These Air Fryer Garlic Honey Dijon Salmon Bites are healthy, easy, and packed with flavor from plain or hot honey and Dijon mustard. This recipe makes the best air fried salmon bites that are low carb, keto-friendly, and ready in minutes. Learn how to create these delicious salmon nuggets for a quick and nutritious meal. Pin this recipe now to have an easy and flavorful dinner idea at your fingertips!
These easy garlic honey Dijon air fryer salmon bites will be a hit for all of the salmon lovers in your life! Use the freshest salmon you can get, and stay away from farmed salmon if possible. Your taste buds, the fish, and the environment will thank you.
Air Fryer Salmon Bites
This air fryer salmon bites recipe is versatile, accommodating various types of salmon. However, the quality of ingredients plays a pivotal role in the final taste. Using premium salmon enriches the flavor substantially and makes a more satisfying meal. The distinct taste and texture of fresh salmon elevate this dish, making it memorable for both seasoned salmon lovers and those new to the world of this flavorful fish.
Aside from its taste, this recipe also offers nutritional benefits. Salmon is renowned for its high omega-3 fatty acid content, contributing to heart health and overall well-being. Incorporating it into your diet through an accessible and tasty recipe makes healthy eating a breeze.
What Type of Salmon is Best for This Recipe?
The availability of fresh, ocean-caught salmon varies depending on your location. Procuring such salmon in the Pacific Northwest is as straightforward as visiting the local grocery store. Unfortunately, this is not the case nationwide.
The contrast between farmed Atlantic salmon and the fresh, ocean-run Pacific salmon is stark. Many who have only tasted the former and concluded a dislike for salmon might find their opinion is much different when they try Pacific salmon varieties. We recommend exploring reputable mail-order sources for varieties like Coho or Chinook to gauge whether salmon stays on your list.
Air fryer salmon bites are a perfect blend of convenience and taste and fit into a well-balanced diet. Whether using locally sourced Pacific salmon or exploring other varieties, the result is a delightful, nutritious meal for any occasion.
Why You Will Love This Air Fryer Salmon Bites Recipe
High-Protein: Our simple air fryer salmon bites can fit into your diet no matter your meal plan. These are packed full of protein and healthy fats. If you use sugar-free honey, this recipe is low-carb and would be appropriate for a keto diet. If you aren’t counting your carbs, you can serve it with steamed rice, pasta, or something healthier like a BLT salad with a homemade dressing or a big pile of vegetables.
Easy Prep: This recipe is lightning fast and so easy to prep. 5 minutes of slicing and only 8 minutes of cooking, and you’ll be eating delicious, perfectly cooked bites of salmon.
Bright, Fresh Flavors: The fresh salmon and honey are the perfect combination, and the garlic brings everything together. Dijon mustard in the mix adds a creamy, savory element.
Ingredients
See the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all measurements and nutritional information.
Fresh Salmon: Cube it into bite-sized pieces for quick cooking and easy eating. The fresher, the better.
Dijon mustard: Any mustard will work, but the smooth Dijon brings a tanginess to the salmon bites.
Regular or hot honey: The honey adds sweetness. You can use hot honey if you prefer some spice.
Fresh garlic: There is no substitute for fresh garlic, but if you must, you can use jarred garlic instead.
Salt: This brings out the flavors in the salmon and the honey Dijon marinade.
Olive oil: The olive oil is the liquid in the marinade.
Dried herbs such as oregano, basil, or thyme: Whatever herbs you use will change the flavor of the whole dish, so be sure to use something you really enjoy. You can also leave the herbs out if you just want the garlic, honey, and Dijon mustard to shine.
Fresh herbs, same as dried: If you're using dried herbs in your marinade, you may want to use a few tablespoons of the fresh version as a garnish.
Equipment
Air Fryer: I’ve used a variety of different air fryer models. All of the common ones will work for this recipe.
Parchment Paper: Trim the excess from the basket's top with kitchen shears or scissors.
Scissors: To trim the excess parchment paper from the top of the basket.
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 360ºF. Add honey, mustard, salt, herbs, and olive oil to a deep bowl.
- Stir until smooth.
