Name: Air Fryer Salmon Bites
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 17 min
Ingredients: 1.5 lbs salmon ((we like Atlantic Salmon for this recipe)); 2 tbsp melted butter; 2 tsp minced garlic; 1 tbsp lemon zest ((about 1 large lemons worth)); 1 tbsp fresh chopped herbs of choice

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Everybody loves an easy salmon recipe! These Air Fryer Salmon Bites pack a huge flavor punch with very little effort. Cubed salmon is marinated in a garlic butter herb mixture, then air fried to perfection for a quick 10 minutes.

Ingredients for Salmon Bites

Salmon
- Using Atlantic salmon is preferred for air fryer salmon bites for it’s thickness. It’s also got a higher fat content resulting in perfectly juicy salmon bites.
Butter
- Using butter helps coat the salmon and give it a crispy, browned finish.
Garlic
- Fresh is best but pre minced will work in a pinch.
Lemon Zest
- We use lemon zest for flavor. Avoid using lemon juice as the acid will cook the salmon.
Fresh Herbs
- We used parsley from our garden, rosemary would also be delicious.

How to Prepare Salmon for Salmon Bites

You want to use skinless, deboned, deveined Atlantic salmon. The cleaner the salmon, the better the bite!

Start with a filet (or filets) of skinless Atlantic salmon. Slice the salmon into vertical strips, and then horizontally, resulting in cubes of the same shape. We really recommend trying to get all of the salmon cubes the same size for consistent cooking. Once the salmon are cut into cubes, place them in a plastic bag.

Marinade Recipes for Salmon Bites

Mix your choice of marinade and pour over the salmon in a plastic bag. Refrigerate as desired, up to about 30 minutes. Note if you are using this recipe for butter garlic salmon bites, the butter may slightly solidify in the refrigerator (this is okay).

For our recipe, we used a combination of butter, garlic, lemon zest, and herbs, however the possibilities are endless!

Here are some more marinade recipes.

Asian Marinade: 1 tbsp minced garlic, 1 tsp ginger paste, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1 tsp ketchup, 1/2 tsp sesame oil.
Blackened Salmon Bites: 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp cayenne, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp thyme, 1/4 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper.
Spicy Salmon Bites: 1 tbsp honey, 1 tsp hot chili oil, 1 tsp sesame seeds, 1 tsp sesame oil.

How to Air Fry Salmon Bites

Once the salmon is done marinating, place the salmon bites onto (or into) the air fryer tray or basket using tongs. We recommend spraying the basket/tray with nonstick spray, especially if you’re using a marinade with sugar in it, as the sugar can tend to make it sticky.

Place the tray in the air fryer. Air fry the salmon for about 10-12 minutes at 400 degrees. Salmon is fully cooked once it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees fahrenheit. You can read about food safety and seafood here.

What to Serve with Air Fryer Salmon Bites

We love serving these little salmon nuggets with rice and a fresh, crisp salad. Here are a few side dish recipes we recommend!

Other Salmon Recipes We Love

We are HUGE salmon lovers in our house, which makes sense given that we’re originally from Seattle!