Air fryer teriyaki salmon: moist and flaky salmon fillets wrapped in the most delicious homemade teriyaki sauce! A quick and effortless dinner recipe, this sauce coated fish comes together in just 10 minutes of air frying. Serve over a bed of steamed white rice or your favorite vegetables for a complete meal.
Now, quick! Tell me honestly. Don't you want to reach in and take a bite? Do you see that sauce clinging to the salmon, folks?
This is one of those recipes I make on repeat. When I don't have the energy for anything, I reach out for the salmon in the freezer (I always have salmon in my freezer), make the sauce in 2 minutes, brush it on the fish and stick it in my trusty air fryer. While the fish is cooking away, I set a pot of rice to cook, and in less than 15 minutes, I have a delicious dinner going on!
The fish is perfectly juicy and tender, and the sauce seeps into the fish and melds with it to form a caramelized crust, full of a deep and rich umami flavor. Speaking of the sauce, do keep a little in reserve when you make this recipe. You'll want to drizzle some extra sauce on top of the salmon after it's cooked.
A small disclaimer before we get to the ingredients: The sauce in this recipe is not an 'authentic' teriyaki. It's more of an Americanized version, as so many of our recipes in North America are, especially the ones borrowed from world cuisines.
The original teriyaki is thinner and has ingredients like sake and mirin, Japanese alcoholic beverages. However, if you are not very particular about authenticity, sit back and enjoy this air fried teriyaki salmon. I promise, you won't be disappointed!
Ingredients
Note: exact amounts are mentioned in the recipe card further down.
- Salmon fillets - I used Atlantic salmon, but the kind of salmon you use is up to you: Atlantic, wild, sockeye... whatever you like. Make sure to wash the salmon gently and pat dry with paper towels before you do anything with it.
- Sea salt and black pepper - for seasoning the salmon
Sauce Ingredients
- Soy sauce - I used low sodium soy sauce as we are also seasoning the salmon. However, if you don't have soy sauce or don't want to use it, substitute with tamari or even coconut aminos, both gluten-free alternatives.
- Brown sugar - for a little sweetness... so essential in this recipe to balance the savory. Don't skip it.
- Rice vinegar - I used a tablespoon of seasoned rice vinegar.
- Sesame oil - Just a little bit but necessary as another flavor builder.
- Ginger and garlic (minced) - everything just tastes better with these two aromatics.
- Cornstarch - for thickening the sauce. You don't want a very thin sauce that will slide off the fish in a hurry.
Instructions
- Make the teriyaki sauce - Put all the ingredients listed under 'Sauce Ingredients' in a small saucepan and heat gently. Stir with a spoon until thickened (2-3 minutes).
- Cook the salmon - Sprinkle the salmon fillets (washed and patted dry) with a little salt and pepper and air fry at 390 Fahrenheit for 5 minutes.
- Brush the salmon with the sauce - Brush the salmon liberally with the sauce, making sure to get the sides as well. Air fry again at 390 Fahrenheit for 5 minutes. Once the 5 minutes are up, check the salmon. The salmon should be cooked through and flaky and the sauce caramelized. Serve hot with plain steamed rice or the vegetables of your choice.
Top tips
- If you feel that the sauce is too thick, you can loosen it with a little hot water. If it is thin, add some more cornstarch.
- To check doneness, use an instant read thermometer in the thickest part of the salmon. It should register a temperature of 145 Fahrenheit.
- Do remember to save some teriyaki sauce. It tastes so good drizzled over the cooked salmon. You can drizzle some on the rice as well!
- The cooking time really depends on several factors like the make of your air fryer and the thickness of the salmon fillets, so consider the 10 minutes a guide only. There's no harm in checking on the salmon before it is cooked to see what stage it is at in the cooking.
More salmon recipes
Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon
Equipment
- 1 Saucepan small
- 1 Air Fryer 6 quart Instant Pot Vortex
Ingredients
- 2 salmon fillets
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup soy sauce reduced salt
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon ginger minced
- ½ teaspoon garlic minced
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Wash the salmon and pat dry with paper towels to get the moisture out.
- Sprinkle the salmon with salt and pepper.
- Preheat your air fryer to 390 Fahrenheit and set the timer for 5 minutes. Place the salmon fillet in the preheated air fryer. While the salmon is air frying, make the teriyaki sauce.
- In a saucepan, add soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and cornstarch. Set the saucepan on low to medium heat and stir until the sauce is thickened.
- Open the basket of the air fryer and brush the salmon with the teriyaki sauce all over including the sides. Reserve some sauce for later.
- Make sure the temperature is still set to 390 Fahrenheit. Air fry the salmon for 5 minutes more. Check doneness, drizzle some reserved sauce, and serve hot over rice or with your favorite vegetables.
Notes
- If you feel that the sauce is too thick, you can loosen it with a little hot water. If it is thin, add some more cornstarch.
- To check doneness, use an instant read thermometer in the thickest part of the salmon. It should register a temperature of 145 Fahrenheit.
- Use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce for gluten free teriyaki salmon.
- If you don't have minced ginger and garlic, you can make do with ground ginger and garlic too, a quarter teaspoon each.
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