- Cut the salmon into cubes about 1 inch or slightly smaller on each side. Add the salmon bites to the marinade bowl and gently toss, making sure all pieces remain intact. For a stronger flavor, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a half hour.
- Line the air fryer basket with parchment paper and place the salmon bites in a single layer. Air fry for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, the salmon will be slightly browned on top, but still slightly raw underneath.
- Flip the salmon bites over and fry for another 3 minutes.
- Serve the salmon bites immediately with fresh herbs and additional sauce, if desired.
Substitutions
Use a salt substitute like potassium chloride (or your favorite salt alternative) for a low-sodium diet.
Do you like a little spice? Use hot honey or sprinkle some red pepper flakes or a drizzle of sriracha with the marinade. Another great option would be some hot chili oil or chili crisp drizzled on top of the air fried salmon bites.
Variations
This recipe works well for all types of fish, not just salmon. You can use this method and recipe with whitefish like cod, lingcod, rockfish, seabass, halibut, walleye, pollock, haddock, or other similar whitefish.
You can omit the herbs if you don’t have any. Just use freshly ground black pepper instead.
Feel free to slice a lemon and line the parchment paper with lemon slices. The lemon will complement the honey Dijon sauce nicely.
Flavored salts make a great addition to this recipe! There are so many to choose from; experiment and see what happens! I love sriracha salt, or smoked salt would add another flavor that could be delicious.
Storage
To Store: Store in a covered container in the fridge for 2-3 days, maximum.
To Reheat: Reheat in a skillet with butter or oil, or put it back in the air fryer for a few minutes. The quality will not be as good in a reheat, but it is still worth saving if you make more than you can tackle in one sitting.
To Freeze: I do not recommend freezing this dish.
Serving Suggestions
Serve air fryer salmon bites air fryer glazed carrots or air fryer asparagus.
Air Fryer Salmon Bites FAQ
How many minutes do you cook salmon in an air fryer?
We cook these salmon bites for about 8 minutes. If you like your salmon a little more on the medium side of done, reduce the time to 6 minutes. How long your salmon needs to cook depends on how big you cut your chunks. The smaller the chunks, the less time it takes to cook overall.
How do you keep salmon from sticking to the air fryer?
I use parchment paper to prevent sticking. You can spritz it with nonstick cooking spray if you think the salmon might stick.
Does salmon need to be thawed before air frying?
Yes, salmon should be thawed before cooking for optimal results. Salmon thaws very quickly, even in the fridge or a bowl of cold water, so even if you forgot to take it out this morning, you can still have dinner on the table in a flash.
Try these other delicious air fryer recipes:
- Air Fryer Prime Rib
- Air Fryer Ribeye Steak
- Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
- Air Fryer Steak Bites with Mushrooms
- Air Fryer Salmon Bites
- Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
- Air Fryer Prime Rib with Horseradish Rub
- The Best Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp Recipe
- Air Fryer Chili Baked Potatoes
- Air Fryer Carrots with Irresistible Honey Brown Sugar Glaze
- 15-Minute Easy Air Fryer Mushrooms with Parmesan & Garlic
- Homemade Air Fryer Potato Chips
- Air Fryer Asparagus
- Air Fryer Donuts
Recipe
Air Fryer Garlic Honey Dijon Salmon Bites
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 ounces salmon skinless if possible
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey regular or hot honey
- 1 clove garlic pressed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon Dried herbs oregano, basil, or thyme
- Fresh herbs same as dried, optional for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 360ºF. Add honey, mustard, salt, herbs, and olive oil to a deep bowl. Stir until smooth.
- Cut the salmon into cubes about 1 inch or slightly smaller on each side. Add the salmon bites to the marinade bowl and gently toss, making sure all pieces remain intact. If desired, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a half hour.
- Line the air fryer basket with parchment paper and place the salmon bites in a single layer. Air fry for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, the salmon will be slightly browned on top, but still slightly raw underneath. Flip the salmon bites over and fry for another 3 minutes.
- Serve the salmon bites immediately with fresh herbs and additional sauce, if desired.
Alyssa Balentina says
The sauce was amazing!