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Cajun Baked Salmon Bites Recipe

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4 from 12 reviews

These Cajun Baked Salmon Bites are flavorful, tender, and perfectly seasoned with a vibrant Cajun spice mix. Baked quickly in the oven on crumpled foil to keep them crispy and juicy, they make a fantastic protein-packed snack or addition to rice bowls. Ready in under 20 minutes, this recipe combines the smoky warmth of paprika, garlic, and brown sugar with a hint of cayenne for a subtly spicy kick.

  • Total Time: 19 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Salmon and Seasoning

  • 4 salmon fillets (skinless, cut into 2.5cm / 1" cubes; approximately 600 - 700g / 1.2 - 1.4lb total)
  • 2 tsp regular or smoked paprika
  • 3/4 tsp cooking salt or kosher salt (halve amount if using table salt, increase by 50% for salt flakes)
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder (do not substitute with fresh garlic to avoid burning)
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional for slight spiciness)
  • 2 1/2 tsp tightly packed brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 240°C (460°F) or 220°C (430°F) if using a fan-forced oven, ensuring it's fully heated before baking.
  2. Prepare the foil tray: Take a sheet of aluminum foil and lightly scrunch it up, then gently unfold so it remains wrinkled. Place this on your baking tray and fold the edges to secure the foil, creating a textured surface that helps prevent the salmon from sticking and allows the bites to crisp up nicely. Cover the entire tray with this crumpled foil.
  3. Make the Cajun spice mix: In a bowl, combine the paprika, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, dried thyme, black pepper, cayenne pepper (if using), and brown sugar. Mix well to blend all the spices evenly.
  4. Coat the salmon cubes: Add the cubed salmon pieces into the spice mix and drizzle with olive oil. Toss everything together thoroughly until the salmon is evenly coated with the Cajun seasoning and oil.
  5. Arrange the salmon: Spread the seasoned salmon cubes out on the prepared foil tray, making sure they are spaced out as much as possible. This spacing helps the salmon bites brown and cook evenly.
  6. Bake the salmon bites: Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake for 12 minutes without flipping. The high temperature will brown the salmon slightly and cook it through while keeping it juicy.
  7. Finish and serve: Remove the salmon bites from the tray promptly after baking to stop further cooking. Serve immediately as a snack or incorporate into Cajun salmon rice bowls with sides like rice, lettuce, tomato, radish, avocado, and optional sauces like peri-naise or sriracha-mayo.

Notes

  • The crinkled foil technique is a Japanese-inspired trick to keep fish from sticking and to help achieve a slightly crispy texture on the underside.
  • Cayenne pepper is optional, so omit it if you prefer a milder flavor.
  • Do not substitute garlic powder with fresh garlic as it can burn at high oven temperatures, resulting in a bitter taste.
  • For serving, consider making rice bowls topped with cajun salmon bites and fresh veggies as shown in the recipe photos.
  • Pair the salmon bites with sauces like peri-naise, leftover gyro sauce, or a simple mix of mayonnaise with sriracha or ketchup for added flavor.
  • Author: Amelia
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 12 minutes
  • Category: Seafood
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Cajun

Find it online: https://recipesvibe.com/cajun-baked-salmon-bites-recipe/