Name: Easy Teriyaki Salmon Bites
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 1/4 cup liquid aminos; zest of 1 lime; 1/4 cup fresh lime juice; 1 Tbs honey; 1 garlic clove, minced; 1 tsp ginger paste or minced fresh ginger *see note; 1 – 2lbs fresh wild caught salmon, cut into 2 inch pieces

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These teriyaki salmon bites are a quick and flavorful entree ready in under 30 minutes.

Marinated in liquid aminos, fresh lime juice, garlic, and ginger, they cook up perfectly juicy on the stovetop or in the air fryer.

Protein packed and full of omega-3 fatty acids, it’s one our family’s all-time favorites.

overhead of teriyaki salmon bites in a bowl with quinoa rice, avocado, salsa and cabbage with sesame seeds on the the side

Tips from the Kitchen

For the best flavor, always go for fresh lime juice instead of bottled. The bottled version just does not compare! Fresh juice adds a bright, vibrant taste that bottled just can’t match. When picking out limes, choose ones that feel slightly soft when you give them a gentle squeeze. They’re typically the juiciest.

If you don’t have ginger paste or can’t find it (it’s a favorite staple in my kitchen) you can use fresh ginger instead. Just grate a piece of fresh peeled ginger on a microplane. You can also skip the ginger altogether, but it does add a nice pop of flavor.

If you don’t have liquid aminos, feel free to substitute soy sauce or coconut aminos.

You can substitute maple syrup in place of honey.

ingredients for salmon bites including ginger, soy sauce, honey, garlic, lime and salmon

Bite Sized is Better

Why bites instead of the typical cuts of salmon?

The fish cooks faster because it’s smaller, meaning a weeknight dinner can be on the table in a flash. All it takes is a quick 10 minutes in a homemade, refined-sugar free teriyaki marinade followed by 4 minutes in the air fryer. That’s faster than baking a frozen pizza!

Too, the kids love this format for fish. We also use it for Miso Salmon Bowls.

Let’s Make Teriyaki Salmon Bites

Step 1: Whisk together all the marinade ingredients in a small mixing bowl.

Step 2: Cut the salmon into 2-inch bites and let them marinate for 10 minutes.
Be sure to discard the remaining marinade since it had raw fish hanging out in it.

fresh salmon cut into smaller pieces in a metal bowl with the marinade

You can cook these salmon bites one of two cooking methods:

Cooking on the Stovetop

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of avocado oil or coconut oil. Once the pan is heated, add the marinated salmon pieces to the pan with tongs and cook them for 2-3 minutes per side.

Don’t overcrowd the pan because the fish does release some moisture as it cooks. Too many pieces in the pan means too much liquid will build up and you’ll end up with something closer to steamed fish and you’ll miss out on the crispy, sweet glaze factor.

Depending on the size of your skillet and the amount of salmon you’re making, you might need to work in batches.

Cooking in the Airfryer

While the salmon marinates, preheat the air fryer for 10 minutes at 400F. This ensures you are putting the salmon into a hot air fryer and gives the fish time to crisp up. Pop the fish into the air fryer in a single layer and cook for 4 minutes.

Be sure to avoid overcrowding the basket. Each piece of salmon needs space for air to circulate and create a caramelized, crispy texture. Too many pieces can cause steaming instead, so you’ll miss out on that lacquered “teriyaki” glaze.

How Do I Know the Salmon is Done Cooking?

The beauty of this recipe is that because the pieces of fish are small, you’re much less apt to undercook it. I love it when the salmon is still moist and juicy.

Cooking the salmon for longer than directed can result in dry fish. It’s easy to test a piece of fish by inserting the tip of a sharp knife. If the fish looks juicy but easily flakes apart, you are good to go.

The FDA recommends cooking fish to an internal temperature of 145F.

How to Serve Salmon Bites

We love a build-your-own bowl for dinner. I like to serve it with fresh avocado, quinoa or rice, diced green onions, white sesame seeds and my pineapple pico de gallo.

If you want more sauce, I love Primal Kitchen teriyaki sauce. They have no added sugar and good quality ingredients. I’ve also served this with my peanut noodles.

Meal Prep Hero

I love to make extra when preparing this recipe because it’s awesome for leftovers. Just keep it in an airtight container for up to three days.

You can reheat it in the air fryer for a minute, but I actually enjoy it cold with a big salad.