These Air Fryer Salmon Bites will quickly become your new favorite way to cook salmon at home. The air fryer cooks them to perfection in just 5 minutes!
While you can certainly cook whole salmon filets in the air fryer, cutting them into bite-sized pieces gives you more surface area to season.
More seasoning = more flavorful salmon. Plus, salmon cooks faster this way!
Add this tasty salmon recipe to salads and bowls for an instant protein boost. It tastes like something you’d get at a restaurant but uses simple pantry spices you probably already have.Â
Ingredients You’ll Need
To make a batch of salmon bites, you’ll need 1 pound of salmon, olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt. For the best flavor, I also recommend adding a tablespoon of coconut sugar (or brown sugar).Â
The hint of sweetness makes the savory flavors pop! If you prefer, you could most likely use honey instead of sugar. Make sure you don’t skimp on the salt, as it balances out the sweetness.Â
Once you taste this, you won’t want to make salmon any other way.
If you prefer a variation made with lemon juice and fresh garlic cloves, check out my Air Fryer Salmon tutorial.
How to Air Fry Salmon Bites
Prepare the salmon by carefully removing the skin with a sharp knife. If you buy this from a butcher counter, you can ask the butcher to do this for you! (They will even cut it into cubes if you like.)
You can also find skinless salmon fillets at certain grocery stores.
Slice the skinned salmon into pieces roughly 1 inch thick. Since salmon filets vary in thickness, I recommend cutting the thin areas slightly larger than the thicker areas. This recipe is quite flexible if you end up with slightly more or less than 1 pound of salmon.
Transfer the salmon cubes to a large bowl and drizzle them with olive oil. Season them with coconut sugar, garlic powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt. Stir well so the salmon is evenly seasoned.Â
Arrange the salmon pieces in a single layer in your air fryer basket. If necessary, cook them in two batches.Â
Set the air fryer to 400ºF and cook for 5 minutes. The salmon chunks should look opaque and flake easily with a fork. If you prefer to test with an instant-read thermometer, the internal temperature should reach 145ºF.Â
If the salmon isn’t done, you can return it to the air fryer for 1 to 2 more minutes of cooking.Â
When the fish is flaky and tender, it’s ready to serve immediately with cooked rice and veggies. Don’t be surprised if you eat this straight from the air fryer basket!Â
Leftover salmon bites can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. They can be reheated in the air fryer for 2 minutes at 400ºF.Â
Looking for more salmon recipes? Try Salmon Curry, Smoked Salmon and Eggs, and my favorite Smoked Salmon Salad with dill dressing.
- 1 pound salmon (boneless & skinless)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
-
If you haven’t removed the skin from the salmon filet, use a sharp knife to carefully cut it away. (You can ask the butcher at a counter to do this when you buy it.) Cut the salmon into roughly 1-inch chunks, removing any pin bones you see along the way.
-
Transfer the salmon chunks to a large bowl and drizzle them with olive oil. Add the salt, garlic powder, paprika, coconut sugar, and black pepper, then stir well.
-
Arrange the seasoned salmon pieces in a single layer in your air fryer basket. (You can cook this in two batches if you need to.) Cook for 400ºF for 5 minutes, then check the largest piece in your air fryer basket to make sure the salmon looks opaque inside and easily flakes with a fork. You can return the basket to cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes, if needed.
-
Serve the salmon bites warm right away for the best flavor and texture. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Reheat leftovers in the air fryer at 400ºF for 2 minutes.
Seasoning Note: This seasoning combo is my favorite, so I recommend trying it as written. It’s not too smoky, sweet, or salty. With that being said, keep in mind that the seasoning may need to change if you make adjustments. If you omit the sugar, you may need to use less salt, too. Brown sugar tastes sweeter than coconut sugar, so if you only have that in your pantry, you may need just two teaspoons instead of a whole tablespoon.
Air Fryer Note: I tested this recipe with this Phillips Air Fryer (affiliate link). It doesn’t require preheating, so the cooking cycle starts right away. Pay attention to whether your air fryer will preheat first (before the timer starts), as you don’t want the salmon to cook in your air fryer much longer than the 5-minute cycle.
Calories: 204kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 493mg | Potassium: 568mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 169IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg
If you try this air fryer salmon bites recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like them.
