Creamy, sweet and spicy perfection! This Air Fryer Bang Bang Salmon, with tender fillets coated in spicy-sweet goodness is effortlessly ready in minutes!
Ever since I had my air fryer, I’ve been loving cooking my salmon in it! It’s quick, I get perfectly cooked salmon with crispy skin, but most importantly, I don’t have to deal with salmon oil splatter over the stovetop. I’m a big salt and pepper girl, but sometimes I want a bit of creamy spicy richness to my salmon fillets – in comes this Air Fryer Bang Bang Salmon!
If you’re looking for a quick and flavourful way to elevate your salmon game, look no further than this recipe!
Why You’ll Love This Air Fryer Bang Bang Salmon Recipe
- Speedy Delight: Ready in just 20 minutes or less, this Air Fryer Bang Bang Salmon is a lifesaver for those busy weeknights! No need for marination for this one.
- Flavour Bomb: Tender, flaky salmon, with an easy bang bang sauce to add a punch of sweet and spicy goodness.
- Versatile: With the salmon and the bang bang sauce as the main proteins and flavouring, you can top this over any of your favourite carbs and vegetables. My personal favourite is over rice, raw edamame and shredded purple cabbages, but you can also top this over noodles.
Key Ingredients for Air Fry Bang Bang Salmon
- Salmon Fillets: I used two Salmon fillets here, about 200g each. You may need to adjust the air fryer cook time, depending on the size and weight of your Salmon. This recipe can also work for chicken, but I would recommend marinating it for at least 30 minutes.
Bang Bang Marinade:
- Mayonnaise: A key ingredient here is mayonnaise, adding that rich, creamy flavour to the salmon. I HIGHLY recommend using Japanese mayonnaise (like Kewpie!), but you can also sub with other mayos.
- Sweet Chili Sauce: The next key ingredient is sweet chilli sauce, for that sweet and spicy flavour. I use Thai Sweet Chili Sauce, but regular chilli sauces will work too (such as Heinz, Maggi, and Farmland Chilli Sauce), since they always lean more sweet.
- Sriracha: This adds an extra punch of spice to the Bang Bang sauce, feel free to omit if you want to keep the spice level to a minimum.
- Vinegar: A dash of tang will greatly balance out the flavours of the sauce! It goes especially well with the salmon. Any vinegar will work, I always use apple cider vinegar.
- Honey: Optional, but this adds an added layer or sweetness.
- Sweet Paprika: Optional, but it adds a nice smokiness to the salmon.
- Salt and Pepper
- Olive Oil: This is going to help the salmon stay moist while in the air fryer.
Rice Bowl:
You can switch it up here! These are the vegetables and grains I used today, but use whatever you have in the fridge/meal prepped.
- Rice: Rice or your favourite grains make the base of this bowl. You can also serve the Salmon over pasta.
- Edamame: I used frozen, ready-peeled ones. These store in the freezer for long, and when you want to use them, add what you need in a microwaveable bowl and blitz for a few seconds. They’re ready to eat!
- Shredded Cabbages: Raw red cabbages that I shred in bulk with my food processor and store in the fridge for bowls like this.
Since we’re using the mayonnaise and sweet chilli sauce combination (quick bang bang sauce!) as the dressing, you don’t need to flavour your bases much!
I recommend these other vegetables:
- Carrots
- Spinach
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Sweet Potato Mash
If you have to eat vegetables, make it a rainbow, I always say.
You can also serve salmon as a protein with other ingredients.
How to Make Air Fryer Bang Bang Salmon
1. Prepare the Bang Bang Sauce
In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha sauce, honey, vinegar, paprika, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix until you achieve a smooth and well-incorporated sauce.
2. Prep and Coat the Salmon
Pat the salmon fillets dry with a paper towel – this is important! This will ensure the sauce sticks to the salmon, instead of sliding off. Dip each salmon fillet into the prepared Bang Bang sauce, ensuring an even coating on both sides.
