These Maple Glazed Salmon Balls with Nectarine Salsa are Asian-inspired and bursting with flavor, protein, and a freshness from the salsa that you're going to love!
Cook the rice according to package instructions and set aside.
Make the plum salsa by combining all salsa ingredients with ½ tsp salt in a bowl and mixing together. Taste and adjust seasoning with ½ tsp more salt if desired. Set aside.
Make the salmon balls: Add green onion and garlic to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add grated ginger, ground turmeric, chili flakes, white miso paste, kosher salt and ground pepper and pulse again to combine.
Add cubed salmon and pulse just a quick 6-8 times until the salmon is just broken down into pea-sized pieces. Don't over pulse or it will become more like a paste.
Add the salmon mixture to a medium bowl with the egg and breadcrumbs and gently mix together to combine. Scoop out 2 tbsp per salmon ball and use your hands to form into balls. Place on a plate and when all balls are made, place in the fridge for 10 minutes to set.
While the salmon balls sit in the fridge, prepare the maple-miso sauce: In a small bowl whisk together the sesame oil, pressed garlic, white miso paste, tamari, grated ginger, lime juice, brown sugar and whisk. Taste and adjust with ground pepper if desired.
After 10 minutes remove the salmon balls from the fridge. Add 2 tbsp olive oil to a frying pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot turn to medium heat and then add the salmon balls and sear for 2 minutes per side for about 4-6 minutes total.
Add the maple-miso sauce to the pan and cook, spooning the sauce over the salmon, for about 4-5 minutes, until the sauce is just slightly thickened and the salmon balls are cooked through to your desired temperature. Remove from the heat.
Before assembling the bowls, stir lime zest and cilantro into the rice.
Assemble the bowls: Divide the cooked rice, cooked salmon balls and plum salsa between 4 bowls and enjoy.
Notes
You can swap the nectarines for peaches or mango in this recipe. You can also skip the salsa all together and use whatever sauce or veggies you want. Pickled veggies would be great with these Maple Glazed Salmon Balls too!