Low Carb Air Fryer Salmon Bites
Air fryer salmon bites take only 15 minutes to prepare, offering a quick and delicious meal option. The blend of simple ingredients with fresh fish ensures a consistently fantastic result, ideal for a no-fuss weeknight dinner or a speedy, refreshing, healthy lunch.

This recipe is versatile, accommodating various types of salmon. However, the quality of ingredients plays a pivotal role in the final taste. Using premium salmon enriches the flavor substantially and makes a more satisfying meal. The distinct taste and texture of fresh salmon elevate this dish, making it memorable for both seasoned salmon lovers and those new to the world of this flavorful fish.

I like to use fresh fish. Then again, I live on the Maine seacoast where fish markets are as abundant as Starbucks. Not kidding. While salmon isn’t a fish you would normally associate with New England, they are here and in nearby Canada. So it is entirely possible that I can get fresh Atlantic salmon that was recently caught.
Now let’s say you do not live near the coast. You can still make this recipe. So, if all you have is frozen salmon from Costco or even canned salmon, I would recommend giving these air fried salmon bites a try.
If you do go with frozen salmon, be sure to thaw it before cooking so you’ll get optimal results. Salmon thaws very quickly, even in the fridge or a bowl of cold water. So if for some reason you forget to take it out in time to thaw, you can still have dinner on the table in a flash.
Why You Will Love This Air Fryer Salmon Bites Recipe
This recipe is lightning fast and so easy to prepare. We’re talking five minutes of turning the salmon into chunks and then 12 minutes of cooking in the air fryer. Before you know it, you’ll be eating delicious, perfectly cooked bites of salmon.
Also, it’s delicious. The fresh salmon and lemon are the perfect combination, and the salt brings everything together. Butter in the mix just adds a creamy, savory element. It is reminiscent of shrimp scampi but with tender bites of salmon instead of shrimp. And, given this blog’s theme, you’ll love that this is a low-carb meal you can make without much fuss.
Ingredients

Fresh Salmon: Cube it into bite-sized pieces for quick cooking and easy eating. The fresher, the better.
Butter: Use salted butter and thank me later. You need the salt and flavor, and it complements the fish well.
Lemon: A little citrus is incredible on salmon. Use fresh slices and set them on the bottom of the basket and on the top of the salmon, too.
Sea Salt: I love good salt, so this dish uses quality sea salt or some pink Himalayan salt.
Lemon Pepper: I believe that a great lemon pepper is essential to your seasoning cabinet! We use it on fish, shrimp and chicken, too.
Equipment
Air Fryer: I’ve used a variety of different air fryer models. We love our Instant Pot 6Qt air fryer with a square basket.
Parchment Paper: Place a single layer of parchment paper in the air fryer basket. Trim the excess from the basket’s top with kitchen shears or scissors. Or treat yourself to air fryer liners aka parchment paper that are cut to fit different air fryer models.
Scissors or Kitchen Shears: To trim the excess parchment paper from the top of the basket, if you haven’t gotten the liners mentioned above. You’ll want to cut the excess paper so it doesn’t start to burn once you turn your air fryer on.
Instructions

Cut your salmon into bite-sized chunks with a sharp knife.
Season the salmon chunks thoroughly with the sea salt and lemon pepper on all sides of the fish.
Thinly slice your lemon so you have 8-10 slices. Line the bottom of the basket with 4-6 slices of the lemon.
Put the chunks of seasoned salmon on top of the lemon slices.
With a skewer or chopstick, poke some holes into the remaining lemon slices. Place them on top of the fish. The holes will allow the butter to drip through the lemon onto the fish.
Put the pats of butter on top of the lemon slices. As the air fryer heats, the butter will melt and go through the lemon to the fish.
Place the basket with the fish into the air fryer. Set the timer for 12 minutes at 390 F.
Remove when the timer goes off and serve hot.
Substitutions
You can skip the butter and drizzle with olive oil if dairy-free.
Do you like a little spice? Sprinkle on some red pepper flakes or a drizzle of sriracha tossed with the cubed salmon will add a lot of flavor. Another great option would be some hot chili oil drizzled on top.

Variations
This recipe works well for all types of fish, not just salmon. You can use this method and recipe with white fish like cod, lingcod, rockfish, seabass, halibut, walleye, pollock, haddock, swordfish or other similar whitefish.
You can omit the lemon pepper if you don’t have any. Just use freshly ground black pepper instead. The lemon flavor will still come through via the lemon slices.
If you don’t have lemon, orange would also be a nice flavor with salmon.
Flavored salts make a great addition to this recipe! There are so many to choose from; experiment and see what happens! I love sriracha salt or smoked salt would add another flavor that could be delicious.
Storage
To Store: Store in a covered container in the fridge for 2-3 days, maximum.
To Reheat: Reheat in a skillet with butter or oil, or put it back in the air fryer for a few minutes. The quality will not be as good in a reheat, but it is still worth saving if you make more than you can tackle in one sitting.
To Freeze: I do not recommend freezing this dish.
This article originally appeared on Pink When.

Low Carb Air Fryer Salmon Bites
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 ounces salmon
- 1 lemon thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 3 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Line the air fryer basket with parchment paper. Trim excess from over the top of the basket (if applicable).
- Cut your salmon into bite-sized chunks.
- Season with the sea salt and lemon pepper on all sides.
- Slice your lemon and line the bottom of the air fryer with 4-6 slices.
- Put the chunks of seasoned salmon on top.
- Poke some holes into the remaining lemon slices. Place on top of the fish.
- Put some pats of butter on top of the lemon slices. You want it to melt and work through the lemon slices and onto the fish.
- Place the basket into the air fryer and set it for 12 minutes at 390 F.
- Remove when the timer goes off and serve hot.