Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon
Turn up the volume on your typical salmon by making this air fryer teriyaki salmon instead! The air fryer allows us to make perfectly cooked salmon in just 10 minutes and the homemade teriyaki sauce creates the most flavorful sweet, savory and sticky salmon you ever had.
Serve this teriyaki salmon with rice and veggies, on tacos, in Asian inspired salads or in lettuce wraps with some shredded cabbage and salted peanuts or cashews on top. No matter how you serve it, this air fryer teriyaki salmon is sure to become an instant family favorite.
The air fryer is one of my go-to ways to get dinner on the table quickly. Be sure to try my air fryer salmon bites, air fryer teriyaki chicken, or air fryer frozen shrimp in your next 20 minute meal
I make this teriyaki salmon in the air fryer at least once a month. It’s easy to make, uses simple ingredients I typically have on hand and is so flavorful. I have to admit my favorite way to serve this is with rice and steamed veggies, but I won’t say no to a teriyaki salmon taco either!
The air fryer makes it easy to make a restaurant style meal at home in just 20-30 minutes. Making this at home instead of going out to eat also saves you money and helps you control the ingredients! This recipe is naturally gluten free and paleo friendly and can easily be made Whole30 by subbing out dates for the maple syrup.
Ingredients
- Coconut aminos (or soy sauce or gluten free tamari)
- Rice wine vinegar
- Maple syrup
- Fresh ginger (or freeze dried ginger
- Spices: Garlic powder, salt
- Salmon (I find that leaving the skin on helps the salmon stay together better when cooking)
- Arrowroot powder (or cornstarch or tapioca powder)
How to make air fryer teriyaki salmon
Make the marinade. Combine the coconut aminos, rice wine vinegar, maple syrup, fresh grated ginger, garlic powder and salt. Stir well.
Marinate the fish: Pour half of the marinade over the fish. Let sit 15-20 minutes.
Cook the salmon: Add the salmon fillets (skin side up for crispy skin or skin side down if you don’t plan on eating the skin) to the air fryer basket. Set the air fryer to 400F for 8-11 minutes depending on how thick the salmon is.
Make the sticky teriyaki sauce: Add arrowroot to the remaining teriyaki marinade. Stir well to dissolve. Pour into a small skillet or pot and heat over medium low heat for 4-6 minutes, stirring regularly.
Coat the salmon with the teriyaki sauce: When the air fryer teriyaki salmon is done cooking, pour the sticky teriyaki sauce over top and serve hot.
Top tips
- For the best flavor marinate the salmon 10-15 minutes. If you are short on time, you can skip this step, but the flavor won’t be as deep/pronounced.
- Only pour half the teriyaki sauce over the salmon. Reserve the other half to make the sticky teriyaki sauce. It is not safe to use the leftover marinade to make the sticky teriyaki sauce.
- Be sure to add the arrowroot to the room temperature ingredients (don’t stir it in a hot liquid or it will clump immediately).
- For easy clean up use silicone mat or parchment paper in the air fryer basket. I really love the silicone mat since you can reuse them and wash them in the dishwasher.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer. If you need to make more salmon, make a double batch. If you overcrowd the air fryer, the salmon will not cook evenly.
- If you want super crispy skin, air fry the salmon skin side up.
- Try to find salmon filets of similar thickness so they will cook in the same amount of time. If you have salmon of different thickness, some may be done before others, so keep an eye on the thinner pieces and remove them when necessary.
- If you want teriyaki sauce for your rice and vegetables, double the marinade and only use as much as needed to cover the fish. Add an extra teaspoon of arrowroot and follow the same instructions for the sticky marinade.
- If the teriyaki sauce turns out too thick, add water (2-3 tablespoons at a time) and stir well and it will thin out.
What to serve with air fryer teriyaki salmon
My absolute favorite way to enjoy this is to serve along side of instant pot jasmine rice and stir-fried veggies
Another great option would be to serve it in tacos with pineapple coleslaw or Cilantro lime slaw for a quick and easy weeknight meal
Common questions
Can you use frozen salmon?
Since the salmon needs to marinate in the teriyaki sauce, it is best to defrost frozen salmon before marinating/cooking it.
If you are in a rush, you can cook the salmon in the air fryer from frozen (400F for 10-14 minutes). Pause the air fryer half way through cooking and baste the salmon with some of the marinade. Add the teriyaki glaze at the end. This method is faster if you have frozen salmon, but the fish itself won’t have as pronounced of a teriyaki flavor.
Can you use bottled teriyaki sauce?
Yes you can use a bottled teriyaki sauce instead of making homemade teriyaki sauce. If the bottled teriyaki sauce is thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of water to thin it out before using it as a marinade. You will need about 1/3 cup of teriyaki sauce to marinate the fish in, plus more for the top after cooking.
Can you eat the salmon skin?
