Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon

I am routinely the last person to jump on any kitchen appliance trend. Seriously, the only reason why I got an Instant Pot was because one of my amazing clients bought one for me. Granted, that’s one of the coolest things ever, it definitely was not something I would have bought for myself.

When the air fryer became a “thing”, my reaction was virtually the same. I thought it looked cool, everyone told me it was amazing, and yet I did not buy one for myself. However, when my husband started talking about making steaks in an air fryer, I thought mayybeeee I need to get on this trend. So I bought him one for Christmas. Pretty much it’s the coolest thing ever and I’m mad at myself for not buying one sooner.

Now I’m making everything in the air fryer and not regretting a single minute of any of it. In my test kitchen of all the things I’ve made, this salmon recipe turned into a total dinner go to. It’s easy, it’s quick and the texture of the fish from the air fryer is absolutely amazing.

It’s a mild marinade that does not take a lot of prep, and pairs well with a multitude of side dishes. My routine side dishes when I make salmon are salad, like this Endive Salad or even some amazing Roasted Potatoes.

Here’s a Pro Tip with the air fryer: make sure when you’re using it that you put it on a trivet or a stove top. Something that can handle the heat because holy moly, does it get hot. The last thing you want is for the heat to crack your countertop.

Also, when it comes to the marinade, minimum time to marinade is around 30 minutes so all the flavors can soak into the fish. You can definitely let the marinade go for longer, but I would not recommend allowing the marinade to go over night. If meal prep or even dinner prep is your reality, you can definitely toss the salmon into the marinade for cooking that night and it’ll be fine.

The other piece of all of this is turning the leftover marinade into a sauce after you cook the fish. That’s totally optional. I’ve tried the salmon both ways and it’s equally as delicious, so it’s really what you have time for because you will have to be at your stovetop keeping an eye on the marinade if the sauce is your thing.

air fryer teriyaki salmon

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes or more (depending on your marinade time)

Serves: 4 people

Fish

4 salmon filets (defrosted if previously frozen)

Marinade

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon of fresh ginger, minced

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tsp Sriracha

1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrow root

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Salt and Pepper to taste

Put your salmon filets in a large ziplock baggie (this is my preferred way because it’s an easier clean up and the marinade gets more evenly distributed) or cooking dish. Mix all of your marinade ingredients in a medium bowl, pour over the filets, and place in your fridge for 30 minutes to 6 hours.

Spray your air fryer with non-stick cooking spray and preheat to 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Spread the filets out in a single layer in your air fryer and cook for 7-8 minutes.

Spray a small skillet with non-stick spray and heat over medium heat. Pour the remaining marinade into the skillet, bring to a boil and simmer for 5-8 minutes or until thickened.

Serve the salmon while hot with the sauce poured over the top! Enjoy!