Air Fryer Salmon Bites
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These air fryer salmon bites are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and coated in a flavorful teriyaki-style marinade. They cook in under 10 minutes and are perfect for easy dinners or meal prep.
If you’re a seafood lover and looking for a healthy, delicious and speedy meal, then these air fryer salmon bites are for you!
I love my air fryer salmon recipe, but these salmon bites might just be my new favorite way to cook salmon in the air fryer. They’re perfectly tender on the inside, crisp on the outside, loaded with flavor and cook up in under 10 minutes making it the perfect recipe to make when you need to get dinner on the table fast!
“This was delicious! 6 minutes was perfect for us. I did salmon bowls with brown rice, salmon, roasted broccoli and cucumber. yummy! The whole family loved it.”
Why I Love These Air Fryer Salmon Bites
- Crispy and tender: You get golden edges on the outside with perfectly flaky salmon inside.
- Packed with flavor: The sweet and savory marinade gives every bite a ton of flavor.
- Quick to cook: The salmon cooks in under 10 minutes in the air fryer.
- Great for meal prep: Easy to make ahead and use throughout the week in bowls, salads or wraps.
Ingredients Needed
- salmon – the star of the dish. You’ll want about 1 lb of salmon fillets, cut into bite-sized pieces so they cook quickly and evenly. You can leave the skin on or remove it depending on your preference. Fresh is great, but frozen works too, just make sure it’s fully thawed first.
- oil – I like to use avocado oil because it has a high smoke point and pairs perfectly with the other ingredients. Plus, it helps the salmon bites get that perfect crispy finish in the air fryer!
- tamari or soy sauce – brings that rich, savory, umami flavor to the marinade. I like using low-sodium tamari to keep this recipe gluten-free and control the salt level, but soy sauce works just as well if that’s what you have.
- maple syrup or honey – a touch of natural sweetness to balance out the flavors in the marinade.
- garlic – minced garlic infuses the salmon with tons of flavor. Fresh garlic works best, but you could also use garlic powder if you don’t have fresh on hand.
- apple cider vinegar – adds a slight tanginess to the marinade.
- fresh ginger – freshly grated or minced ginger brings in a spicy zing.
Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make
Making these air fryer salmon bites is so easy! You’ll have perfectly crispy, flavorful salmon on your plate in no time. Just follow these quick steps and get ready to enjoy.
Step 1: In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, tamari, maple syrup, garlic, vinegar and ginger until well combined.
Step 2: Using a sharp knife, cut the salmon filet(s) into bite-sized chunks.
Step 3: Add salmon to the marinade. Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours for more flavor absorption.
Step 4: Place the marinated salmon cubes in the air fryer basket in a single layer and air fry at 400°F for 6-8 minutes, flipping halfway.
Tips for Success
- Don’t overcook the salmon: Salmon cooks fast, especially in the air fryer. Start checking around 6 minutes so it stays tender and doesn’t dry out.
- Cut evenly sized pieces: Keeping the salmon cubes similar in size helps everything cook at the same rate and prevents some pieces from overcooking.
- Give the salmon space: Arrange the bites in a single layer with a little room between each piece so they crisp up instead of steaming.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Salmon Bites
There are so many ways to serve these air fryer salmon bites. You can keep things simple or turn them into a full meal depending on what you’re in the mood for.
- With veggies: Serve with a side of roasted broccoli, air fryer brussels sprouts, air fryer zucchini, roasted carrots or roasted asparagus.
- With a grain: Add quinoa, cauliflower rice or cilantro rice to make it a complete meal. I also love drizzling everything with my peanut dressing or tahini sauce for extra flavor.
- Over a salad: These salmon bites are perfect on top of my garlicky kale salad for a fresh, protein-packed meal.
- For meal prep: Add them to an asian noodle meal prep bowl or salmon meal prep bowl for easy lunches throughout the week.
- In bowls or wraps: Use them in my teriyaki salmon bowls or the viral salmon rice bowl, or swap the tofu for these salmon bites in my asian tofu taco recipe.
How to Store
Store any leftover salmon bites in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, place the salmon bites in the air fryer at 350°F for 2-3 minutes. This will help them retain their crispiness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! I’ve made these salmon bites in the oven and they turned out awesome! To make these in the oven just prepare your salmon as directed and bake for 10-12 minutes at 400°F.
Yes, you can! Just make sure to thaw the salmon completely before marinating and air frying. Frozen salmon releases extra moisture, so thawing it will help the bites cook evenly and get crispy.
