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    Home » Recipes

    Air Fryer Salmon Bites

    Published: Mar 8, 2023 · Modified: Mar 17, 2023 · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    These air fryer salmon bites are so easy and delicious. We coat them in a homemade BBQ-inspired rub and air fry them to caramelized perfection. Pair them with rice and an optional mango salsa for the perfect weeknight dinner.

    Air fryer salmon bites in a bowl with rice and mango salsa.

    These air fryer salmon bites take less than 10 minutes and create almost no mess. They're the perfect healthy weeknight dinner. We pair ours with rice (you can even use the frozen microwavable bags to make it quicker!) and a quick homemade mango salsa, but you can eat yours however you want. These would be great with vegetables on the side too!

    Looking for other salmon recipes? Try our salmon in a creamy dijon sauce, BBQ salmon bowls, pesto salmon with tomatoes, or one-pan spinach and artichoke salmon.

    Jump to:
    • Key Ingredients and Substitutions
    • Instructions
    • Serving ideas
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Air Fryer Salmon Bites Recipe

    Key Ingredients and Substitutions

    For the salmon bites:

    • Salmon- We prefer the taste (and health and environmental benefits) of wild-caught salmon. Use whatever you prefer. If you use frozen salmon, make sure it's completely defrosted before cooking.
    • Olive oil
    • Seasonings- Brown sugar, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, mustard powder, ground cayenne, salt, and black pepper

    For the optional mango salsa:

    • Mango- We use fresh mango, but you can get pre-cut mango from the refrigerated produce section to speed things up.
    • Red onion
    • Fresh jalapeño- If you don't like spicy food, look for mild or heatless jalapeños.
    • Cilantro
    • Lime juice- We use fresh lime juice, but the bottled stuff will work too.
    • Spices- salt

    See recipe card for amounts.

    Instructions

    Step 1: Place cubes of salmon in a large mixing bowl. Add olive oil, brown sugar, paprika, salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, mustard powder, and ground cayenne, and mix to combine.

    Salmon cubes in a mixing bowl topped with seasonings.

    Step 2: Place the salmon in the basket of your air fryer and air fry at 400°F for 7-9 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through and browned slightly on the outside. Stop the air fryer around the 4 minute mark to shake the basket and redistribute the salmon.

    Salmon bites in an air fryer basket.

    Step 3 (optional): We like to serve our salmon bites with a simple mango salsa. If you feel so inclined, combine mango, jalapeño, lime juice, cilantro, and red onion in a medium mixing bowl.

    Step 4: Serve! We add rice to a bowl, then top it with these air fryer salmon bites and mango salsa. You can eat yours however you want!

    A bowl with salmon bites, rice, mango salsa, and cucumber.

    Serving ideas

    We serve our air fryer salmon bites with mango salsa and rice. Here are some other ideas:

    • Eat them like they're BBQ! Top your salmon bites with BBQ sauce and serve them with baked beans, potato salad, and coleslaw.
    • Enjoy them in a taco. They'd be great in a corn tortilla with shredded cabbage, pickled onions, and our cilantro lime aioli.
    • Serve them on a salad! Our classic wedge salad would be perfect for the BBQ-inspired flavors on this salmon!

    Frequently asked questions

    Can I line my air fryer basket with something to keep it clean?

    We line our air fryer basket with disposable paper liners, but it still gets a little bit dirty. You can also try silicone liners or aluminum foil (if your air fryer allows it). Just keep in mind that covering the bottom of your air fryer may affect the way your salmon cooks.

    My salmon isn't browning. What am I doing wrong?

    If your salmon isn't browning or doesn't seem done in the allotted cook time, then try cooking it longer or spacing your salmon out more in the basket. If you have a small air fryer basket, you may have to cook your salmon in batches. The salmon bites cook the best when they aren't crowded and touching each either.

    How do I store and reheat this salmon?

    Store the salmon in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, pop it in the air fryer at 400°F for 2-3 minutes.

    Air Fryer Salmon Bites Recipe

    Air Fryer Salmon Bites Recipe

    Recipe by Mollie

    These air fryer salmon bites are so easy and delicious. We coat them in a homemade BBQ-inspired rub and air fry them to caramelized perfection. Pair them with rice and an optional mango salsa for the perfect weeknight dinner.

    Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
    5 from 5 votes
    Pin
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    Servings

    2

    servings
    Prep time

    5

    minutes
    Cook time

    9

    minutes
    Calories

    350

    kcal
    Total time

    14

    minutes
    Cook Mode

    Prevent your screen from going dark!

    Ingredients

    • For the salmon bites:
    • 1 pound 1 salmon, skin removed and cut into 1-inch cubes

    • 1 tablespoon 1 olive oil

    • 2 tablespoons 2 brown sugar

    • 1 teaspoon 1 paprika

    • ½ teaspoon ½ onion powder

    • ½ teaspoon ½ garlic powder

    • ½ teaspoon ½ mustard powder

    • ¼ teaspoon ¼ ground cayenne

    • ½ teaspoon ½ salt

    • ½ teaspoon ½ black pepper

    • For the optional mango salsa:
    • 1 1 mango, diced

    • ¼ ¼ medium red onion, diced

    • ½ ½ jalapeño, diced

    • ¼ cup ¼ cilantro, roughly chopped

    • Juice of Juice of 1 lime

    • ¼ teaspoon ¼ salt

    Directions

    • Place cubes of salmon in a large mixing bowl. Add olive oil, brown sugar, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, mustard powder, ground cayenne, salt, and black pepper and mix to combine.
    • Place the salmon in the basket of your air fryer and air fry at 400°F for 7-9 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through and browned slightly on the outside. Stop the air fryer around the 4 minute mark to shake the basket and redistribute the salmon.
    • We like to serve our salmon bites with a simple mango salsa. If you feel so inclined, combine mango, jalapeño, lime juice, cilantro, and red onion in a medium mixing bowl.
    • Serve! We add rice to a bowl, then top it with these air fryer salmon bites and mango salsa. You can eat yours however you want! Check out some of our other suggested serving ideas above.

    Notes

    • Make sure your salmon is fully defrosted before cooking.
    • Calorie estimate reflects one serving of salmon and does not include the optional mango salsa.

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    hi, we're Michael and Mollie

    Welcome! We are Michael & Mollie, a hangry economics enthusiast and her husband. Our goal is to provide you with delicious, accessible, and healthy-ish recipes that are both time- and money-efficient.

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