You may never make salmon any other way after trying these air fryer teriyaki salmon bites. Using a semi-homemade and really easy marinade, cooking in the air fryer locks in flavor so the salmon remains moist and flaky. Feel free to use frozen or fresh salmon filets for this easy and delicious recipe.
Air frying salmon is a complete game changer because it creates a wonderful crust and juicy, tender inside. While you can definitely air fry salmon with just a bit of salt and pepper for something really simple (more on that below), I love marinating it in this simple semi-homemade sauce.
Top the delicious teriyaki air fryer salmon on a bed of rice, toss with a cucumber and edamame salad, or make a really easy spicy salmon wrap. You can’t go wrong however you decide to enjoy these yummy salmon bites!
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Why you’ll love air fryer teriyaki salmon
- The air frying cooking method creates a nice golden crust yet the salmon remains moist and flaky tender.
- A simple marinade comes together quickly and imparts a mild flavor that gives just a hint of umami and sweetness. Not at all overpowering.
- Great for meal prep when you need to cook a batch in advance for simple yet nutritious lunches or dinners.
- The salmon bites end up being wildly versatile, tasting great hot or cold. Toss them in salads, bowls, wraps or eat them as a quick on-the-go snack.
- Lastly, of course you know this dish is extra nutritious, packed with over 35 grams of protein per 6 ounce serving and low in saturated fat, while offering a good dose of monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. Both types of fat are recognized by the AHA as beneficial in lowering “bad cholesterol” and reducing risk of heart disease.
Ingredients
- Salmon; about 24 ounces which would be 3-4 filets. Feel free to use frozen salmon that has been thawed, or fresh salmon. Remove skin with a sharp knife if necessary.
- Your favorite bottled teriyaki sauce; ⅓ cup. We are going to make our lives easier by using store-bought sauce and jazzing it up a bit with a few additional ingredients. But if you’d like a simple recipe to make your own, find it in this chicken teriyaki recipe.
- Soy sauce, 3 tbsp, just to add a bit more flavor to the marinade.
- Sesame oil, 1 tbsp. This imparts a very subtle flavor, just make sure to pick up regular sesame oil, not toasted sesame oil which has a strong nutty flavor. If you do not have sesame oil go ahead and use olive oil.
- Fresh minced garlic and grated ginger. I actually love using jarred ginger from The Ginger People because it tastes pretty dang close to freshly grated.
- Just a pinch of red pepper flakes to add a bit of heat!
Farmed or wild salmon?
For the sake of this recipe, either is fine. I find that farmed salmon tends to be a bit more flavorful and juicy, in part I’m sure due to the higher fat content. In fact farmed salmon does indeed have more saturated fat than wild, but it still has a great nutrition profile and has much less saturated fat than fattier cuts of red meat like ribeye. All in all, both farmed and wild are a great contribution to an overall healthy diet and the choice between the two is more about budget and availability.
How to make teriyaki salmon (so easy!)
Prepare the marinade
In a medium bowl, whisk together the teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, grated ginger, minced garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Marinate the salmon bites
Add the salmon bites and toss in the teriyaki marinade so that each piece is well coated. Let the salmon marinate for at least 15 minutes but can be left to marinate up to several hours (overnight).
Preheat and air fry
If using a basket style air fryer, just before you’re about to cook the salmon, preheat it for 3 minutes at 390 degrees f. Once preheated, lightly spray the basket liner with cooking spray of choice, set cooking temp to 350 degrees f, then add marinated salmon bites. Be sure to allow excess marinade to drip off and place salmon in a single layer.
Air fry in batches
In 2-3 batches (dependent on the size of your air fryer), cook the teriyaki salmon for about 7-8 minutes, making sure to toss the bites around a bit half way between air frying to allow for even cooking. Salmon is done when internal temperature reaches 140-145 degrees f, and flakes easily with a fork.
Transfer cooked salmon to a plate and serve immediately or store in a air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Make ahead, storage and reheating tips
- The salmon can sit in the marinade for several hours up to overnight, to soak up tons of extra flavor. Just make sure to store in the fridge in a covered container.
- Make sure to discard marinade that salmon was soaking in, and either make a fresh sauce or simply use the bottled teriyaki sauce if you would like added sauce for the air fried salmon.
- To reheat cooked salmon, warm in a microwave at medium (50%) power for about 1 minute to avoid drying out the fish. Keep in mind though that cooked salmon also tastes great cold!
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Prefer something simpler?
Air frying salmon is an awesome choice no matter what your seasoning or marinade preference! If you don’t wish to make a teriyaki marinade, you can simply brush salmon with a bit of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Or swap out the teriyaki marinade for any other flavorful sauce you’d prefer.
Air Frying Tip
If you have concerns about the salmon sticking to the air fryer basket, place parchment paper or a silicone liner down. This will make for easier basket clean up and prevent sticking.
More delicious salmon recipes
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Did you make this recipe?
If you gave this recipe a try, I’d love your feedback! Any tips or recipe additions you’d like to share, I’d love to hear it! Let’s connect down in the comments below.
Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon
Equipment
- 1 Air Fryer I recommend the Ninja brand
Ingredients
- 24 ounces Salmon skinless or skin removed
- ⅓ cup Teriyaki sauce any brand
- 3 tablespoon Soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Sesame oil not toasted
- 1 teaspoon Ginger grated
- 2 Garlic cloves minced
- pinch red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Begin by cutting the salmon into 1.5"-2" cubes.24 ounces Salmon
- In a medium shallow bowl or dish, combine all the marinade ingredients and whisk till combined. Add salmon bites and toss till salmon is well coated with the marinade. Cover and let sit to marinate for at least 15 minutes or up to 8 hours (overnight)⅓ cup Teriyaki sauce, 3 tablespoon Soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Sesame oil, 1 teaspoon Ginger, 2 Garlic cloves, pinch red pepper flakes
- A few minutes before your salmon is done marinating, preheat air fryer for 3 minutes at 390 degrees f.
- Once you are ready to air fry the teriyaki salmon bites, lightly spray the air fryer basket. Set the temperature to 350 degrees f.
- Working in batches, remove salmon bites from the marinade, letting any excess liquid drip off, and add to the air fryer basket in a single layer. Make sure to not overcrowd the basket, so you will have to air fry the salmon in 2-3 batches.
- Air fry the salmon at 350 degrees f for 7-8 minutes, making sure to toss the air salmon pieces a bit half way through the cooking process. This will ensure more even cooking results.
- Once done air frying, remove the salmon from the basket and set aside on a serving platter then enjoy!
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