Teriyaki salmon has always been one of my favourite quick and easy meals. I love making homemade teriyaki sauce because it only requires a handful of pantry ingredients, yet it delivers the perfect balance of savoury, sweet, and umami flavours. While I’ve made pan-fried teriyaki salmon many times, using the air fryer makes it even easier. The salmon stays tender and flaky inside while developing a beautifully caramelised glaze on the outside. Serve it with steamed rice and vegetables for a simple meal that tastes just like something you’d order at a Japanese restaurant.

What Is Teriyaki Sauce?

Teriyaki sauce is one of the most iconic sauces in Japanese cuisine, made with a simple combination of soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar. The word “teriyaki” comes from the Japanese words “teri”, meaning shine or glaze, and “yaki”, meaning grilled or cooked. The sauce creates a glossy coating with the perfect balance of sweet and savoury flavours, making it ideal for chicken, salmon, beef, tofu, and vegetables. Making your own teriyaki sauce at home is surprisingly easy and tastes much fresher than many shop-bought versions.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Ready in just 15 minutes – Perfect for busy weekdays.
Made with simple pantry ingredients – Soy sauce, mirin, sake, and maple syrup create an authentic homemade teriyaki sauce.
Air fryer friendly – Less oil and less mess.

If you enjoy this recipe, you might also like my other teriyaki recipes:

Tips for Making Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon

Don’t Marinate for Too Long : A short marinade of around 10–15 minutes is enough for the salmon to absorb plenty of flavour. Marinating for too long can cause the texture of the fish to become overly soft because of the soy sauce.
Don’t Overcrowd the Air Fryer : Arrange the salmon pieces in a single layer with space between each piece. This allows the hot air to circulate evenly and helps the salmon cook and caramelise properly.
Use a Cornflour Slurry for a Thicker Glaze : If you prefer a thicker teriyaki glaze, mix 1 teaspoon of cornflour with 2 teaspoons of water and stir a small amount into the leftover marinade while heating. It creates a glossy sauce that’s perfect for brushing over the salmon or drizzling over rice.

Final Thoughts

This Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon is one of those recipes you’ll find yourself making again and again. It’s quick and packed with flavour, yet requires very little effort. If you’re looking for an easy Japanese-inspired dinner that comes together in just 15 minutes, this recipe is hard to beat!

The Easiest Air Fried Teriyaki Salmon

Wanting

This Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon is one of the easiest ways to enjoy a delicious Japanese-inspired meal at home. Tender salmon bites are marinated in a sweet and savoury teriyaki sauce, then air fried until perfectly caramelised with minimal effort. Serve over a bowl of steamed rice for a quick, flavour-packed meal.

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Course Lunch, dinner, Side Dish

Cuisine Japanese

Ingredients

2 skinless salmon fillets, cut into bite-sized cubes about 220g
Vegetable oil, for spraying or brushing
Sesame seeds or chopped spring onion, for garnish

FOR THE MARINADE

2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp sake or cooking rice wine
1 tbsp maple syrup or honey
½ tsp grated ginger or grated garlic Optional

FOR THE GLAZE (Optional)

1 tsp cornflour
2 tsp water

Instructions

Marinate the Salmon : In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, mirin, sake, maple syrup, and optional grated ginger or garlic. Add the salmon cubes and gently toss to coat. Marinate for 10–15 minutes.
Air Fry : Lightly spray or brush the air fryer basket with vegetable oil. Remove the salmon from the marinade, allowing any excess to drip off, and arrange the pieces in a single layer. Air fry at 190°C for 8–9 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until the salmon is cooked through and lightly caramelised.
Make the Glaze (Optional) : Transfer the remaining marinade to a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Mix 1 tsp cornflour with 2tsp water to make a slurry. Gradually add the slurry to the sauce until it reaches your desired consistency.

Depending on how much the sauce has reduced, you may not need to use all of the slurry.

Food Safety Tip: As the marinade has been in contact with raw salmon, it must be brought to a full boil before serving to ensure it is safe to eat. Alternatively, you can prepare a fresh batch of the sauce and reduce it into a glaze instead.

Serve : Serve the air-fried teriyaki salmon over steamed rice. Drizzle with the glaze and garnish with sesame seeds and chopped spring onion, if desired.

Notes

Keyword Air-fried, Fish, Seafood