Effects of different heating methods on the gel-forming ability of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) surimi and soybean protein blended surimi (composite surimi) were studied. The microstructures of various surimi samples were observed under scanning electron microscope. The relation between gel characteristics and its microstructure was also surveyed. The results showed that (1) microwave heating was much faster than conventional waterbath heating in attaining the same gel strength and no appearance of gel collapse in microwave heating method due to its fast temperature rise; (2) under nearly same temperature heated, the strength of simplex surimi gel formed by micro wave-waterbath combined heating exhibited the highest and the lowest by waterbath heating; the strength of composite surimi gel formed by single microwave heating showed the strongest and the least by waterbath heating; (3) the microstructures of gel samples which were heated by microwave to a given temperature showed more uniform, fine and compact structure in micrographs than those heated by waterbath. Also, it was in consistent with the variation of gel strength.