Cajun Baked Salmon Bites is just a really tasty, no-fuss way to cook salmon, fast (12 minutes!). Cut into cubes so the Cajun flavour hits every bite, then bake in a hot oven so it browns without overcooking the inside. No stove splatter, yay!
“What’s so good about this salmon?”
I just finished “selling” this to my brother (yes, the one that famously once told me “there’s nothing about this recipe I like” 😆) when he came in just as I was shooting the photos. He asked (bluntly) – “What’s so good about this salmon?”. Here’s what I told him!
Cutting salmon into cubes means a higher ratio of tasty seasoned surface area to flesh. You won’t even need a sauce to enjoy these bites!
It’s baked not pan fried. Who wants to turn a gazillion cubes of salmon 6 times??
It takes 12 minutes to bake. It gets colour on it thanks to a hot oven and a smidge of sugar in the seasoning, but the inside doesn’t get overcooked. Nobody wants dry overcooked salmon around here!
I’m using mum’s infamous crumpled foil fish baking technique. So instead of using a rack (such a pain to clean), you just line a tray with crinkled foil and it acts like a gazillion teeny tiny prongs that keep the salmon from sitting flat on the tray. This way, the underside even gets a bit of colour on it rather than getting all sweaty and wet, so there’s no need to turn the salmon.
Also, the crumpled foil stops the fish from sticking!
It’s Cajun, dude. Anything you Cajun is tasty. You know it’s true. 😂
That’s a pretty accurate representation of how our conversation went down. I convinced him. Have I convinced you?? 😀
Ingredients in Cajun Baked Salmon Bites
Here’s what you need to make this – salmon fillets and a handful of pantry spices!
Salmon – Skinless fillets is best here. Skin on will work too but then you need to fiddle with each piece to arrange them skin-side down.
Spices – Just regular pantry spices!
– garlic and onion powder: substitute with more of either. Don’t substitute the garlic powder with fresh garlic, it will burn!
– paprika: regular/sweet – though smoked is great too
– dried thyme: substitute with oregano or parsley
– cayenne pepper: optional, for a extra hit of warm heat, if you like!Brown sugar – Just a little bit not only adds essential flavour (it really is so good with the cajun spice mix!), it also helps the salmon bites get a bit of caramelisation on the surface even with a very short bake time so the inside doesn’t overcook. If you substitute with honey or maple syrup, it doesn’t colour as well (I tried).
Salt and pepper – I use cooking salt / kosher salt. If you only have table salt (very fine), then reduce the amount by 50%, and if you have salt flakes, increase by 50%.
Olive oil – Or any neutral flavoured oil suitable for cooking.
How to make Cajun Baked Salmon Bites
Here’s how to make them. Preheat your oven well – we need a hot oven to get colour on the salmon in 12 minutes flat!
Cut the salmon into bite size pieces – 2.5cm / 1″ is a good size that will cook through just perfectly inside by the time it’s been in the oven long enough to caramelise the surface slightly.
Mix the Cajun Marinade ingredients in a bowl then add the salmon and toss to coat. There should be just enough to coat every piece nicely without excess pooling in the bottom of the bowl.
Wrinkle foil up by lightly scrunching it with your hands then unfold it without flattening the wrinkles and cover the tray. We want lots of little crinkly wrinkly little ridges, bumps and lumps all over the foil that will act as microscopic little “prongs” that keep the salmon elevated off the tray – this is what stops the underside from getting soggy which makes the Cajun spice sweat off. It also prevents the salmon from sticking to the tray. Nifty little Japanese fish cooking technique I picked up from my mother!
Fold the foil over the edge of the tray to hold it in place and repeat with another sheet of foil (if needed) to cover the whole tray with the wrinkly crinkly foil.
Spread the salmon across the tray. The more space between each piece, the better they will colour!
Bake for 12 minutes in a hot preheated oven – 240°C/460°F (220°C fan-forced). Hard and fast, to get colour on the salmon without overcooking the inside!
Ready to eat! Look at the lovely caramelisation on the surface – thanks to the smidge of brown sugar and the hot oven!
Sauce and serving options
I use enough seasoning for these salmon bites so that you can serve them without a sauce, plus remember we are keeping them nice and succulent inside – no dry overcooked salmon for dinner tonight!!!
However, sauce is always encouraged and it so happened that I had a couple of leftovers in my fridge from recent recipes – the Gyros Sauce from last weeks’ Kalimera Chicken Gyros, and the pantry-spices version of Peri-naise from the recent (very popular!) One Pot Nando’s Chicken and Rice. Both are pink and both tasted fabulous with the Cajun flavours on this salmon, though for a really quick option you could just mix mayonnaise with sriracha and/or ketchup (aim for a pink colour).
