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Credit: Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
For years I scrolled right on past those viral social media recipes. You know the ones—pasta inexplicably turned into chips, teeny tiny pancakes that take twice as long to make, that baked feta pasta that is only good if you really, really love feta, and unthinkable things done to Peeps.
What could Instagram and TikTok possibly have to offer me, a longtime restaurant critic and food writer, I so smugly thought. As it turns out, a whole lot. So much so that it inspired me to write a book comprised of the greatest hits of social media recipes, “The Phone Eats First Cookbook.”
In the process, I learned that many of the recipes that go viral on social media platforms are actually brilliant—and tasty. Yes, you have to weed out the pasta chips and Peeps dips of the Internet world, but there are actually so many clever hacks being posted that anyone—including smug food writers—can learn a few new tricks. And one recipe in particular started my journey from skeptic to convert.
The TikTok Trick That Changed My Mind About Viral Recipes
All it took was a muffin tin dinner to teach me the error of my ways. Nicole Keshishian, aka @KaleJunkie on Instagram and TikTok, posted her muffin tin Baked Salmon “Sushi” Cups and I knew I would never look at my back-of-the-cabinet baking vessel the same. Wait, I thought. I can use my muffin tin for something other than muffins? And it actually makes sense?
Turns out, muffin tins are just perfectly portioned receptacles for all sorts of dishes, the best of which are probably these sushi rice- and salmon-filled little cups. Keshishian describes them as "a delicious, on-the-go way to enjoy all the flavors you love about baked sushi, but with a fun twist." I would describe them as good enough to rename my muffin tin to my "sushi cup tin."
They’re pretty simple to make. You simply season cubes of salmon with soy sauce, mayo, and salt, though I also like to add a little sriracha for heat. You cut large sheets of nori—the dried seaweed used to wrap sushi—into quarters and add a few tablespoons of seasoned sushi rice to their centers. Place the nori into the muffin tin indentations and top with salmon. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes, then drizzle more mayo (and/or sriracha), sesame seeds, and scallions. Pop those little suckers out and devour.
Keshishian also has recipes for crispy shrimp and teriyaki chicken versions of the sushi cups, but the OG salmon ones have become my weeknight dinner go-to.
Related
10 Clever Ways to Use Your Muffin Tins
The No. 1 Problem With Following TikTok Recipes, According to a Professional Chef
How to Make Muffin Tin Salmon “Sushi” Cups
Courtesy of @KaleJunkie and “The Phone Eats First Cookbook” (Rizzoli)
Makes 12 sushi cups
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 pounds skinless salmon, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 2 tablespoons Kewpie mayo, plus more for serving
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 1/2 cups cooked sushi rice
- 1 teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar
- 3 large sheets nori, cut into 12 (4-inch) squares
To garnish:
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 2 scallions, chopped
- 1 drizzle sriracha sauce, optional
Directions:
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