Hot Honey Salmon Bites (Printable)
Crispy-edged salmon cubes coated in a spicy-sweet hot honey glaze, ready in just 30 minutes.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Fish
01 - 1 lb skinless salmon fillet, cut into bite-sized cubes
→ Marinade
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
04 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
05 - 1/4 tsp salt
06 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ Sauce
07 - 1/3 cup honey
08 - 1–2 tbsp hot sauce (such as sriracha or chili garlic sauce, adjust to taste)
09 - 1 tbsp soy sauce (use tamari for gluten-free)
10 - 1 tsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
→ Garnish
11 - 1 tbsp sesame seeds
12 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives or green onions
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, toss the salmon cubes with olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.
03 - Arrange the seasoned salmon pieces on the prepared baking tray in a single layer, leaving space between each piece for even cooking.
04 - Bake for 8–10 minutes until just cooked through and lightly golden on the edges.
05 - While the salmon bakes, combine honey, hot sauce, soy sauce, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low, stirring until smooth and just beginning to bubble, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat.
06 - Remove salmon from the oven and transfer to a large clean bowl. Pour the hot honey sauce over the salmon bites and toss gently until evenly coated.
07 - For a stickier, caramelized glaze, return the sauced salmon bites to the oven for an additional 2–3 minutes. Otherwise, serve immediately.
08 - Sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped fresh chives or green onions before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The hot honey sauce hits that rare sweet spot where heat, sweetness, and umami all show up at once and nobody asks for ketchup or hot sauce on the side.
- Thirty minutes start to finish, and most of that is hands-off oven time while you pour yourself a drink and pretend you worked harder than you did.
02 -
- Do not skip patting the salmon dry before seasoning because excess moisture prevents the glaze from sticking properly and leaves you with a watery sauce pooling at the bottom.
- The sauce thickens as it cools so remove it from the heat the moment it starts bubbling or it will harden into candy before you can toss the salmon.
03 -
- Cut all the salmon cubes the same size, roughly one inch, because uneven pieces mean some overcook and turn dry while others are still underdone in the center.
- Let the honey sauce rest off the heat for one minute before tossing the salmon so it thickens slightly and coats each cube with a velvety layer rather than running straight off.