As for how to serve them – make rice bowls, like pictured in this post and in the video, or stuff into tortillas to make salmon tacos (YES!). Add to salads to make them meal-worthy, make dinner plates with a Garden Salad and Lemon Potato Salad on the side, or eat them straight off the tray. However you serve these, you can’t go wrong! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Cajun Baked Salmon Bites
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets , skinless, cut into 2.5cm / 1″ cubes (~600 – 700g / 1.2 – 1.4lb total)
Cajun spice mix (Note 1):
- 2 tsp paprika (regular/sweet, smoked also lovely)
- 3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (halve for table salt, +50% for flakes)
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder (don’t sub with fresh garlic, will burn)
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper , optional for slight spiciness
- 2 1/2 tsp brown sugar , tightly pack the teaspoons
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
ABBREVIATED
- Coat salmon with Cajun seasoning, bake on crumpled foil 12 minutes at 240°C/460°F (220°C fan-forced) until lightly browned. Enjoy!
FULL RECIPE:
- Preheat the oven to 240°C/460°F (220°C fan-forced).
- Crinkled foil trick – Lightly scrunch up foil, then gently unfold it so it stays wrinkled. Lots of little pointy bits = good!.Place on the tray and fold the edges to secure, repeat with another sheet to cover the whole tray. The wrinkles lift the fish slightly, preventing sticking and soggy undersides – clever Japanese fish-cooking trick!
- Coat salmon – Put the Cajun Spice mix ingredients in a bowl and mix. Add salmon and toss to coat. Spread on the foil (the more spaced out they are, the better they colour).
- Bake 12 minutes (don't turn). Remove salmon from the tray (so they don't keep cooking) then enjoy!
For Cajun Salmon Rice Bowls pictured:
- Photos in post – rice, lettuce, tomato, radish, avocado, Cajun salmon bites.
- Video – Rice, Cajun salmon bites, roasted corn avocado salsa – made at the same time as the salmon (Note 2).
- Sauces and garnishes for both bowls – Peri-naise or leftover pink Gyros sauce (or just kewpie/regular mayo mixed with sriracha or ketchup), chopped coriander or green onion.
Recipe Notes:
- Paprika – smoked paprika is great!
- Onion and garlic powder – substitute with more of the other
- Thyme – oregano or parsley
- Brown sugar – white sugar (don’t use honey or maple, surface doesn’t caramelise as well, I tried)
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
When I had the genius idea to do a lovely little selfie with Mr Dozer for today’s post, here’s how it went down:
Look at the camera and smile Dozer…..!
No no no don’t lie down…..!! Oof, come on, get up – jeez you’re heavy!
I give up!
OK fine you win, I’ll come down onto the floor with you…
Smile Dozer! Show us your pearly whites!
Love this big oaf so much. So grateful for everyday I have him in his creaky old years. ❤️ (He’s 13 1/2 years young!!)
Nagi, in the video and in the notes after the recipe there is no mention of pepper yet pepper is in the recipe. Do we or do we not include pepper? In the photo of the cajun ingredients, cayenne is missing. Please review the cajun ingredients for consistency. Tks.
I think you need to read/watch again.
Cayenne is optional.
Pepper is definitely in the recipe and in the notes it is onky speaking of substitutes.
Making this on Sunday for our weekly family gathering. Trying to get more fish into our diet and this looks easy and very yummy! Thanks for sharing! Love your sweet Dozer. ❤️
Thanks for picking up that up Leslie! There should be pepper in the video, just forgot to add the word. It’s in the ingredient photos and the recipe card! – N x
Do you reckon the end result would work using parchment/baking paper instead of foil? I love the simplicity!
I think too hot for parchment paper, hence the foil
Thank you for your answer. It would be at the higher end of instant combustion for paper – 454F – but I just wonder if the foil adds to the baking with caramelisation. I use very little foil: still haven’t used up the 120 m roll I purchased almost 35 years ago!
Crumpled paper won’t hold up the fish, so you can just use a rack instead! – N x
Hi Sandra! Temp will be ok, it’s about the wet undersides 🙂
Hi Patrick! It will work but the underside of the salmon pieces will be wet as they will sweat lying flat on paper 🙂 You want to avoid turning the salmon as it is in the oven for such a short period of time, if you turn it then it won’t get colour on it, and it takes a while to turn all those pieces. Hope that helps! – N x
Dear Nagi and Dozer,
This salmon looks delicious, but unfortunately I am allergic to fish so I shan’t be making this recipe.
