This easy recipe for Glazed Honey Garlic Salmon Bites is my favorite way to cook salmon in the air fryer. If you don’t own an air fryer yet, don’t worry. I include directions for how to make these in the oven or in a hot pan on the stovetop.
These salmon bites are marinated in a savory sweet mixture to create a sticky glaze and then coated in extra sauce after cooking. Crispy perfection on the outside and tender melt-in-your-mouth flakiness on the inside.
As a dietitian, I appreciate any recipe that is nutrient-rich and on the table in 10 minutes. These salmon bites are just that!
This recipe was inspired by my Salmon and Quinoa salad. Make these salmon bites a balanced meal by serving with your favorite grain. Or serve with dipping sauce as an impressive appetizer.
Jump to:
- Video of How to Make Air Fryer Salmon Bites
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- How to Make Honey Garlic Salmon Bites in an Air Fryer
- Alternative Cooking Method (Oven or Stove Top)
- Variations of Air Fryer Salmon Bites
- Equipment
- Storage for Air Fryer Salmon Bites
- Registered Dietitian Tip
- FAQ
- Looking for More Nourishing Dietitian Recipes?
- Pairing
- Looking for Nutrition Education?
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Video of How to Make Air Fryer Salmon Bites
Here's a 20 second video of how to make this recipe that I hope is helpful! Don't forget to check out the recipe card below for the full recipe.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Nutrition- salmon provides high quality protein and heart-healthy Omega-3 fatty acids that support brain health and hormone health. It also contains several other vitamins and minerals including vitamins B12 and B6, and selenium.
Easy - if you’ve ever felt intimidated by making salmon, let this be your sign to give it a try! This recipe is foolproof and involves just a couple of simple steps.
Quick- have a healthy and delicious meal ready in 10 minutes.
Flavorful - this recipe has so much flavor with a balanced ratio of sweet and savory.
Versatile- once you have a batch, serve them however you want. I like to add these salmon bites to a rice bowl with brown rice and avocado slaw drenched in cilantro lime crema or a serving of cucumber pepper salad with sesame ginger dressing.
Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
*These Honey Garlic Salmon Bites are made with simple ingredients. Below are some ingredient notes. Be sure to check the printable recipe card at the bottom for exact ingredient measurements and full recipe.
- Salmon - I use Atlantic Salmon for this recipe and suggest using fresh salmon if possible. Get a pound of salmon at the seafood counter or use two 8 oz salmon filets. If frozen is more accessible, that works too. If using frozen salmon, thaw it before cooking.
- Avocado Oil- due to the high temperature of cooking the salmon in the air-fryer, I suggest using avocado oil. It helps give these salmon bites a crispy exterior and also adds more heart-healthy fats. I use Chosen Foods brand.
- Low Sodium Soy Sauce - to add a touch of umami flavor. If you are gluten-free, substitute with coconut aminos or GF tamari sauce.
- Honey -honey sweetens these bites up and also give them a caramelized glaze.
- Garlic - a couple of fresh garlic cloves pair nicely with the umami soy and sweet honey flavors. Minced garlic is also high in antioxidants and allium which has been shown to support immunity. You can substitute with half a teaspoon of garlic powder if you prefer.
- Ginger Root- fresh ginger adds some zest and a bit of spice. Easily grate ginger finely using a hand grater like this lemon zester. If preferred, substitute with 1 teaspoon ground ginger.
- Cornstarch -used to thicken the sauce ingredients. I use Clabber Girl brand.
- Water - mixed with the cornstarch to make a slurry for thickening the sauce.
- Kosher Salt and Black Pepper - optional to tie the flavors together.
How to Make Honey Garlic Salmon Bites in an Air Fryer
*Below are the instructions for how to make these Honey Garlic Air Fryer Salmon Bites with some process shots and visuals that I hope are helpful. Don't forget to check out the recipe card at the bottom for the full recipe.
Step 1 -Prep Salmon: Remove skin from salmon and cut it into bite-sized pieces with a sharp knife.
