Teriyaki salmon air fryer is an easy weeknight dinner recipe that is air-fried for just 10 minutes. These salmon fillets are marinated in a tangy and flavorful homemade teriyaki sauce that leaves a crusty caramelized coating on the fish. Reserve some of the marinade to brush on the perfectly cooked salmon for even more flavor!
I love my air fryer, and I don't think I could live without mine. Unfortunately, I was late following the air fryer trend and am kicking myself for not getting one sooner.
You can cook almost anything in an air fryer. I have made Air Fryer Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs, Air Fryer Tilapia, and Air Fryer Filet Mignon, and it is the BEST method to make Crispy Air Fryer Bacon for breakfast!
I love making salmon in the air fryer; it cuts the cooking time in half compared to cooking in the oven. Unfortunately, I have only been able to cook frozen salmon so far, but we hope to go to Canada's west coast to catch fresh salmon next July!
No need for takeout! Air fryer salmon is the perfect recipe when you need to get a healthy meal on the table fast!
Jump to:
- 💗 Why you will love air fryer salmon teriyaki
- 🐟 Ingredients
- 📖 Substitutions
- 💡 Variations for teriyaki salmon recipe air fryer
- 🔪 Step-by-step instructions
- ❓ I don't have an air fryer; can I use the oven?
- ❔ Can I use bottled teriyaki sauce?
- 💭 Expert Tips
- 👪 Health benefits of salmon
- 🥗 Side dishes for teriyaki salmon
- ⭐ Recipe FAQs
- 🏷️ More air fryer recipes
- 📋 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
💗 Why you will love air fryer salmon teriyaki
- An easy-to-make dinner recipe that is super fast.
- Fantastic teriyaki flavor
- Made with real ingredients
- Cooks perfectly in the air fryer.
- The salmon is juicy and tender.
- Ready in 10 minutes
- Great for meal prep
🐟 Ingredients
This air-fried salmon is made with (obviously 😉) salmon and simple pantry ingredients for the homemade teriyaki sauce.
- Salmon fillets - if frozen, defrost first for best results.
- Soy sauce - you can use low sodium soy sauce to reduce your salt intake.
- Ginger - chopped fine.
- Garlic - chopped fine.
- Brown sugar - or your favorite sweetener; cane sugar or raw sugar works well.
- Sesame seeds, optional, for garnish
See the printable recipe card for quantities and a full list of ingredients.
📖 Substitutions
Substitute the teriyaki salmon ingredients to include your favorites:
- Salmon - This recipe will work well with other types of fish
- Ginger - Instead of fresh ginger, use ¼ teaspoon of ginger powder
- Garlic - Instead of fresh garlic cloves use ¾ teaspoon of garlic powder
- Rice wine vinegar - Instead of rice wine vinegar, use white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or lemon or lime juice. These would all work well.
- Brown sugar - Instead of brown sugar, use an equal amount of cane sugar, coconut sugar, or raw sugar. You could also use honey instead to make a honey teriyaki salmon air fryer recipe.
💡 Variations for teriyaki salmon recipe air fryer
This salmon teriyaki air fryer recipe is so easy to switch up ingredients to suit specific tastes. Try some of the following ideas:
- Spicy - Use diced jalapeno peppers or cayenne pepper for spicy teriyaki salmon.
- Honey - Use honey instead of brown sugar for the honey garlic salmon air fryer recipe
- Keto - Use your favorite keto-friendly sweetener to make this a keto teriyaki salmon.
Also, be sure to try my recipes for Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken and Traeger Smoked Salmon!
🔪 Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: First of all, make the teriyaki sauce by chopping up the garlic and ginger, if using fresh. Next, combine soy sauce, ginger, garlic, rice wine vinegar, onion powder, and brown sugar in a bowl. Mix well. Remove ⅓ cup of marinade and set aside.
Step 2: Pour the remaining teriyaki sauce into a shallow pan with sides. Place the salmon, skin side up, on top of the marinade. Allow marinating for 15 minutes to 30 minutes. I am always in a rush, so I just let it sit for about 15 minutes; this gives me time to get the Pressure Cooker Rice going.
Step 3: Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F. Using tongs, place the salmon skin-side down in the air fryer basket. Set the timer for 7 to 9 minutes. The thickness of the salmon will determine the amount of time to cook. My salmon fillets were about 1-inch in thickness, and the salmon was fully cooked in 10 minutes. Set the timer for less time than you think, just in case. You do not want your salmon to be overcooked.
Step 4: Add ⅓ cup of the reserved marinade to a small saucepan while the salmon fillets are cooking in the air fryer. Heat it on medium heat—mix water and cornstarch. Whisk into marinade in a saucepan. Continue to heat until it is hot and thickened. Remove from heat and put a lid on it to keep it hot until the salmon are ready.
When the timer is up on the air fryer, check to make sure the salmon is cooked. It should flake easily with a fork. Remove from the air fryer with tongs. Serve with a spoonful of hot teriyaki glaze. I love to serve my air fryer teriyaki salmon fillets with broccoli for a healthy dinner.
Tip: Make sure to leave enough space for air to move around the salmon fillets.
❓ I don't have an air fryer; can I use the oven?
Yes! If you do not have an air fryer, you can quickly cook this recipe in the oven; it just takes a little longer. Follow all of the instructions for teriyaki salmon precisely the same. Place parchment paper on a baking pan (for easy cleanup), place salmon skin side down, pour the rest of the marinade over it, and bake at 400 degrees F for about 15 minutes or so. Remember that the thickness of the salmon fillets will alter the cooking time, and ovens cook differently. The salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork.
