Can you say Blackened Salmon Sliders? I love creating Game Day Snacks for my friends and these little sliders are sure to please even the pickiest eaters.
What would the world be like without all the different cuisines we have to choose from. And food from around the world blended together to create an extra special dish are my favorites. In my early days of cheffing, this was called Fusion Cuisine.
But intertwining different flavors from different cuisines has become the norm and dishes like my Blackened Salmon Sliders are typical of this type of cooking and is my favorite techniques for Game Day Food!
What ingredients do I need to make an Asian Slaw?
Let’s start by gathering our ingredients to make my Blackened Salmon Sliders. In chef speak this is called the mise en place (everything in its place). Let’s start with the ingredients to make the Asian Slaw.
Start by mixing the slaw ingredients together and the ingredients for the dressing together.
Then it’s just a matter of tossing them together. It’s best to make the slaw a few hours ahead of time to allow the ingredients to soak in the flavors.
How do I make Blackened Salmon Sliders?
Once your slaw is made the rest is easy-peasy and only takes slider rolls, salmon, your favorite blackening seasoning and your premade slaw.
These are the basics ingredients to make Salmon Sliders but feel free to add your personal touches.
- Not a fan of blackened salmon? Grilled salmon is a great substitute.
- Not a fan of salmon? Try tuna, snapper, redfish or any of your favorites.
- Leave out any of the items you don’t like in the slaw.
- Use your favorite bottled dressing instead of making my Asian dressing.
- Cut the salmon into larger pieces and make full-size sandwiches
The first step in preparing the salmon is coating one side with Cajun seasoning (aka blackening seasoning).
How do I make Blackening Seasoning?
If you can’t buy blackening seasoning aka Cajun Spice where you live, here is a basic recipe that can be adjusted to your likes.
- 2 tablespoons paprika (smoked or regular)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tesaspoon ground black pepper
- 1½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon cayenne (more if you like heat, but be careful)
Prepare a sauté pan by letting it get really hot. Add a very small amount of oil to the pan, just enough to coat it. Place the seasoned side down in the hot pan and allow to cook for about 2 minutes. Turn the salmon over and cook on the other side for another 2 minutes.
This will cook the salmon to an almost done state. If you prefer your salmon well-done, allow it to stay in the pan a little longer.
Chef Dennis Tip-
Make sure to have your kitchen fan on and plenty of ventilation in your kitchen. The seasonings can cause choking if you’re not careful.
Once your salmon is cooked you can assemble the sliders and serve them to your guests.
Don’t these look OMG delicious? I hate to tell you I devoured 3 of these little sliders after taking the pictures. And thanks to Omeprazole ODT, there was NO HEARTBURN.
What Type of Salmon Should I Use?
You can use any type of salmon you have available in your markets. Most supermarkets carry Atlantic Salmon which is not my favorite but will work well with this recipe. If possible look for Pacific or Atlantic Salmon. My favorites are Sockeye (red) and Coho (silver) or Chinook (King).
Atlantic Salmon is more plentiful and usually less expensive but I prefer wild-caught fish to farmed seafood.
*Farmed salmon is much higher in fat, containing slightly more omega-3s, much more omega-6 and three times the amount of saturated fat. It also has 46% more calories — mostly from fat. Conversely, wild salmon is higher in minerals, including potassium, zinc and iron
Can I pre-cook the salmon?
If you’d rather not be cooking when your guests arrive you can precook the blackened salmon. Sauté the salmon on the blackened side for 1-2 minutes and then turn the salmon and sear the other side for 30 seconds.
Wait until it has cooled a little before covering the salmon, then place in the fridge until needed.
When it’s time to serve your guests, place the salmon in a baking dish in a 350 degree F oven for 15 minutes. Assemble your sliders and you’re ready to go!
If you love salmon you may also like these recipes:
- Marinated Grilled Salmon
- Grilled Cedar Planked Salmon
- Mediterranean Style Salmon
- Blackened Salmon Salad
- Stuffed Salmon with Cream Cheese and Crabmeat
Blackened Salmon Sliders with an Asian Slaw
Ingredients
- 2 lbs salmon skinned and boned
- 2 tablespoon cajun seasoning
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to coat pan
Asian Slaw
- ¼ cup red peppers julienned into small strips
- ¼ cup carrots shredded
- ¼ cup cilantro cleaned and roughly chopped
- ½ cup green cabbage thinly sliced and chopped
- ½ cup purple cabbage thinly sliced and chopped
- 2 cups napa cabbage thinly sliced and chopped
Asian Dressing
- 2 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tbsp honey (you can substitute maple syrup)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (you can substitute white vinegar)
- 4 tablespoon vegetable oil (you can use light olive oil)
Instructions
Asian Slaw
- Prepare the ingredients for the slaw then toss together in a medium-sized bowl.
- Mix all the ingredients for the dressing together with a fork or small wire whisk until they are fully combined.
- Add the dressing to the slaw mix and toss until all the ingredients are coated with the dressing. Refrigerate overnight or for at least two hours.
Blackened Salmon
- Remove the skin and any bones from the salmon.
- Cut the salmon into eight small pieces (About 4 ounces each).
- Press the fillet side of the salmon into the Cajun seasoning. Repeat until all the pieces have been coated on one side.
- Heat a large sauté pan until hot then add a very small amount of cooking oil to the pan. You can use a brush or a paper towel to spread the oil, just be careful so you don't get burned in the process.
- With the kitchen fan on high, carefully place the salmon, seasoned-side down in the pan and allow to cook for about two minutes. You want the seasoning to turn a lovely reddish color without burning.
- After 2 minutes, carefully turn each piece and sauté on the other side for about 2 minutes, or longer if you prefer well-done salmon.
- Remove the blackened salmon fillets from the pan to a serving dish.
Assembly
- Slice the slider rolls in half.
- Place the blackened salmon, seasoned side up on the bottom of the slider roll.
- Top the salmon with Asian slaw. Add the top of the roll, serve and enjoy!
Lori says
These are awesome! My family loved them!
Jennifer Banz says
The slaw is so amazing with the blackened salmon! I skipped the bun for a lower carb option. Amazing!
Tammy says
Mmm these look fantastic, Dennis! I wish I had one right now 😀 Nothing beats a salmon sandwich 🙂
Pam Greer says
Oh my these sliders are wonderful! So many sliders are full of cheese, pork and beef (not that there’s anything wrong with that!) but I love how light and flavorful these are!
GUNJAN C Dudani says
I am sharing your blog with my brother. He loves salmon and he would love to make this and enjoy with his roommates.
Marisa F. Stewart says
The blackened salmon sliders are such a great switch from the typical lunchmeat ones. We do love our salmon, especially when it’s blackened. I’m planning on these sliders for the Super Bowl — our entire family can’t get enough of delicious salmon. The Asian slaw is the ideal touch for this sandwich. We don’t like creamy slaws — this is just the way we want it.
Loreto and Nicoletta Nardelli says
We love this recipe for blackened salmon sliders! And that slaw, yum! Thank you for the inspiration and the step by step pictures. Will make it soon!
Jacqui Debono says
These look so good. Last game day I didn’t eat any of the snacks as they were too unhealthy, but this is my jam! Perfect for our Superbowl party (Go Chiefs!)
Kelly Anthony says
These blackened salmon sliders are sure to impress any guest for super bowl. I love that the ingredients are simple yet packed with flavor.
Sharon says
These salmon sliders look so delicious and fresh. The Asian slaw on top is the perfect finishing touch.