Step 2 - In a medium bowl, combine the marinade ingredients including the avocado oil, low-sodium soy sauce, honey, garlic, and grated ginger root. Stir or whisk together until well-combined. Do not add the cornstarch or water yet.
Step 3- Add the salmon chunks to the marinade mixture and be sure each piece is coated. Let the salmon marinate for 15 minutes up to 1 hour.
Step 4 - Place the salmon cubes in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 390 degrees F/200 degrees C for 7-8 minutes. There is no need to flip or shake the salmon. Salmon is done when it is golden brown and reaches an internal temperature of 145℉/63°C.
Note: Do not toss out the extra marinade because you will use it to make the sauce.
Step 5 - Make the sauce while the salmon is cooking. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water and whisk into a slurry. Add it to the remaining marinade. Heat it in a small saucepan over medium heat until it starts to bubble. Reduce to medium-low and continue to heat, stirring frequently, for 1-2 minutes.
Step 6 - When the salmon is done cooking, place it in a serving dish and pour however much of the sauce as you desire on top.
Hint: For best results, spread the salmon in a single layer with space between the bite-sized salmon pieces so that air can circulate. This helps to cook the salmon evenly and give the bites a crispy texture. Optional: for easy clean-up, line the air fryer basket with parchment paper.
Alternative Cooking Method (Oven or Stove Top)
This easy salmon recipe can be made on the stove in a frying pan or the oven on a baking sheet if you don't have an air fryer. Salmon cooks quickly when it's in smaller pieces like this so be sure to keep an eye on it to prevent overcooking no matter what cooking method you use!
Stove Top Method
To make Honey Garlic Salmon Cubes on the stovetop, heat a nonstick skillet over medium to medium high heat and add a drizzle of oil. Add salmon cubes to the hot skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes on one side and then flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes until cooked through.
Oven Method
Make Honey Garlic Salmon Cubes in the oven by placing them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Cook in the oven at high-heat of 425°F/220°C for 10 minutes.
Variations of Air Fryer Salmon Bites
One of the great things about these Salmon Cubes is that you can easily customize them with different sauces! The honey garlic mixture with soy sauce gives it a teriyaki sauce flavor. If you don't like teriyaki sauce, below are some ideas for substitutions for this recipe.
- Spicy - turn this recipe into spicy honey garlic salmon bites by using hot honey or adding red pepper flakes, chili powder, hot sauce, creole seasoning or sriracha to the marinade.
- Sesame - add a couple of teaspoons of sesame oil and sesame seeds on top for a sesame flavor.
- Lemon Butter - if you prefer a buttery lemon flavor, add a little lemon juice and a pat of melted butter.
- Honey Dijon - add a teaspoon or 2 of Dijon mustard to give this delicious recipe a bit of extra boost.
- BBQ - use your favorite BBQ sauce to add a sweet and smoky spin on these easy-to-make bites.
Equipment
You'll need an air fryer for this recipe. I used the Ninja AF101 which is 5 quart capacity and perfect for small recipes. The Ninja DZ401 is great for a larger two-basket option.
If you prefer a different brand, I recommend COSORI.
Storage for Air Fryer Salmon Bites
Refrigerator - store Honey Garlic Salmon Bites in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on low in the air fryer or in the microwave.
Freezer - I don't recommend freezing this recipe.
Registered Dietitian Tip
Salmon is a source of Omega-3 fatty acids which are essential to get from your diet. Omega-3s have been shown to help decrease inflammation in the body and can support brain health and hormone health. Salmon can also help with weight management since it is a source of high-quality protein that keeps you full for longer. Aim to eat 2 servings of salmon per week to meet your Omega-3 requirements!
FAQ
While healthy means something different to everyone, these Honey Garlic Salmon Bites are nourishing option. Salmon is high in heart-healthy and anti-inflammatory Omega-3 fatty acids. It is also a high-quality source of protein and many other nutrients including Vitamin D, selenium, and B Vitamins. This recipe also contains other nourishing ingredients including avocado oil and honey that are sources of antioxidants.