❔ Can I use bottled teriyaki sauce?
Yes, you can use bottled teriyaki sauce instead of making a homemade sauce if you like; this would cut the prep time down even more. Just substitute ¾ cup of bottled teriyaki sauce for the homemade sauce. Whatever makes it easier for you. 🙂
💭 Expert Tips
- Preheat the air fryer before placing the salmon in it.
- For best results, use salmon fillets that have the skin on. The skin keeps the oils and nutrients in the salmon so it does not dry out, and the meat will stay juicy.
- No extra oil is required to air fry the salmon.
- Leave a bit of space between the fish fillets so air can pass around them for even cooking.
- Do not overcrowd the basket.
- Thicken the glaze on the stovetop and brush it on the cooked fillets or spoon it on.
👪 Health benefits of salmon
Salmon is extremely healthy. According to WebMD, A serving of salmon, 3 to 4 ounces, is about 200 calories. It's very low in saturated fat, a good source of protein, and one of the best sources of vitamin B12. It's also bursting in potassium and other nutrients like iron and vitamin D. Vitamin B12 keeps blood and nerve cells humming along.
Experts recommend that all adults eat at least two portions (a total of 8 ounces) of seafood a week, especially fish high in omega-3s, like salmon. We are also supposed to avoid fish that contain a lot of mercury; fortunately, salmon is not one of them.
🥗 Side dishes for teriyaki salmon
- Instant Pot Rice
- Air Fryer Broccoli
- Smoked Corn on the Cob in Foil
- Air Fryer Carrots
- Delicious green salad
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
- Ultra Crispy Air Fryer Potatoes
- Oven-Roasted Potatoes
⭐ Recipe FAQs
The salmon fillet will cook in the air fryer for 9 to 10 minutes at 400 degrees F.
Yes, it is. According to Healthline, salmon skin contains the highest concentration of omega-3 fatty acids on the fish. There's strong evidence that these fatty acids can reduce triglyceride levels and decrease your chances of heart disease. Whether you choose to eat it or not is up to personal preference. I prefer to remove the skin from my salmon. 🙂
Teriyaki is a salty-sweet sauce used in Japanese cooking, made with soy sauce, sugar, and ginger. Teriyaki can be used as a marinade, glaze, or dipping sauce.
Leftover cooked salmon can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days. After that, you can eat it cold on a green salad (my favorite) or place it in an oven-safe baking dish with 2 tablespoon of water, cover it with foil, and reheat it at 300 degrees F for about 15 minutes or so. Cooking it at a lower heat will help to prevent it from drying out. Also, you can use the reheat setting on your air fryer if it has it. It will only take about 5 minutes to be heated through.
You can also freeze cooked salmon in an airtight container or Ziploc bag for up to 2 months.
🏷️ More air fryer recipes
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📋 Recipe
Teriyaki Salmon Air Fryer
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets 5-6 oz. fillets
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon ginger chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic chopped
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- sesame seeds for garnish optional
Instructions
- First of all, make the teriyaki salmon marinade by combining soy sauce, ginger, garlic, rice wine vinegar, onion powder, and brown sugar in a bowl. Mix well. Remove ⅓ cup of marinade and set aside.
- Pour remaining teriyaki sauce in a shallow pan with sides. Place the salmon, skin side up, on top of the marinade. Allow marinating for 15-30 minutes.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F. Using tongs, place the salmon skin-side down in the air fryer basket. Set the timer for 7 to 9 minutes. The thickness of the salmon will determine the amount of time to cook. My salmon fillets are about 1-inch in thickness and were fully cooked in 10 minutes. Set the timer for less time than you think, just in case. You do not want your salmon to be overcooked.
- While the salmon fillets are cooking in the air fryer, add ⅓ cup of the reserved marinade to a small saucepan and heat it on medium heat. Mix water and cornstarch and whisk into marinade in a saucepan. Continue to heat until it is hot and thickened. Remove from heat and put a lid on it to keep it hot until the salmon are ready.
- When the timer is up on the air fryer, check the salmon to see that it is fully cooked. It should flake easily with a fork.
- Remove salmon from the air fryer with tongs. Remove the skin and serve with a spoonful of hot teriyaki glaze on top. I love to serve my teriyaki salmon fillets with broccoli for a healthy dinner.
Notes
- Preheat the air fryer before placing the salmon in it.
- For best results, use salmon fillets that have the skin on. The skin keeps the oils and nutrients in the salmon so it does not dry out, and the meat will stay juicy.
- No extra oil is required to air fry the salmon.
- Leave a bit of space between the fish fillets so air can pass around them for even cooking.
- Do not overcrowd the basket.
- Thicken the glaze on the stovetop and brush it on the cooked fillets or spoon it on.
Rod & Mary Ell
The taste was superb. Going to be # 1 on my cooking list.
Janet Russo
OMG!!! I am not a fish lover but occasionally like it grilled. Dry and firm. I tried this in the air fryer and devoured it. No fishy taste at all! Thank you. My only notch up was adding a bit too much corn starch to the sauce. This is a definite keeper. Thank you
Jeri
Thank you for trying the Teriyaki Salmon, Janet! I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it and that you found it free of any fishy taste. Also, thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a comment! 🙂