Yes! Salmon skin is packed with Omega-3 fatty acids and is very healthy. If you want to eat the skin, it’s best to crisp it up by cooking the salmon skin side up.
Tip: If you choose not to eat the skin, cook the salmon with the skin on, then peel it off after cooking. It’s much easier to remove after cooking than before). Note: If you have a dog, feed it to the dog (it’s great for their coat and skin).
Do you have to flip salmon in the air fryer?
No, you don’t need to flip the salmon or shake the basket.
How to cook teriyaki salmon in the oven
Preheat the oven to 425F and cook for 12 minutes. Check out my teriyaki salmon and vegetables sheet pan meal for a quick and easy weeknight meal!
How to tell if salmon is done cooking?
Use a instant read food thermometer to test the internal temperature of the thickest part of the salmon. For medium salmon, you will want the temperature to be around 130F. If you prefer a slightly more cooked salmon, you could go up to 135-140. The FDA recommends cooking salmon to 145F which is well-done but that salmon can taste dry and mealy. The internal temperature you will cook your salmon to depends on your preferences.
The easiest way to tell if salmon is done cooking is to press down on the top of the salmon (use your finger or a fork). If the salmon starts to flake or break apart, it’s done.
What If I don’t have fresh ginger?
If you don’t have fresh ginger on hand, I highly recommend using freeze-dried ginger (it imparts the same flavor with none of the work). If you have freeze-dried ginger, you will want to use 1 tablespoon.
You can also use dried ground ginger (which is what you typically add to cookies/baked goods). This is much more potent than fresh ginger and therefore you will only need 1 teaspoon.
Storing leftovers
- Fridge: Store leftover salmon in the fridge for up to 3 days. The teriyaki sauce can get quite thick as it sits, so I recommend you store that separately then thin it out with some water as you reheat it.
- Reheat leftover teriyaki salmon in the air fryer at 325F for 5-7 minutes to reheat.
- Freezer: Although you can freeze leftover salmon, this recipe is best eaten fresh.
Substitutions
- Coconut aminos– use tamari or soy sauce, add 1-2 additional teaspoons of maple syrup, as coconut aminos tend to be sweeter than soy-based sauces.
- Rice wine vinegar – use mirin, sake or lime juice.
- Maple syrup – use honey or date syrup (Whole30 friendly) or soaked pitted dates (you will have to blend this sauce).
- Fresh ginger – use freeze-dried ginger or ground ginger (only need 1 teaspoon) or omit.
- Salmon – you can use any fatty fish for this recipe, salmon tends to be the easiest to find in most grocery stores. Trout would also be delicious here!
- Arrowroot powder – use tapioca powder or cornstarch to achieve the same results.
More salmon recipes to try
Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coconut aminos
- 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1.5 tbsp. maple syrup
- 1.5 tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 1.5 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 pound salmon
- 1/2 tbsp arrowroot powder (or tapioca or corn starch)
Instructions
- Combine the coconut aminos, rice wine vinegar, fresh ginger, maple syrup, garlic powder and salt in a container.
- Pour half the teriyaki marinade over the salmon filets. I like to turn the salmon so it's skin side up so enough of the salmon can soak in the marinade. Let marinade for 15-20 minutes.
- Add parchment paper or silicone liner to an air fryer basket, then add the salmon to the air fryer basket.
- Set the air fryer to 400F for 8-10 minutes (depending on how thick your salmon is).
- While the salmon is cooking, make the sticky teriyaki sauce. Add the arrowroot powder to the reserved teriyaki marinade. Pour into a skillet or small sauce pan and cook over medium low heat for 4-6 minutes until it starts to thicken. Take off heat immediately once it starts to thicken.
- After the salmon is done cooking in the air fryer, pour the teriyaki sauce over the salmon and serve hot.
Equipment
Notes
- Marinate the fish for 10-15 minutes for the best flavor. If you are short on time, you can skip this.
- Only pour half the teriyaki sauce over the salmon. Reserve the other half to make the sticky teriyaki sauce.
- For easy clean up use silicone mat or parchment paper in the air fryer basket. I really love the silicone mat since you can reuse them and wash them in the dishwasher.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer or the salmon will not cook evenly.
- If you want super crispy skin, air fry the salmon skin side up.
- Try to find salmon filets of similar thickness so they will cook in the same amount of time.
- If you want teriyaki sauce for your rice and vegetables, double the marinade and only use as much as needed to cover the fish. Add an extra teaspoon of arrowroot and follow the same instructions for the sticky marinade.
- Fridge: Store leftover salmon in the fridge for up to 3 days. The teriyaki sauce can get quite thick as it sits, so I recommend you store that separately then thin it out with some water as you reheat it.
- Reheat leftover teriyaki salmon in the air fryer at 325F for 5-7 minutes to reheat.
- Freezer: Although you can freeze leftover salmon, this recipe is best eaten fresh.