3. Prep the Air Fryer
Preheat your air fryer to 200°C (400°F). Spray or lightly oil the air fryer basket to prevent sticking.
4. Air Fry to Perfection
Place the salmon fillets into the air fryer basket. Pour on any remaining marinade. Cook at 200°C (400°F) for approximately 10-12 minutes. Flip it halfway through for even golden brown roast on both sides. The salmon should be flaky and opaque when cooked through.
5. Serve and Enjoy!
Plate your air fryer Bang Bang salmon over rice, and serve with a side of vegetables for some nutrients.
Drizzle on mayonnaise and sweet chilli sauce. You can also combine the two to make a shortcut bang bang sauce, but I like to squeeze the sauces straight out of the bottle! Some call it laziness, I call it efficiency :p
Garnish with chopped spring or green onions and sesame seeds for an extra touch of flavour and presentation.
Can I Make Ahead Air Fryer Bang Bang Salmon?
YES! This bang bang marinade is one of my top meal prep marinades for when I buy salmon in bulk.
After coating the salmon, store in an airtight container and freeze. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator when you’re ready to cook.
The salmon might be more mushy than flaky due to the vinegar, but flavour-wise it’s still delicious.
What if I Don’t Have an Air Fryer?
You can replace with an oven! Simply roast the marinated salmon in a preheated oven at 200°C (400°F) for 15 minutes. If you have a smaller oven, you may not need to adjust the cook time. Check that the Salmon is cooked through before serving.
No air fryer OR oven? No problem!
Pan fry the salmon fillets separately, and turn the bang bang marinade into a sauce to drizzle over instead.
- Make the Bang Bang Marinade sauce and set to one side.
- Pat salmon fillets dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Add oil to a pan, and place over medium to medium high heat.
- Once hot, gently add the salmon, skin side down first. Let it cook and crisp up on one side for about 3-4 minutes, before flipping to the other side to finish cooking.
- Once cooked, remove from the pan top over rice bowl. Drizzle over the bang bang sauce. Serve!
More Recipes Like This
- Air Fryer Sweet & Sour Chicken
- Air Fryer Salt & Pepper Chicken
- Air Fryer Ayam Bakar (Indonesian ‘Grilled’ Chicken)
Air Fryer Bang Bang Salmon
2
servings10
minutes10
minutesIngredients
2 pcs 200g/7oz salmon fillets
4 tbsps mayonnaise, with extra as dressing
2 tbsps sweet chili sauce, with extra as dressing
1 tbsp sriracha sauce (adjust to taste)
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp honey
1 tsp sweet paprika powder (optional)
1/4 tsp salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp olive oil
Cooking spray or oil for the air fryer basket (if needed)
- Assembly:
2 servings rice
edamame, blanched
red cabbage, shredded
spring onions, chopped
sesame seeds
Directions
- In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha sauce, honey, vinegar, paprika, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix until you achieve a smooth and well-incorporated sauce.
- Pat the salmon fillets dry with a paper towel – this is important! This will ensure the sauce sticks to the salmon, instead of sliding off. Dip each salmon fillet into the prepared Bang Bang sauce, ensuring an even coating on both sides.
- Preheat your air fryer to 200°C (400°F). Line the basket with baking paper, or spray or lightly oil the air fryer basket to prevent sticking.
- Place the salmon fillets into the air fryer basket. Pour on any remaining marinade. Cook at 200°C (400°F) for approximately 10 minutes. Flip it halfway through for even golden brown roast on both sides. The salmon should be flaky and opaque when cooked through.
- While salmon is air frying, prepare your rice bowl. Add rice to the serving bowl, and top with vegetables.
- Once the salmon is cooked, place it over the rice bowl. Drizzle on mayonnaise and sweet chilli sauce. You can also combine the two to make a shortcut bang bang sauce. Garnish with chopped spring onions and sesame seeds for an extra touch of flavour and presentation.
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