You’ll want your salmon to reach an internal temperature of 145°F for perfect doneness. You can check this easily with an instant-read thermometer.
This could be because the salmon bites are overcrowded in the air fryer basket. Make sure to spread them out in a single layer to allow for even cooking and crisping. You can also try patting the salmon dry before marinating to remove excess moisture.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Crispy Air Fryer Salmon Bites
Ingredients
- 1 lb salmon, skin removed (or not)
- 1 Tablespoon avocado oil, or sesame oil
- ¼ cup low sodium tamari, or soy sauce
- ½ Tablespoon maple syrup, or honey
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, or rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon fresh ginger, grated or minced
- sesame seeds and green onions, for serving
Instructions
- Add oil, tamari, maple syrup, garlic, vinegar and ginger to a medium bowl and whisk to combine.1 Tablespoon avocado oil, ¼ cup low sodium tamari, ½ Tablespoon maple syrup, 2 cloves fresh garlic, ½ teaspoon fresh ginger, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- Using a sharp knife, chop salmon into bite size chunks.1 lb salmon
- Add the salmon chunks to the sauce and place in the fridge to marinate for 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
- When ready to cook the salmon, preheat the air fryer if required. Place marinated salmon chunks in the air fryer in a single layer and cook for 6-8 minutes at 400°F, flipping halfway. Cook salmon in batches if needed.
- Serve salmon bites warm over rice, or grain of choice and top with sesame seeds and green onions.sesame seeds and green onions
Notes
- To make in the oven: Prepare your salmon as directed and bake for 10-12 minutes at 400°F.
- Storage: Leftover salmon bites can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Soy-free: For a soy-free version, swap out the tamari or soy sauce with coconut aminos. It’s a great alternative that’s slightly sweeter but works just as well to give these salmon bites delicious flavor!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
I got a newer air fryer, when I cook the salmon bites they do not get crispy like they did in my old old air fryer. I’ve tried upping the temp, the salmon got dried out. lower temp longer cooking the salmon got mushy. help!
Newer air fryers can definitely cook a bit differently. I haven’t tested this with a newer model, but you might try letting some of the marinade drip off (or even lightly patting the salmon dry) before air frying. Too much moisture can sometimes keep things from getting crispy. You could also try a light spray of oil before cooking. Hope that helps!
Thank you for this easy, delicious recipe my whole family loves!
You’re so welcome! I’m so happy to hear this recipe has been enjoyed by your whole family. Thanks for coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
This recipe is absolutely delicious. I marinated the salmon for only 30 minutes and it was tasty. I can’t wait to try it again when I have time to marinate it longer.
So glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
This was absolutely delicious! Thank you for the quick and easy recipe. We served ours with roasted broccoli and rice.
WOO! I am so happy to hear you are loving this recipe and it turned out great for you, Daire. Thanks for coming back and sharing your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!
This was delicious! 6 minutes was perfect for us. I did salmon bowls with brown rice, salmon, roasted broccoli and cucumber. yummy! The whole family loved it.
WOO! So glad this recipe is a hit for the whole family, Shely. Thank you for sharing your review + star rating, I appreciate it!
LOVE this salmon recipe, it is becoming a regular in our dinner rotation! In fact guess what’s for dinner tonight? Yep, this recipe. 😃
YUM! One of our favorites too, Joni! I am so glad you are loving this recipe, thank you for sharing your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!
This looks great! What’s a healthy alternative to air frying? I don’t own one, but would love to try this recipe.
Hi Emme! I haven’t tested this recipe cooking it another way, but I’ve had a few people ask about this so I’m going to test it in the oven and let you know!
Hi Emme – I tested this in the oven and it turned out amazing – it takes about 12 minutes at 400F. Hope you love this recipe!
Hi Emme – I tested this in the oven and they turned out delicious. Bake at 400 for about 12 minutes. Hope you love these!
can you use frozen salmon (thawed of course).
Sure! That should work, just make sure you pat dry to remove excess moisture. Enjoy!
looks so delicious!! I don’t have an air fryer, are there other ways to cook this?
I haven’t tested this recipe cooking it another way, but I’ve had a few people ask about this so I’m going to test it in the oven and let you know!
thanks!! im looking forward to hearing about it cuz I’m itching to try this recipe!! ☺️
Hi D – I tested this in the oven and they turned out great. It takes about 12 minutes at 400F. Hope you enjoy!