These Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon Bites are tender inside with lightly caramelized edges. They're coated in an easy homemade soy-honey teriyaki glaze with rice vinegar and sriracha. It's an easy seafood weeknight dinner, ready in 30 minutes.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
- What it is: Air-fried salmon bites with a homemade teriyaki glaze.
- Time & Yield: 30 minutes, including marinating; serves 4.
- Taste & Texture: Sweet, savory, tender, with lightly caramelized edges.
- Heat Level: 🌶 Mild with a gentle sriracha kick.
- How To Make: Marinate, air fry, thicken the sauce, and drizzle.
Why I Love This Recipe
Hello, in my 30 years of cooking, I've made teriyaki salmon countless times (along with many other spicy salmon recipes). But cutting the salmon into small bites changed the way I like to serve it.
The smaller pieces cook quickly, develop lightly caramelized edges, and hold the sauce evenly. These air fryer teriyaki salmon bites also make portioning easier when I'm serving the family.
Like many of you, my family prefers a less-sweet teriyaki sauce for salmon. Making it from scratch lets me keep the sweetness and heat where we like them. (Craving a creamy, spicy sauce instead? Try my Bang Bang Salmon Bites.)
I also wanted the teriyaki sauce to cling to every piece of salmon, not pool at the bottom of the plate. Thickening the reserved sauce with cornstarch gives the salmon a glossy brown finish and coats each bite nicely.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Salmon: I usually pick up salmon from Costco. For this teriyaki salmon bites recipe, I choose frozen Atlantic salmon, as it's convenient and has a moist, tender texture that tastes great. King salmon is excellent but a bit expensive. Sockeye salmon works too, but with less fat, so start checking it 1-2 minutes early to keep it from drying out.
- Garlic powder: This coats the teriyaki salmon bites evenly. Granulated garlic works too. I don't recommend fresh garlic, though, since it can burn and turn bitter at high temperatures.
- Low-sodium soy sauce: Tamari also works.
- Honey: This gives the sauce gentle sweetness and helps the salmon edges caramelize. Brown sugar or maple syrup both work as a substitute.
- Rice vinegar: I like the mild tang it adds. Apple cider vinegar would be my next choice. For a classic Japanese teriyaki flavor, use mirin, and add a little less honey.
- Sriracha sauce: This adds a mild kick along with a touch of garlic and sweetness. Adjust it to your heat preference.
- Cornstarch: This makes the homemade glaze smooth and glossy.
- Fresh ginger (optional): Add ½ teaspoon grated ginger to the sauce for extra warmth.
- Garnish (optional): Sesame seeds or sliced green onions add color and a little crunch.
How To Make Teriyaki Salmon Bites
- Step 1. Cut the salmon: Pat the salmon dry and cut it into even 1-inch cubes. Even pieces cook at the same rate.
- Step 2. Marinate: Whisk the sauce and set aside 3 tablespoons for the glaze. Toss the salmon with garlic powder and the rest. Chill for 15 minutes.
- Step 3. Arrange in the basket: Let extra marinade drip off. Place the salmon in a single layer in a lined air fryer basket without crowding.
- Step 4. Air fry and glaze: Air fry at 400°F for 7-9 minutes, until 145°F. Meanwhile, thicken the reserved sauce with cornstarch. Drizzle over the salmon.
Expert Tips For Best Results
- Line the basket: The honey glaze can stick. A liner or a light spray of avocado oil makes cleanup easy.
- Don't reuse the marinade: I always set aside the glaze portion before the raw salmon goes in. Once the marinade touches raw fish, I don't use it again for serving.
- Check a thick piece first: I test one of the thickest bites with a thermometer instead of guessing by color. The salmon is done at 145°F.
- Watch the glaze closely: I take it off the heat as soon as it lightly coats the spoon. Cornstarch thickens fast, and leaving it longer can make the glaze too thick.
♨️How To Adjust The Heat Level
These air fryer teriyaki salmon bites are mildly spicy, mainly from the sriracha, but not too hot.
- For mild heat: I swap sriracha for sweet chili sauce when I want softer heat. It keeps the chile flavor, but the glaze turns a little sweeter.
- For medium heat, Sriracha is my go-to. It gives gentle heat and a hint of garlic without overpowering the teriyaki flavor.
- For extra heat: I add crushed red pepper or a pinch of cayenne. Both raise the heat quickly, so start small so they don't overpower the salmon.
Storage & Meal Prep Ideas
Teriyaki salmon bites keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. I keep the extra glaze in a separate container. That way, the salmon doesn't sit in the sauce and turn soft.
For meal prep, I turn leftovers into a salmon bowl with jasmine rice and vegetables. My spicy salmon bowl is a good guide. Reheat them in the air fryer at 325°F for 2-3 minutes, then add the glaze.
You can also mix the sauce up to 3 days ahead. Keep it covered in the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use my homemade spicy teriyaki sauce or a thick store-bought teriyaki sauce instead. If you do, skip the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sriracha, and cornstarch. Use it for both marinating and glazing. Just set some aside before you add the raw salmon. There's no need to cook a separate glaze.
No, I don't flip them. The pieces are only about 1 inch. Arrange them in a single layer without crowding, and the hot air cooks them through.
Check two things: too much marinade on the salmon, or a crowded basket. Both trap moisture, so the teriyaki salmon bites steam rather than brown at the edges.
Yes. Bake them on a parchment-lined sheet at 425°F for 8-10 minutes. I start checking early because small salmon cubes dry out quickly in the oven.
Yes. Sear them in a little oil over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes per side. Add the glaze at the end.
I keep the dinner simple with jasmine or brown rice and a vegetable, such as spicy garlic edamame or Chinese green beans. Steamed broccoli or a cucumber jalapeno salad also go well. Spicy garlic noodles are another favorite. For extra heat, I add a little sriracha aioli on the side.
📖 Recipe
Teriyaki Salmon Bites
Ingredients
For the Salmon
- 1 ½ pounds salmon skinless & cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
For the Teriyaki Sauce
- ⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
Make the Sauce
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, and sriracha. Set aside 3 tablespoons of the sauce in a separate small bowl for the finishing glaze.
Marinate the Salmon
- Place the salmon cubes in a large mixing bowl. Add the garlic powder and pour the remaining teriyaki sauce over the salmon. Toss gently to coat.
- Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Air Fry the Salmon
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Line the basket or lightly spray it with avocado oil.
- Remove the salmon from the marinade and let the excess sauce drip off(discard the used marinade).
- Arrange the salmon cubes in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Air fry for 7-9 minutes, until the thickest pieces reach 145°F.
Make the Teriyaki Glaze
- While the salmon cooks, whisk the cornstarch into the reserved 3 tablespoons of sauce.
- Pour the sauce into a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat for 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring often, until slightly thickened.
Serve
- Transfer the salmon bites to a serving plate or bowl. Drizzle the warm teriyaki glaze over the salmon just before serving.
Notes
- If using frozen salmon, thaw fully and pat dry before cutting.
- Cut salmon into even 1-inch cubes and arrange in a single layer without crowding the air fryer basket.
- Substitute tamari for soy sauce, maple syrup or brown sugar for honey, and apple cider vinegar for rice vinegar.
- Use less sriracha or substitute with sweet chili sauce for milder heat, or add a pinch of cayenne for extra heat. Add grated ginger for more depth of flavor.
- Reserve the glaze before adding raw salmon. Cook salmon to an internal temperature of 145°F.
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days, keeping the glaze separate. Reheat in the air fryer at 325°F for 2-3 minutes, or until heated through, then add the glaze.
