Orange Salmon Bites

Tasty, nutritious salmon is flavored with sweet orange and honey flavors, fragrant garlic, ginger, sesame, and soy, to make these mouthwatering orange salmon bites.

You might also like pistachio crusted salmon, baked salmon with Greek salsa, salmon rice bowls, and creamy Tuscan marry me salmon.

Why You’ll Love It           

Easy to make: This quick and simple recipe is straightforward to prepare. You just have to marinate and cook the salmon, make the sauce and simmer both together briefly.
Very tasty: You won’t be disappointed with the wonderful sweet and savory flavors in this Asian inspired dish.
A healthy option: Salmon offers plenty of nutrients.
Gluten free and dairy free: There’s no gluten or dairy in this dish.
Uses simple ingredients: You probably already have most of the ingredients on hand and the rest are easy enough to source.

Orange Salmon Bowls Ingredients

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Salmon: Choose skinless salmon filets or remove the skin before marinating. You can use fresh salmon or frozen salmon if thawed completely first.
Orange juice: You can freshly squeeze oranges or use pulp-free orange juice for the marinade/sauce.
Honey: For sweetness.
Minced garlic and ground ginger: Goes so well with the Asian flavors in the dish. I recommend using fresh garlic.
Soy sauce: Adds a salty, umami taste.
Sesame oil: Adds a nutty flavor.
Cornstarch: To thicken up the sauce.
Crushed red pepper flakes: Optional, for a kick of spice.

How to Make Salmon in Orange Sauce

For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.

Prepare the salmon: Combine the salmon marinade ingredients, add the cubed salmon fillets and let them marinate.
Cook the salmon: Cook the salmon bites in olive oil over a medium high heat for a couple of minutes per side until golden brown.
Make the sauce: Add the marinade to a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Make a cornstarch slurry and stir it into the sauce. Add the cooked salmon to the sauce and simmer for a couple of minutes.
Assemble and enjoy: Divide cooked rice and broccoli between serving plates and add the salmon bites. Drizzle the remaining sauce over the fish and add green onions and/or sesame seeds for garnish, and serve immediately.     

Substitutions and Variations

Vegetables: Broccoli is good with orange salmon, but you might prefer sugar snaps, edamame, bok choy, baby corn, bell peppers, or asparagus.
Salmon filets: Use shrimp, tofu, chicken, turkey, or pork tenderloin instead, also chopping them into bite-sized pieces.
Honey: Maple syrup is another option, or you could agave syrup.
Orange honey sauce: Substitute bottled or homemade teriyaki sauce, using it first as a marinade and then warming it up as a sauce. Depending on the brand, it might or might not need to be thickened with cornstarch.
Orange juice: I recommend using fresh squeezed orange juice, as it’s a main ingredient, but you can use bottled fresh orange juice if you prefer. Add some orange zest too for a richer flavor.
Adjust the sweetness: Add more honey or some brown sugar for a sweeter flavor or add a splash of rice wine vinegar or rice vinegar to counter the sweetness and add an acidic element.
Garnish: I like to toast sesame seeds for a garnish and sprinkle them over the fish. Green onions or orange slices would also be pretty as a garnish.

Serving Suggestions

With rice or noodles: Enjoy hibachi rice or hibachi noodles with your salmon, to make a delicious meal.
With other side dishes: Crab cake egg rolls, crispy wonton strips or turkey potstickers would be tasty on the side.
With more vegetables: Just about anything goes, vegetable-wise. Garlic green beans, mixed steamed vegetables, sweet potato wedges, or salted edamame would be good.
With a salad: Mixed greens with a ginger dressing would be delicious.
With soup: Enjoy hot and sour soup or tofu miso soup on the side.

How to Store Pan Fried Orange Salmon

Store: Keep leftover salmon in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat within 3 days.
Freeze: You can freeze it in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
Thaw: Defrost it in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheat: You can warm orange salmon bites back up in a pan on the stove or in the oven or microwave.