Salmon Bites, served with Hot Honey

At a glance

What stands out: Pan-seared salmon bites are juicy on the inside, crisp on the outside, and amped up with hot honey. Salmon bites are a speedy and straightforward entrée, and also a great appetizer.

How long it takes: 15 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: large skillet, sharp knife
Servings: 2

Hot Honey Salmon Bites

What can we say about this pan-fried salmon, except that it’s so good! Nuggets of salmon are seared until crisp and then glazed with spicy sweet hot honey. Go ahead and double the recipe because these juicy salmon bites will go in a hurry!

Flavorful. The salmon is seasoned with a simple brown sugar rub before it’s seared in a hot skillet and lightly glazed with hot honey. The brown sugar caramelizes on the outside of the salmon for a deliciously crisp crust.

Speedy. You will love this recipe because it can be ready in 15 minutes, maybe less if you’re fast. The salmon only has to cook for about five minutes.

Versatile. Serve hot honey salmon bites as an entrée over rice with veggies, in your favorite meal bowl, or on top of salads. Salmon bites are a straightforward appetizer, too. Serve them with a fancy toothpick and watch them disappear at parties. Move over, cocktail meatballs, salmon is in town!

What goes in

We'll get you started with some speedy thoughts about the ingredients. The recipe below has all the specifics.

• Salmon Fillet: The recipe calls for 12 ounces of salmon which is two to three servings. Either fresh salmon or frozen is fine; thaw frozen salmon overnight in your refrigerator. If your salmon is skin-on, remove it before you proceed with the recipe.
• Brown Sugar: The salmon is seasoned with a rub, and brown sugar is the base of the rub. The sugar encourages the caramelization that takes place over high heat.
• Seasoning: The rub is seasoned with paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
• Olive Oil: Other types of oil are fine, as long as they can stand a little heat (high smoke point).
• Hot Honey: We use from-scratch hot honey (it’s straightforward to mix) or you can buy it from the store. A popular brand is Mike’s Hot Honey. Our from-scratch version is milder.

What Is Hot Honey?

Hot honey is plain honey that’s been infused with chili peppers for a spicy kick. It’s a sweet-spicy combo that’s hard to resist.

Incidentally, our from-scratch hot honey (linked above) isn’t as mouth-tingling as many of the commercial brands we’ve tasted, which is fine by us! Of course, you can always amp up the heat if that’s your preference. That’s the beauty of from-scratch, you can make it how you like it.

How it comes together

Here is a visual step-by-step showing just how simple it is to make hot honey salmon bites.

Prep the salmon. If your salmon is skin-on, use a sharp knife to carefully slice it away from the salmon fillet.Cut the salmon into one-and-a-half to two-inch pieces, as close to the same size as possible so it will cook evenly. Using paper towels, pat the salmon dry.

A standby Way to Cut Salmon

Salmon that is well-chilled (cold, with a hint of frost) will be firmer and easier to cut without crushing it. Make sure your knife is sharp.

Add the rub. Mix the brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the salmon with olive oil, and then rub the sugar/spice mixture into it.

Sear the salmon. Heat olive oil in a large skillet, preferably nonstick. Add the salmon pieces in a single layer. Don’t disturb them for two minutes. You want them to get nice and brown, even slightly charred before you turn them.

Flip. Using tongs or spatula, quickly flip the salmon bites over and continue to fry for two to three minutes. Use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature. Well-done salmon is 145ºF.

Toss with hot honey. Lightly toss the salmon with the hot honey. If you prefer, the hot honey can be drizzled over the salmon on the serving platter. Serve immediately. The salmon bites are best when they are hot out of the pan!

Tips for Success

• Use your choice of salmon. You can make these bites with farm-raised, wild-caught, sockeye salmon, etc. This recipe is great because you can often make it with a cheaper, smaller cut of salmon since you’ll be chopping it up anyway.
• Get a good sear. Searing the salmon until it’s encrusted and browned on all sides is key for flavor, and holding the salmon together so that it doesn’t flake.
• Don’t overcrowd the skillet. Your salmon bites won’t crisp up if they’re crowded together tightly in the pan. Fry them in a single layer so that they don’t steam.
• Pan fried salmon is best eaten immediately. If you plan on making hot honey from scratch, do that ahead of time. This salmon recipe cooks quickly, so it’s a good idea to prepare your sides first or at least get them going so that they’re ready at the same time as the salmon.

Ways to change it

• Use any seasoning rub you like. Try our BBQ rub, this straightforward salmon seasoning, or your favorite pre-made rub.
• Try a different sauce. Not crazy about hot honey? Toss the salmon with maple syrup, barbecue sauce, or hot sauce instead (also see our glazed salmon recipe). The salmon nuggets are good with no sauce at all, too.
• Air fry the salmon bites. Try air fryer salmon bites or honey garlic air fryer salmon bites.
• Substitute chicken for the salmon. If you prefer, make this recipe with boneless skinless chicken breasts instead of salmon. The cooking time will be slightly longer. Refer to our chicken bites recipe for specific instructions.
• More in the mood for steak? Try garlic butter steak bites, our new favorite way to enjoy steak.

Ways to serve it

Main course: We like to serve the spicy salmon bites with creamy coconut rice or jasmine rice, and lightly steamed broccoli or sautéed spinach or roasted vegetables. Any extra hot honey can be drizzled over the veggies, too! These spicy salmon bites are also a rich filling for salmon tacos with cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

Appetizer: Serve salmon bites on a platter with toothpicks and extra hot honey for dipping. Or, try another dipping sauce like cooling tzatziki, tahini sauce or even fry sauce.

Keeping leftovers

Refrigerate. Salmon bites are best eaten immediately. If you have leftovers, refrigerate them promptly in a covered container for up to 3 to 4 days. See straightforward ways to use leftover salmon bites in the section below.

Reheat. Heat these salmon bites in a skillet, or you can reheat individual portions in the microwave.

Leftover Love

Salmon bites with hot honey are great on a salad, from green leafy salads to grain salads. They add lighter protein and so much flavor! Add salmon bites, either right from the skillet or cold, with the hot honey or without, to this roasted cauliflower salad with arugula & sweet potato.

Free Meal Plan

Interested in a weekly meal plan that includes this recipe? Take a look at our Meal Plan #9. You’ll find a wholesome recipe for each weekday plus a categorized grocery list. Let us do the planning for you this week!

Browse Meal Plans

• Yield: 2
• Prep: 10 minutes
• Cook: 5 minutes
• Total: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 12 ounces salmon fillet (thawed if frozen)
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons hot honey, more as desired

Method

1. In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
2. Remove skin from salmon fillets and cut salmon into 1½ to 2-inch pieces. Pat dry with paper towel.
3. Rub with 1 tablespoon olive oil and coat with spice mixture.
4. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the salmon and cook for 2 minutes without moving it.
5. Flip over and continue to cook for another 2 to 3 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 145ºF (or your desired temperature).
6. Remove to a bowl and gently toss with hot honey. Serve immediately as a main dish or appetizer. It can also be added to salads or bowls.

Notes

Storage: Salmon is best eaten right away. Refrigerate leftover salmon promptly, covered well. It will keep for 3 to 4 days.

Alternate sauces: If desired, omit the hot honey. Salmon can be eaten plain, or substitute maple syrup, barbecue sauce, or hot sauce.