Crispy Salmon Bites with Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Dipping Sauce

Expecting company? We’ve got you covered with these Crispy Salmon Bites with Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Dipping Sauce. This easy appetizer whips up in only 15 minutes. While the salmon bites broil, use your mini food processor to mix up the creamy sun-dried tomato dipping sauce, which we think is the perfect complement for salmon, one of the best heart-healthy foods to eat.

Even if you’re planning a mellow evening at home, we think this recipe can fit into your routine. Make this easy appetizer into a main dish by serving it over brown rice or quinoa with a side of wilted greens. Either way, these salmon bites are sure to become a repeat favorite for you, just like they are for us!

How to Make Salmon Bites

1. Use Center-Cut Salmon

Center-cut refers to the middle section of a side of salmon. The center is usually the thickest and most uniform in shape, which is perfect for cutting into bite-size pieces. If your salmon has skin, you will want to remove it before you cut it into pieces.

2. Preheat the Broiler

Think of broiling as upside-down grilling, with the heat source directly above instead of below the food. Just like a grill, you need to preheat the broiler before you use it, which should only take 5 to 10 minutes, depending on your oven. Make sure that the oven rack is positioned in the upper third of the oven before you turn on the broiler so you don’t need to make any adjustments when the oven is hot.

3. Cook the Salmon Bites

Once the broiler is good and hot, the salmon is ready to go! Make sure your baking sheet is lined with a layer of foil before placing the salmon on it. This will help prevent sticking and make cleanup much easier. The salmon should be spaced evenly apart on the baking sheet so every piece gets equal exposure to the heat. You’ll know the salmon pieces are done when they flake easily with a fork and are no longer opaque in the center. You can test one or two pieces for doneness and adjust the position of the baking sheet if needed to cook any pieces that may be lagging behind.

4. Make the Sauce

A mini food processor makes quick work of mixing up the creamy dipping sauce. Scrape down the sides of the processor from time to time to make sure all the ingredients are blending evenly. If you don’t have a mini processor, finely chop the sun-dried tomatoes and work them into a paste with the flat side of a chef’s knife before combining them with the other ingredients in a small bowl.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too!

• You won’t be able to test each salmon bite individually for doneness, so make sure your salmon bites are all cut to the same size, about a 1-inch square. This way, they will all cook at about the same rate. As for what type of salmon you should buy, wild or farmed, that's up to you. Wild or farmed salmon will work well, as long as the fillet is thick enough to cut into bite-size pieces.
• We prefer to use sun-dried tomatoes from a jar, preserved in oil, rather than dehydrated sun-dried tomatoes that come dry in a bag. Their flavor is less sharp and you can use the oil they come in to inject even more flavor into the dish, as we do here.
• If you love the flavor profile, but don’t want to cut the fish into pieces, you can roast or grill the fillets and serve them with the sauce on the side. If you keep the fillets whole, you will have to cook them longer. The same rules apply for doneness—the fish should flake easily with a fork and should no longer be opaque in the center.

Nutrition Notes

• Salmon is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat that has some great health benefits, including potentially helping to lower triglyceride and LDL cholesterol levels, reduce inflammation and improve cognitive function.
• Sun-dried tomatoes have a high concentration of lycopene, an antioxidant that may help protect against heart disease by reducing inflammation. Eating tomatoes regularly, especially cooked tomatoes, may also help reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, particularly prostate cancer in men.
• The sour cream in the dipping sauce contains calcium. Calcium is a mineral that aids in keeping your muscles, nerves and cells functioning properly. It also plays an important role in bone health by boosting bone density, working alongside other essential minerals.