Air Fryer Salmon Bites (with Za’atar)

These air fryer salmon bites take only 15 minutes to make from start to finish. They end up buttery and juicy on the inside, with a beautiful texture and lots of crispy bits on the outside. The za’atar and honey seasoning blend makes them quite addictive and a go-to weeknight recipe.

The Secret to Textured Salmon in the Air Fryer

I am a big fan of using my air fryer, especially for weeknight meals. After testing this recipe multiple times, I discovered that the secret to the perfect texture on air fryer salmon is adding honey or any other sweet ingredients (like brown sugar, or maple syrup) to the marinade.

The honey caramelizes on the outside of the salmon as it cooks, creating the most pleasant texture with so many dark crispy bits clinging to each salmon bite. The iterations I tried without honey were delicious, but the texture was the best using honey.

This honey za’atar marinade is quite perfect because it has earthiness, a bit of zing from the sumac, and the perfect amount of sweetness. I use a similar iteration of this marinade in my za’atar chicken, which is quite popular.

If you love your air fryer as well, make sure you also try my air fryer wings, air fryer drumsticks (both of which follow this “sweet ingredient” rule as they contain pomegranate molasses), and my air fryer breaded halloumi.

Ingredients and Substitutions

The ingredients you’ll need are all pantry ingredients along with a fresh piece of salmon.

Here are some notes and substitutions on the ingredients:

Fresh Salmon: I prefer using fresh salmon as opposed to frozen, but if you only have frozen salmon, make sure you thaw it in the fridge overnight, then pat it dry very well before marinating it. Also, I always remove the skin when I make the salmon into bites.

TIP: Ask your grocery store fish section worker to take the skin off the salmon for you to make it easier!

Spices: the main spice used here is za’atar, which you can find at most grocery stores. Although za’atar already contains a bit of sumac, I add more to bring out the tart flavour.

Three Easy Steps to Make Air Fryer Salmon

This process couldn’t be simpler. You just prep the salmon, mix the marinade, then air fry!

Let’s walk through each step and I’ll share the tips I’ve learned from testing this recipe multiple times. I was happy to test this 3 days in a row because my kids and I are quite addicted to it.

Place the salmon bites into the marinade and gently mix until all the salmon pieces are coated really well.

Place the salmon bites in the air fryer (you don’t need to spray any oil since the marinade has olive oil).

Ensure there is at least 1/2 inch between each salmon piece so they can crisp up nicely. If you’re making the full recipe amount, you’ll have to cook the salmon in two batches.

Air fry the salmon bites at 400F for 8 minutes. There’s no need to shake the basket or flip the pieces, I find that they always cook evenly. But depending on the type of air fryer you are using, if you find that you need to flip them, do it at the halfway mark.

Serve them right away! They end up juicy and buttery and just fall apart at the touch of your fork. We end up eating half the batch right from the air fryer basket.

I love serving the salmon bites over white rice, alongside a quick chopped salad with my favourite easy white sauce.

Oven Directions

If you don’t have an air fryer, you can use the oven. Preheat it to 425F and place the salmon bites an inch apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Then bake for 7 to 10 minutes until cooked through. Switch to broil and give it 30 seconds to a minute on the top rack to get some colour.

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