Bang bang salmon bites recipe
Bang bang salmon bites is an easy healthy appetizer with salmon chunks seasoned and served with homemade bang bang sauce.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the salmon:
- 1 lb center-cut Atlantic salmon fillet skin removed and diced to 1-inch chunks
- 0.5 tsp coarse sea salt
- 0.5 tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika or sweet paprika
- ⅛ tsp ground black pepper
- 1-2 tsp honey optional
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Olive oil spray for the air fryer basket
For the bang bang sauce (makes about 1 cup):
- ½ cup kewpie mayonnaise
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- ½-1 tsp hot sauce or sriracha, sweet chili sauce
- 0.2 oz garlic grated or crushed, about 1 large clove
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1.5 tbsp ketchup
- 2 pinches coarse sea salt
Garnish:
- 1 bulb scallion chopped or chive
- Toasted white and black sesame seeds or furikake
Instructions
- Remove the salmon skin. You can also ask a fishmonger to do this for you. Dice the fillet into 1-inch (2.54cm) cubes and add them to a large bowl.
- Season the salmon chunks with salt, garlic power, paprika, black pepper, honey, and olive oil. Gently toss them well to coat the salmon evenly. I wear a cooking glove to do this.
To air fry:
- Spray the air fryer basket with olive oil, add the cubed salmon with some space between them. You might need to cook them in 2 batches. Air fryer at 350°F (177°C) for 8 minutes.
- In the meantime, prepare the bang bang sauce. Combine the ingredients in a bowl.
To bake:
- Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper and add the salmon chunks with a little space between them. Bake at 400°F, top rack, for 10-12 minutes.
- When done, open the basket and wait for 10 seconds before removing the salmon. The cold air will make the meat shrink a bit and therefore helps it “unstick” from the basket. Carefully and gently transfer the cubes to a serving plate so they won’t fall apart.
- Garnish the salmon bites with spring onions and sesame seeds and a few drizzles of bang bang sauce. Serve the extra sauce on the side. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
- You can also line the inside of the air fryer basket with a thin layer of parchment paper/air fryer liner to prevent the fish from sticking. Spray the parchment with oil otherwise the fish might still stick to the paper.
- When adding a liner to the air fryer basket, only add the paper AFTER you reheat the air fryer. Place the salmon cubes on top of the paper to weigh the parchment down. If the paper is not weighted down, it’ll fly up and catch fire in the air fryer.
- I recommend using center-cut salmon fillets such as Atlantic, king, or wild-caught salmon for the best texture. Steelhead trout is also a good choice.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 292kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 849mg | Potassium: 581mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 130IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg