My Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon is the perfect quick and nutritious meal for busy weeknights! Salmon is cooked to perfection in the air fryer and topped with a delicious homemade teriyaki sauce. Simple, flavorful, and healthy- and it can be made in under 20 minutes!
Air frying has become a game-changer in the world of healthy cooking. I use my air fryer to cook everything from frozen chicken wings to Maryland-style crab cakes to whole spaghetti squash! It's even terrific for reheating pizza perfectly or ripening bananas for recipes like banana bread. I even wrote a cookbook about air frying!
Now I'm excited to share my delicious Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon with you. Get ready to experience a burst of umami goodness with crispy edges and tender, flaky salmon, all effortlessly achieved with the magic of the air fryer! This quick and easy dish is one of our family favorites and a regular in our dinner rotation.
This air fryer salmon teriyaki recipe is a simple dish made with a handful of pantry ingredients. It's the perfect dish for busy nights when you need to get a healthy meal on the table fast. Salmon comes out perfectly in the air fryer every time- tender, flaky, and moist.
I top the cooked salmon with flavorful homemade teriyaki sauce. As it cooks in the air fryer, the sauce caramelizes and forms a delicious crust that's a flavor bomb! Serve this tasty air fryer teriyaki salmon on a bed of rice with a vegetable on the side and you've got the perfect healthy and delicious weeknight meal!
If salmon isn't your thing, try my teriyaki chicken thighs instead!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Dish
- Quick and easy- this easy air fryer teriyaki salmon is made with simple ingredients and cooks in just 6-9 minutes in the air fryer! It's much faster than baking in the oven.
- Healthy- salmon is packed with nutrients! Plus, air frying is a healthy cooking method that uses minimal oil.
- Delicious and kid-friendly- salmon comes out perfectly in the air fryer- tender, flaky and moist! Top it with my savory and sweet homemade teriyaki sauce and even your kids will gobble it up!
On the fence about buying an air fryer? Read my post on Why You Need An Air Fryer In Your Life.
Doctor's Tips
Salmon is one of my favorite ingredients to cook with because it's tasty and nutrient-dense. Did you know that the current USDA dietary guidelines recommend eating at least two servings (4 oz each) of seafood per week?
This is because salmon and other fatty fish have high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which have many health benefits.
An analysis of 20 studies involving hundreds of thousands of participants found that eating approximately one to two 3-ounce servings of fatty fish a week reduces the risk of dying from heart disease by 36 percent.
Salmon is also high in protein and has an abundance of vitamins and minerals. This includes B-complex vitamins, selenium, phosphorus, and potassium.
To learn more, read my post all about the health benefits of salmon.
Not sure if your salmon is past its prime? Read my post on How To Tell If Salmon Has Gone Bad so that you can always enjoy this delicious fish at its best!
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:
- Salmon- I like to use skinless wild salmon fillets for this air fryer teriyaki salmon. You can also use salmon with skin if you prefer. If you keep the skin on, you may want to line your basket with an air fryer liner so that the skin doesn't stick.
- Soy sauce- I always use low sodium soy sauce so that I can control the amount of salt in a dish. You can always add more but you can't take it away! Substitute tamari to keep this recipe gluten free.
- Rice vinegar- I use unseasoned rather than seasoned rice vinegar
- Ginger and garlic- you can use dried ginger and garlic but fresh ginger and garlic will add more flavor to the dish
- Brown sugar- you can substitute any sweetener of your choice like coconut sugar, maple syrup, honey or agave
Best Air Fryer
Looking for an air fryer? I love the Ninja Max XL 5.5 quart Air Fryer. The large basket is perfect for a family of four.
How To Make Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon Step-By-Step
See recipe card below for full recipe details and instructions.
- Step 1: Combine soy sauce, water, vinegar, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and sesame oil together in a measuring cup or bowl.
- Step 2: Pour about half the teriyaki marinade over the salmon fillets in a shallow dish. Let the salmon marinate.
- Step 3: Pour the remaining marinade into a small sauce pan and bring it to a simmer. Make a cornstarch slurry by mixing cornstarch and a tablespoon of water together in a small bowl.
- Step 4: Whisk the cornstarch slurry it into the sauce and simmer a minute or two until the sauce is thickened.
- Step 5: Preheat your air fryer (I use this Ninja 5.5 quart air fryer). Spray the air fryer basket with a little oil and put the salmon fillets in (salmon skin side down).
- Step 6: Cook salmon 6-9 minutes to desired doneness (final cooking time will depend on the thickness of the salmon and the make and model of your air fryer). No need to flip them. Plate the salmon and pour the teriyaki sauce on top. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced scallions. Devour!
Chef's Tips
- Preheat your air fryer for a few minutes before putting the salmon in. This will help ensure that the salmon cooks evenly and gets a nice sear on the outside while remaining moist on the inside.
- Don't overcrowd the basket. Place the salmon fillets in a single layer in the basket. If cooking large amounts of salmon, you many need to cook it in batches.
- I prefer to use skinless salmon because it's easier and doesn't stick to the air fryer. If using salmon with the skin, I would recommend lining the basket with a silicone air fryer liner or perforated parchment sheets so that it doesn't stick and makes for easy clean up. You can also make your own liner with a sheet of parchment paper. The easiest way to do this is to cut it into a circle and punch some holes in it with a hole puncher. This will help the air circulate around the food better.
- If you don't have an air fryer, you can make this teriyaki salmon in the oven. Place salmon fillets on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and sprayed with cooking spray. Bake in the oven at 400°F for 10-15 minutes to desired doneness.
Line your air fryer basket with these reusable mats. You can buy square or round mats. The holes allow hot air to circulate around the food prevent it from sticking.
You can also line your air fryer basket with one-time-use parchment sheets. They come in different shapes, sizes and colors- white or brown (unbleached).
Not sure what types of oils to use in your air fryer? Read my post on The Best Oils and Oil Sprays for the Air Fryer.
What To Serve With Salmon Teriyaki
Enjoy this delicious air fryer teriyaki salmon on a bed of brown rice to incorporate some healthy whole grains into your meal. You can also serve it with white rice or my Quinoa Fried "Rice" for a high protein alternative to rice.
For a low carb option, serve this dish with cauliflower rice. If you prefer noodles, try my Soba Noodles or Cold Sesame Noodles.
To round out your meal, serve this air fryer teriyaki salmon with a green veggie on the side. Some of my favorite side dishes are my Perfect Air Fryer Asparagus (pictured below), Air Fryer Zucchini, Miso Roasted Brussels Sprouts or Sesame Roasted Broccoli.
Recipe FAQs
Cook salmon fillets in the air fryer at 400 degrees F for 6 to 9 minutes to desired doneness. The final cooking time will depend on the thickness of the salmon and the make and model of your air fryer.
The easiest way to check if your salmon is cooked is to press down on it gently with a fork. If the flesh flakes easily, then it's done. You can also check for doneness with an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the fish. The FDA recommends cooking salmon to an internal temperature of 145°F, which is well done. If that's how you like your salmon, remove it from the air fryer when it reaches 140°F since it will continue to cook after it's taken out. If you like your salmon a little less cooked (like I do), remove it when it reaches 130-135°F.
It's important to preheat your air fryer for several minutes when cooking salmon. Preheating allows the cooking surface to heat up evenly and will give the outside of your salmon a nice sear while keeping it juicy and moist on the inside. Also, don't overcook the salmon, as that will dry it out. Salmon cooks very quickly in the air fryer so check on it often.
Air fry salmon with the skin side down. You do not need to flip the salmon during cooking. I recommend lining the basket with a silicone air fryer liner or perforated parchment sheets so that it doesn't stick and makes for easy clean up.
Yes. For best results, defrost it in the fridge overnight and then proceed with the recipe as written. You can cook frozen salmon directly in the air fryer without defrosting it first but the texture of the finished dish won't be as good. If cooking from frozen, skip the marinating step. Cook frozen fillets in the air fryer (it will take about 12-15 minutes) and then pour the teriyaki sauce on top.
Yes, you can use bottled sauce. However, some bottled teriyaki sauce tends to be quite thin. If the bottled sauce is thin, I would recommend simmering it in a saucepan on the stove with a cornstarch slurry (see recipe card) to thicken it. Then pour it over the salmon.
Learn how to adapt any recipe to cook in your air fryer! Read my Easy Oven to Air Fryer Conversion Guide and get my helpful conversion chart!
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Recipe
Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon
Ingredients
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce (use tamari if gluten free)
- ¼ cup water
- 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon grated garlic
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
- 4 salmon fillets (about 5 ounces each), skin removed
- avocado oil or olive oil
- Optional garnishes: sliced scallions sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 390°F.
- Mix the soy sauce, water, vinegar, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and sesame oil together in a medium bowl. Pour about half the sauce into a small saucepan. Add the salmon filets to the remaining sauce in the bowl and let them marinate.
- Bring the sauce in the saucepan to a simmer over medium high heat. Mix the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water together in a small bowl to form a slurry. Whisk the slurry into the sauce in the saucepan. Simmer a minute or two until thickened. Remove from heat.
- Spray or brush the air fryer basket with a little oil. Add the salmon to the basket. Cook 6-9 minutes to desired doneness.
- Plate the salmon on a platter and pour the teriyaki sauce on top. Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds.
Notes
Nutrition
About the author
Dr. Sonali Ruder
Meet Dr. Sonali Ruder aka The Foodie Physician- ER doctor, chef, culinary creator & mom.
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