This recipe is also high protein, low carbohydrate, contains no refined sugars and is dairy-free.
Absolutely. Be sure to use a safe thawing method before cooking. Learn more about how to thaw salmon from the Alaskan Salmon Company here.
You can leave the skin on for this recipe but I like to use skinless salmon. Removing skin from salmon is pretty easy! You can use a sharp knife or boiling water to remove salmon skin. Here is a helpful video to show you how.
You can easily turn this recipe into a balanced dinner by adding the bites to salmon bowls made with sushi rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice and cucumbers or avocado slaw, edamame, and spicy mayo. Use leftovers to make fish tacos by adding your favorite sauce, pico de gallo, and serving them in a tortilla. Serve them with steamed broccoli, peppers, zucchini, asparagus, or sweet potato fries on the side. Add them to cold noodles or warm stir-fries with shrimp or tofu. For a low-carb option, serve them on top of your favorite salad made with spinach or kale.
They are not gluten-free since they contain soy sauce but can easily be made gluten free by replacing soy sauce with coconut aminos or GF tamari soy sauce.
Looking for More Nourishing Dietitian Recipes?
Try these next:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Crispy Salmon Bites:
Looking for Nutrition Education?
Here are some of my educational posts you may enjoy:
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram....I LOVE knowing there’s people out there trying out my recipes! 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Easy Honey Garlic Salmon Bites (Air Fryer Recipe)
Equipment
- 1 whisk
- 1 Micrograter for finely grating ginger
Ingredients
- 1 lb Atlantic salmon, skin removed fresh or frozen/thawed
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- ½ cup low sodium soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (or ½ teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1 tablespoon ginger root, finely grated (about ½ inch of fresh ginger root or 1 teaspoon ground ginger)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Prep Salmon: Remove skin from salmon and cut it into bite-sized pieces with a sharp knife.
- In a medium bowl, combine the marinade ingredients including the avocado oil, low-sodium soy sauce, honey, garlic, and grated ginger root. Stir or whisk together until well-combined. Note: do not add the cornstarch or water yet.
- Add the salmon chunks to the marinade mixture and be sure each piece is coated. Let the salmon marinate for 15 minutes up to 1 hour.
- Line the air fryer basket with parchment paper. Place the salmon cubes in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 390 degrees F/200 degrees C for 6-8 minutes. There is no need to flip or shake it. Salmon is done when it is golden brown and reaches an internal temperature of 145℉/63°C. Note: Do not toss out the extra marinade because you will use it to make the sauce.
- Make the sauce while the salmon is cooking. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water and whisk into a slurry. Add it to the remaining marinade. Heat it in a small saucepan over medium heat until it starts to bubble. Reduce to medium-low and continue to heat, stirring frequently, for 1-2 minutes.
- When the salmon is done cooking, place it in a serving dish and pour however much of the sauce you desire on top.
- Hint: for best results spread the salmon in an even layer with space between so that air can circulate. This helps to cook the salmon evenly.
Video
Notes
- If using frozen salmon, thaw it before cooking. Learn more about how to thaw salmon from the Alaskan Salmon Company here.
- You can remove skin with a sharp knife or boiling water. Here is a helpful video for how to remove salmon skin using boiling water.
- Cut the salmon into evenly sized cubes.
- For the best flavor, let the salmon marinade in the sauce for at least 15 minutes.
- Spread salmon in an even layer in the air fryer basket with space between to let air circulate.
- No need to flip or shake the salmon while cooking.
Hannah
SO GOOD! I used coconut aminos in place of soy sauce cause I'm GF and they turned out perfect. My hubby was even impressed! 🙂
Mallory
I'm so happy that you loved this recipe! Thank you for taking time to leave a review. It means so much to me. I have made it with coconut aminos too and it was just as good. Please let me know if there are any recipes/recipe ideas you want me to share, I love getting ideas from my readers! <3