Why you’ll love these blackened air fryer salmon bites
We love a quick cooking dinner around here, and my daughter has come to love the flavor of these blackened air fryer salmon bites, which I love to serve with a cool-as-a-cucumber avocado salsa. It’s a refreshing contrast to the spicy and flavorful salmon seasoning, and makes the meal feel like its restaurant quality.
Serve it with some basic white rice and a green vegetable for a complete meal.
More air fryer recipes: air fryer crab cakes / bang bang salmon bites / air fryer coconut shrimp / air fryer chicken thighs
Ingredients & substitutions
- Salmon – When I’m feeling lazy, I buy pre-cubed salmon from my grocery store’s freezer section, but if you’re cubing it yourself, you might want to purchase a center cut piece of salmon. It helps to get your those even size pieces.
- Blackening seasoning – I like to make my own seasoning blend, but you can buy premade blackened seasoning – or even Cajun seasoning at the grocery store. Just keep in mind that those usually have salt in them so you’ll need to adjust that accordingly, or look for a salt free option so you can control that yourself.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Melissa’s tips + tricks:
- No brown avocado. If you want to get a little bit prepped ahead of time, try chopping the rest of the ingredients (minus the avocado) and store them in an airtight container until your salmon is in the air fryer.
- Don’t crowd the air fryer. In order for your air fryer to work properly, the salmon need room to breathe. You may need to cook in batches to get that crispy exterior.
Frequently asked questions
This will depend on the size of the salmon and the temperature the air fryer is set to. Since this recipe is for thick, but bite sized pieces it is best to cook for about 10 minutes at 400˚F. Remember that each air fryer is different and settings may vary.
If you end up with dry salmon, its because the salmon has been over cooked. Since all air fryers are different, try cutting down the time by a minute or two and you should have juicy, flaky salmon bites next time.
More salmon recipes: pecan crusted salmon / salmon with dill sauce / baked lemon garlic salmon / crab stuffed salmon / miso glazed salmon
Blackened Air Fryer Salmon Bites
Ingredients
For the salmon:
- ½ tablespoon cumin
- ½ tablespoon chili powder
- ½ tablespoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 ½ – 2 pounds salmon, cubed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the salsa:
- 3 avocados, chopped
- 1 English cucumber, seeded and chopped
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Season the salmon. Mix blackening seasonings together in a small bowl. Pat the salmon dry with with a paper towel and liberally season with olive oil and blackening seasoning. Set aside and preheat the air fryer to 400˚F (200˚C).
- Air fry. Arrange the salmon bites in a single layer in the air fryer basket, leaving space between each piece. Air fry for 10 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until the salmon is cooked through and the outside is lightly charred.
- Make the salsa. While the salmon cooks, add the chopped avocado, cucumber, green onion, cilantro, lime juice, and garlic to a bowl. Stir gently to combine, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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