Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon
There is something so good about a meal that comes together in under thirty minutes but tastes like a professional kitchen made it. I love making these air fryer teriyaki salmon bites because they get those perfect charred edges while the inside stays buttery and soft. You don’t need a lot of fancy equipment to get a high-quality dinner on the table, just a reliable air fryer and a few fresh ingredients.
Equipment
- 1 air fryer
Ingredients
- 1 lb Salmon Steelhead or Atlantic work best
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tsp ginger minced
- 1 tsp garlic minced
- Sesame seeds for garnish
Fresh Salad Ingredients
- English cucumber thinly sliced
- Cherry tomatoes halved
- Cilantro chopped
- Red onion thinly sliced
Zesty Salad Sauce
- Cilantro stem red chili, 1 garlic clove, and 1 small shallot (all blended together)
- 1 tbsp fish sauce or soy sauce
- 1 tsp ketchup
- 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Start by choosing a high-quality, fatty piece of steelhead salmon and coat the skinless flesh with salt. Let it sit for 15 minutes to firm up the texture and season the meat deeply before you cut it into even cubes.
- Mix the light soy sauce, vinegar, honey, water, ginger, and garlic in a bowl to create your marinade.
- Place the salmon cubes into the marinade and let them soak for 15 minutes, so they absorb the savory ginger and garlic notes.
- While the fish marinates, prep your salad by cutting cilantro, the cucumber, tomatoes, and red onion.
- Create the salad dressing by blending the cilantro stems, chili, garlic, and shallot, then stir in the fish sauce, ketchup, sugar, and lemon juice.
- Line your air fryer basket with parchment paper to catch the extra glaze and prevent sticking.
- Arrange the salmon in a single layer and air fry at 450F for 8 minutes until the edges are brown and the sauce is bubbly.
- Pour the remaining cooked juices from the parchment paper over the salmon and serve immediately with the fresh salad and rice.