Teriyaki Salmon Air Fryer

This dinner has become a family favorite and doesn’t take very long to make either. You can use our homemade or bottled sauce to coat the outside for a sweet and savory flavor that coats the entire fillet. If you are looking for air fryer recipes that are healthy and tips for seafood to become flaky and tender, we have it here.

I cannot tell you how much I love this flavor, on all the things. First I experimented with air fryer teriyaki chicken and that came out so amazing I used it on other meats. Since we cook a lot of easy fish recipes this just had to be done, period. I should have done this SO much sooner because it was amazing.

This go around we are using fresh or thawed out pieces of seafood. That is my preference all the way around no matter what type it is. You can not only get something like a dry rub for salmon to stick nicely but the meat is a bit more tender than if it started out rock hard, but it can be done.

Ingredient Notes

You are going to want a few salmon fillets that are the same size and thickness so they air fry evenly and stay tender. I would choose skin on because even if you peel it off before serving it provides a lot of moisture and Omega 3s too.

If making homemade teriyaki sauce – Combine your soy sauce, vinegar, minced ginger, brown sugar, salt, granulated onion and garlic in a saucepan. Wait until the sugar granules dissolve. Mix water and starch, pour into saucepan and stir over low heat until it thickens. Transfer to a bowl and let it cool. Choosing bottled sauce would skip this entire step.

with Frozen Salmon

Does it take longer to cook if it starts out rock hard? Slightly. You’re looking at closer to 10-12 minutes to cook frozen salmon in air fryer recipe. If you want to use this sauce I would brush it on halfway thru ideally. You wouldn’t be able to marinate it beforehand as you could with a fresh piece but it will still be delicious.

Substitutions and Variations

As far as the sauce goes there are manyhomemade teriyaki sauce recipes out there, you might have your own. You could buy a bottle at the store too and follow the same temperature and timing below too though.

with bottled sauce

I recommend veri veri myself if you want to get it ready made. That is the closest to homemade, not too thick and not thin like a marinade either.

How Long to Cook Teriyaki Salmon Bites

Ok so if you want to bread the pieces a bit you can do that too. Use the sauce to make the Panko stick well for an added crunch, bite size. Follow our air fryer salmon bites we have here for temperature and timing that works for that version.

In the case that you do not want breading we have Teriyaki Salmon Bites you can make as well which is healthier.

Should salmon be skin up or down in air fryer?

Placing the salmon skin side down in air fryer helps protect the delicate flesh from direct heat, which can prevent it from overcooking or drying out. It also makes it easier to remove from the basket once cooked, as the skin will prevent sticking and the flesh will stay intact.

Ninja Foodi (Option)

You can use any brand of machine you like. I have a Foodi, AirWave and Cosori I experiment with and they all take the same amount of time. The biggest difference is the size and shape of the basket and with a Foodi you need to use the lid that is attached. For larger families you’d want more than our 5 quart but for the 4 of us it works out just fine.

FAQ

That depends on how large your fillets are and whether or not you have frozen salmon or fresh / defrosted pieces. In general you should set aside 5-11 minutes to get flaky.
Timing will depend on the thickness, and the lower your temp. is the longer it will take. Ideal internal temperature for salmon should be no higher than 145 F or it will dry out.

Albumin is a protein found in the flesh of fish. When raw, albumin is invisible, but it becomes white and opaque when it coagulates, which is why it appears as a white substance on the surface of cooked fish. It is just a protein and is safe to eat and doesn’t affect the taste or safety in any way. If you find it unappealing you can simply scrape it off before serving if desired.

How to save leftover fish so it doesn’t dry out

I really like freezer bags to keep your pieces nice and moist. Slide your leftovers inside with a bit of sauce on top and suck all the air out. You can keep in your fridge for up to 2 days. Store your sauce in a covered container as well, you’ll want more of that for sure. To reheat it is best to steam in a pan with some olive oil.

Microwaving fish isn’t so great because it can dry out really easily, and fast. Instead if you add it into a pan with a lid it can steam fro cold to warmed again. Spoon a few tbsp of your sauce on top, and then when served add a bit more then too. You want to keep it moist, point blank.

It is precooked so you could in fact enjoy it right out of the fridge, kinda’ like you would with smoked salmon. I have done that served on top of crackers the next day and it is seriously so good, even my girls will eat it this way. High in protein, low carbs and keto friendly for everyone to enjoy.