However, I am pretty sure, I’ll try it with another protein! 😋
The snaps of you both are adorable, and just make me smile! Thank you, Nagi, for sharing your life together with us! It is pure joy! 💞
Please take good care! Sending Love and Hugs.💖🤗
Warmest Wishes from The Canadian Prairies
Chicken! I want to try to make chicken bites using this same method 🙂 Taking very good care of my fur ball! Hugs back to you Alex, hope you have a terrific weekend! – N x
Thank you, Nagi!
I’m on the hunt for some nice plump chicken breasts to ‘cube up’ properly!
I’ll be sure to report back in when I get the recipe done.
“Cheers”, Nagi, to you and that cutie, Dozer!
On the Hunt from
The Canadian Prairies!
🤗💞
ONG, the recipe looks lovely but the amazing secret is the crumpled foil! Perfect for the salmon bites
; I also oven roast a lot of vegetables tossed with oil and seasoning and this would be perfect! Thank you!
Yes! It means you don’t need to turn them as they will get a bit of colour on the underside 🙂 – N x
Aww Dozer 🤗
Yum
Fun
Eaay
🧡 the crinkly foil trick
Try it! It’s pretty cool 🙂
Love the beautiful photos. You are adored by millions Dear Dozer. 🙂 Alwlays love seeing you. Huge hugs and sweet kisses.
Delicious way to enjoy salmon.
Aww thanks Deb, for the sweet message!!! – N x
Absolutely delicious! Made these today and wow they pack so much great flavour. I have never heard about the tin foil trick before but it worked so well. Thanks Nagi 😋
So pleased to hear that Holly! I think you’re the first person in the world to make them!! – N x
I’m sure I’m not the first to point out that your dog really did eat your homework….
Ohhhhh!!! YOU DIDN’T MARTIN!! 🤦🏻♀️🤣
I’m just imagining these at the ‘bring a plate’ Christmas gigs with a little toothpick in each one. Or do you think they’d fall apart? In which case maybe extra mini tortilla wraps…
Hi Nicole! I’m just thinking they really are at their best freshly made. But I think if you turned them into mini tacos or something with a bit of salsa or the sauce in the recipe then that will add juiciness so the salmon would be terrific even at room temp! Love to know if you work something up 🙂 – N x PS You have reminded me though – canapé season is upon us!
Beautiful, beautiful photo of you both 👌
Aww thanks Emma!! – N x
I literally accidentally bought salmon fillets last night. Fat fingers on the Coles app. Trying this out instead of cooking it up for my cat. Sorry Beans!
IT WAS MEANT TO BE!!!
Next time I’ll ask my genie to fly me over for the tasting test instead of Goh 🙂 ! Love the way the salmon looks > would use any good flatbread and stuff it full with a large salad on the side – what a delightful meal . . . and, hi, Dozer > you tell Mom, sometimes one just does ot feel like getting up . . .more comfy his way as long as you are close by . . . love to both of you . . .
Next time I’ll ask my genie to fly me over for the tasting test instead of Goh 🙂 ! Love the way the salmon looks > would use any good flatbread and stuff it full with a large salad on the side – what a delightful meal . . . and, hi, Dozer > you tell Mom, sometimes one just does ot feel like getting up . . .more comfy his way as long as you are close by . . . love to both of you . . .
Ooh yes I love the sound of stuffing flatbreads!!!
I purchased tonight in an advance through Amazon had a problem but I never got your bonus. I always felt bad about it.
Oh no Brenda! Let me email it to you 🙂 – N x
Thank you very much.
I love Dozer’s pictures I hope he does well for a very long long time. He obviously is very happy! 🥰
I hope so too Brenda. I don’t know how I am going to fare when it is his time, I try not to think about it but rather enjoy every day I have with him! – N x
Not a fan of fishy things but I love Mr Dozer and his lovely mummy who is a dog sook like me
Dog sook!!!🤣 perfect description for me!
Dozer, you are still so young!!!
Today I was sent a photo from a lovely friend / client of mine of her birthday boy in his birthday hat, he was a rescue dog, is slightly demented but still thinks he’s a puppy and runs around like one, has only one eye that works & is a bit deaf, but today is his 18th birthday – think that’s 126 in human years. Love your life Dozer!!!!!!!!
Aww I love hearing that Mandy!! 18 – WOW!! – N x