Air fryer honey garlic salmon is the perfect dish for those nights when you crave something both healthy and delicious. This recipe combines juicy salmon filets with a sweet and savory honey garlic glaze, creating a quick and easy meal that's sure to become a family favorite.
If you love flaky and delicious salmon filets covered in a sweet and savory glaze, then this air fryer honey garlic salmon recipe might become your favorite go-to dinner, especially on busy days!
The salmon filets are cooked to perfection in your air fryer while the sauce turns into a light glaze that covers the salmon beautifully. And while this recipe is very simple, its flavor is anything but boring!
It also pairs beautifully with side dishes that can be prepared in your air fryer, such as air fryer asparagus or air fryer cauliflower. And if you want to try more air fryer recipes, be sure to check out my favorite crispy air fryer chicken wings and air fryer salmon bites!
Air Fryer Honey Garlic Salmon Ingredients
To make this air fryer honey garlic salmon you'll need the following ingredients:
- Salmon filets: You can use either frozen or fresh salmon filets. When you use frozen salmon filets, let them thaw in your refrigerator overnight or place them in a bowl filled with cold water to thaw them quickly.
- Honey: Honey is key for the sauce as it adds a delicious sweetness. If you prefer another liquid sweetener, feel free to replace the honey.
- Low-sodium soy sauce: For this air fryer honey garlic salmon recipe, you'll need low-sodium soy sauce. Make sure to not replace it with regular soy sauce as it will turn the sauce overly salty. If you want to use regular soy sauce, thin it with water before using it.
- Sriracha: Sriracha is used for some extra flavor and spice. You can use another type of chili sauce, I just wouldn't recommend skipping it as it really adds to the taste of this dish!
- Garlic powder: Usually, I'd go with fresh garlic for the most delicious flavor. Unfortunately, fresh garlic tends to burn in the air fryer. That's why I'd recommend sticking to garlic powder. If you still want to use fresh garlic and don't mind that it can burn, feel free to use it! In this case, make sure that the minced garlic is covered in sauce, and consider using an olive oil spray for extra protection.
How to make air fryer honey garlic salmon
Preheat your air fryer. First, preheat your air fryer to 400 °F (200°C).
Prepare the sauce. Next, add the honey, low-sodium soy sauce, sriracha, garlic powder, and black pepper to a bowl. Stir until combined.
Prepare the air fryer basket. Line your air fryer basket with air fryer parchment paper. Then place the salmon filets in the lined air fryer basket skin-side down.
Marinate and air fry. Pour the honey garlic glaze over the salmon filets and cover them in the sauce. Then air fry them for 7-9 minutes until cooked through.
Finish and serve. Drizzle the sauce that's in the air fryer basket over the cooked salmon filets, serve, and enjoy!
Tips & Notes
- I recommend using garlic powder for air fryer recipes. The reason is that fresh garlic burns very quickly in the air fryer, leaving a bitter taste. If you don't mind that some of the minced garlic might burn, you can use fresh garlic. Just make sure that it is fully covered in sauce and try using olive oil spray for further protection.
- Use a small amount of cornstarch if you want to turn the sauce into a thick glaze. The sauce without cornstarch thickens lightly but it's still a little runny. So if you prefer a thick sauce, feel free to add some cornstarch before air-frying everything!
- Make sure that you use high-quality parchment paper. It should be able to hold the liquid without tearing so that you can enjoy the salmon with a drizzle of that super delicious honey garlic sauce!
- Never preheat your air fryer with parchment paper in it. If you do, the parchment paper will touch the heating element which will make it catch fire. So please be safe and only use parchment paper with food on top to keep it down.
How to serve this air fryer honey garlic salmon
- Prepare roasted vegetables in your air fryer or oven. If there is some additional space left in the air fryer basket, feel free to add your favorite vegetables to roast them! I love to make some air fryer asparagus or air fryer cauliflower.
- Make other vegetable side dishes. I love to enjoy Korean side dishes (banchan) with many of my recipes as they are super easy to make and they taste delicious! You could make Korean cucumber salad (oi muchim) or this beansprout side dish (kongnamul muchim) for a simple and tasty addition to your meal!
- Prepare a side salad to enjoy with your meal. This could be a simple side salad using a balsamic vinaigrette or a simple salad using Japanese sesame dressing.
- Prepare some rice to make your meal more filling. I love fluffy white rice but you could also make brown rice or use a wild rice blend!
Frequently Asked Questions
This air fryer honey garlic salmon has the perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors. The honey adds a touch of sweetness, while the garlic and soy sauce provide a rich, savory taste. The result is tender, flaky salmon with a light glaze that is both delicious and satisfying.
It thickens slightly but it won't turn into a very thick glaze. If you prefer it even thicker, you can add some cornstarch to the sauce before whisking everything together. This way, the sauce will thicken nicely in the air fryer.
If you usually use aluminum foil in the oven, then feel free to use it for this air fryer recipe. It works the same way that parchment paper does. I just prefer using parchment paper.
Always place it skin-down! That way the salmon turns out perfectly juicy and flaky with slightly crispy edges.
No, just place the salmon filets skin-side down in the air fryer basket and let everything cook until the salmon is fully cooked. There is no need to flip the filets.
You can serve this honey garlic salmon with vegetable side dishes of your choice and some rice for a balanced and satisfying meal. Feel free to check out the post for detailed ideas!
You can store leftovers in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat them in a microwave with some of the leftover sauce.
More simple and delicious air fryer recipes
If you love to use your air fryer to make cooking as simple and quick as possible, then be sure to check out the following recipes. They are easy to make and taste absolutely amazing!
- Air Fryer Salmon Bites
- Air Fryer Cajun Wings
- Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Air Fryer Chicken Breast
- Air Fryer Asparagus
Air Fryer Honey Garlic Salmon
Equipment
- 1 air fryer
- 1 air fryer parchment paper
Ingredients
- 4 salmon filets patted dry
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- First, preheat your air fryer to 400 °F (200°C).
- Next, add the honey, low-sodium soy sauce, sriracha, garlic powder, and black pepper to a bowl. Stir until combined.3 tablespoons honey, 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sriracha, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, black pepper
- Line your air fryer basket with air fryer parchment paper. Then place the salmon filets in the lined air fryer basket skin-side down.4 salmon filets
- Pour the honey garlic glaze over the salmon filets and cover them in the sauce. Then air fry them for 7-9 minutes until cooked through.
- Drizzle the sauce that's in the air fryer basket over the cooked salmon filets, serve, and enjoy!
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