help control the salt in this recipe.
- Leftovers: Store in an airtight container in a fridge for up to 4-5 days.
- Reheat gently leftover salmon in a microwave until warm, about 1-1½ minutes.
- Freeze: Place cooked miso salmon bites on a sheet pan in a single layer, then freeze until solid, about 2-3 hours. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in a fridge before serving.
Tried these out tonight and my entire family loved — they’re CRAZY good! So easy to prep too. Achieved that miso salmon flavor without having to marinate the fish for 2-3 days! Thank you! 💗
Thank you, Tamara! The flavor in the marinade is SO good! xo, Ari