Buttery, tender salmon with seared edges and incredible flavor is incredibly easy to make—in less than 15 minutes, start to finish!
Note: This post contains lots of servings options for the salmon bites, which will provide you with countless deliciously easy meals in short order. The mix-and-match opportunities are truly endless!
Every month, I teach cooking classes to a group of teenage boys who are a part of a court-mandated, six-month program intended to teach them important life skills and put them on a path to a positive, crime-free future. The classes are run by a local organization called Bench Mark Program and cover a wide range of topics, from how to interact with a police officer, apply for a job, and prepare a balanced meal with economical ingredients.
A little over a year ago, several of the boys expressed interest in learning how to cook with an air fryer. I told them that if they came up with a list of foods or recipes for which they would regularly use an air fryer, I would buy one for the Bench Mark kitchen as a holiday present and acknowledgment of the good work they had been doing.
The challenge was immediately accepted.
Without hesitation, one of the students said he’d like to make salmon bites, as one of his program mentors had recently introduced him to this fish. Several others were intrigued. Until then, fish was not on the top of their recipe wish list, and I was delighted by their growing sense of adventure.
My family always enjoys salmon for dinner, so I set out to create a recipe I thought would be enjoyed by all. I reached for spices the group has cooked with before and which deliver memorable flavor – smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper. As in my family, about half the boys like spicy while the others prefer mild heat, so I opted for a middle ground that is easy to adjust. A touch of brown sugar encourages browning and balances the cayenne without making the salmon sweet.
Once the spices are combined, the skinless salmon is cut into cubes and tossed with the spice rub. A drizzle of olive oil makes the spices stick—it also prevents the bites from sticking to the air fryer. (More to come regarding skin-on salmon as well as an oven method of cooking.)
Cooking time is brief, about 7-8 minutes with no need to preheat the air fryer unless your model instructs to do so. The resulting salmon is tender, buttery, and beautifully flavored.
How to serve the salmon bites?
Since I finalized the recipe last fall, I’ve been making salmon bite bowls nearly every week. My family LOVES them and the endless versatility they offer. When I first created the recipe, I most often served the salmon bites with roasted broccoli, cooked rice, and Spicy Crema (see the notes section of the linked recipe) or Smoked Paprika Aioli. More recently, we’ve developed a love for Chili Crisp Mayo. That simple recipe and a few other serving options are included in the recipe card.
When the boys at Bench Mark and I recreated these bowls, it was thumbs up all around. They went back for seconds, most of them serving themselves hearty portions of the roasted broccoli too. Many had been skeptical of this cruciferous veggie, but they were pleasantly surprised by the way roasting transformed it.
Optionally, crisp vegetables like shredded carrots, thinly sliced cucumber, radishes, bell pepper, and snow peas offer convenient, colorful, no-cook options. Emily has been quickly pickling the first three veggies on this list (and pictured below), with this super-speedy method also noted in the recipe card below.
Recently, I served the quick pickled veggies along with the roasted broccoli, and the various components worked incredibly well together. The beauty of the options provided is that they all complement each other, so you can go simple or pile on as many as you wish.
Of course, you could serve the salmon bites with virtually any grain, different roasted or raw veggies, fresh greens, a sprinkling of nuts and/or seeds, and so on. While the tender salmon bites are loaded with flavor, it’s the kind of flavor that seems universally complementary.
You could even use the bites for salmon tacos with Cumin Lime Coleslaw and Pickled Onions.
Want to further bolster the meal? A side of Easiest Steamed Edamame pairs beautifully.
No air fryer? Wild or farmed salmon? Skin on or off?
Because I always want readers to have choices based on what they have and what they enjoy, I have tested this recipe with air fryer, broiler, and stovetop methods and with both wild and farmed salmon, skin on and skin off.
Details are included in the recipe card, but my favorite methods are the air fryer and broiler. Wild salmon is best broiled with the skin side facing up, and the cook time is even faster than with the air fryer. My last batch was done in three minutes! Farmed, skin-off salmon cooks to seared but still tender and juicy perfection in the air fryer in seven to eight minutes.
Any of these combinations will produce delicious results, however. And while you could cook the salmon on the stovetop, it can be more challenging to get an even sear without overcooking some of the fish—and creating lots of splatter. For that reason, I do not include instructions for this method. If anyone would like more details, however, don’t hesitate to ask.
I’d love to know if you try this recipe! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @fountainavenuekitchen on Instagram and Facebook. Your feedback is always appreciated. 💛
Air Fryer Salmon Bites (with broiler method)
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds (24oz) skinless salmon (details are included for skin-on, however; additional tips included in recipe notes)
- 1 tablespoon (10g) very lightly packed brown sugar
- 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon each ground cumin, dried oregano, garlic powder, and kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1½ tablespoons (21ml) olive or avocado oil
- Options for serving: cooked rice; roasted or raw veggies like broccoli, red bell peppers, onions, and cucumbers; Smoked Paprika Aioli; Chili Crisp Mayo and Quick Pickled Vegetables (see below for recipes); furikake seasoning; Pickled Red Onions
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the spices and set aside. (Prep ahead: This may be done well in advance. Just be sure to fully incorporate the brown sugar and cover to prevent the brown sugar from drying out.)
- Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel and then cut the salmon into cubes that are 1-1½ inches across. Place the cubes in a large bowl.
- Drizzle the salmon with the oil and toss to lightly coat. Then evenly sprinkle the spice mix over the cubes and toss to evenly coat. (I find this easiest to do with a clean hand.)
- Air Fryer Method: Place the salmon cubes in the air fryer in an even layer with a little space in between. If using skin-on salmon, place skin side up. Air fry at 400℉ for 7-8 minutes or until lightly golden and just barely cooked through. If using wild salmon, start checking for doneness at the 5-minute mark. (Exact cooking time will depend on air fryer, precise size of cubes, and your preferred level of doneness.)
- Broiler Method: Place the rack 6 inches from the top element and set oven to broil. Arrange the salmon cubes, skin side up, on a greased baking sheet. Broil for 4-6 minutes. Start checking just before the 3-minute mark however, as thinner, leaner wild salmon fillets can cook very quickly.
- Serving: My family likes the salmon served bowl-style, with rice and roasted broccoli or crisp veggies like cucumber, bell pepper, and/or snap peas. I always include one of the sauces mentioned above. Pickled red onions or quick pickled veggies are also nice extras for those who enjoy.
- Leftovers: When covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator, leftover salmon bites will keep for 3-4 days.
Notes
- Buying tips: Boneless, skinless salmon works well for this recipe. For ease of cutting into uniform cubes, I look for thick pieces—either one big, center cut section or four thick 6-ounce fillets. Several of our local grocery stores offer skinless fillets or will remove the skin for you at the seafood counter.
- Don’t worry too much about the thinner ends; just do your best to cut similarly sized pieces.
- Farmed salmon is more forgiving and less likely to dry out. Wild fillets, like Sockeye, tend to be leaner and thinner, making it more difficult to cut cubes that are at least an inch thick. If using wild, note the shorter cook times and suggestion to start checking for doneness a few minutes early to prevent drying out.
- Most larger air fryers will just fit 1½ pounds of salmon cubes. Feel free to cut this recipe in half for a smaller yield or double and cook in batches.
Leave a Reply