Air Fryer Salmon Tacos with Pineapple Mango Salsa
Air fryer salmon tacos are one of my favorite ways to make salmon! They are full of flavor and make an easy weeknight meal. Salmon is one of my top choices when it comes to fish because of its rich flavor and healthy omega 3 fatty acids. Add some fresh mango salsa with pineapple and these tacos will be your go to taco recipe for summer dinners. They are so good and make a healthy meal for taco Tuesday the whole family will love. This simple air fryer salmon taco recipe has only a little bit of prep time and a short cooking time but makes a delicious meal. Full printable recipe card below.
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What are Salmon Bite Tacos?
Salmon bites are a new way of cooking salmon fillets that adds more flavor to each bite while still enjoying an easy recipe that makes a quick meal. In my opinion the best way to maximize these tasty bites is to make them into easy salmon tacos. They are full of flavor and are the perfect meal for the whole family.
Cooking Method
Salmon bites are in my weekly rotation and they often end up in taco form. For me the easiest way to make them is in my Ninja Foodi air fryer because it is fast and easy. In theory you could bake them in the oven as well, but I have not personally tried that. In my experience, the oven usually takes a bit longer to cook items especially if you are cooking in a gas oven.
My Air Fryer
I have the Ninja Foodi air fryer and I LOVE IT! I use it several times each week and I may even use it more than my real oven now. The Ninja is a different type of air fryer in that the air fryer basket is a pull out drawer which makes using it very convenient. It has two zones which can be used simultaneously or as one large mega zone as it’s called. The only draw back is the size. It does take up a bit of space, but in my opinion it is totally worth it! I definitely recommend this air fryer!
Ingredients
This simple air fryer salmon taco recipe only requires a few simple ingredients and steps to make. You may even have these items on hand. Let me walk you through what I use and why and what ingredients will give you the best results.
Salmon FiletsĀ – I have used both fresh salmon filets and frozen salmon for this recipe and both work just fine. If you choose to use frozen, just thaw them in cold water first. When I use fresh, I remove the salmon skin but you can leave it on if you like eating the skin. If you keep the skin on, make sure you place them skin side down in the air fryer. I usually use Atlantic salmon because it has a milder flavor than sockeye salmon, but you can use either or. While I prefer flaky salmon for this recipe, you could also make this with mahi mahi or tilapia. Because salmon is a richer tasting fish with more fatty acids it gives the bites of fish better flavor.
I do recommend cutting the salmon into cubes to make eating the tacos a bit easier. Cubing the salmon also helps it to cook faster and coats each bite with more flavor.
Soft Taco ShellsĀ – I usually use a single layer of the small tortillas, but not the street taco size. I feel those are a little too small. I normally use flour tortillas because corn tortillas tend to fall apart very easily. But you can definitely use corn instead if you prefer or are gluten free. I also brown my tortillas a little on the stove top too. Ā This part is definitely optional, but adds a little crunch and extra flavor vs room temperature tortillas.
Spicy Hoisin Soy SauceĀ – Before air frying I marinade the salmon cubes in my go to sauce. It’s a mixture of soy, hoisin, honey, garlic, brown sugar, and sriracha. It gives the bites a sweet and salty flavor with a little bit of spice. The sauce also help the bites to caramelize in the air fryer. I use half as a marinade before air frying and half as a glaze after cooking.
Pineapple Mango SalsaĀ – The salsa ingredients are all fresh and give off plenty of juice to add delicious flavor to the tacos. I make my own fresh mango salsa with pineapple, fresh cilantro, jalapenos, and red onions with minimal effort. All you need to do is dice up the ingredients and mix. It makes a large batch of salsa and can be made ahead of time and used all week to top tacos, chicken, seafood, taco bowls, or served as a healthy side.
AvocadoĀ – Avocado is one of my favorite taco toppings and I love adding avocado slices for a bit of creamy texture. I only used a little bit in this recipe since the salmon is also really rich.
Shredded CabbageĀ – While this is an optional ingredient it adds a little bit of crunch to the bottom of the tacos. You can use pre-shredded cabbage, shred your own, or skip it all together.
Additional ToppingsĀ – I personally think these tacos are best with just the simple fresh ingredients and do not need any additional taco seasoning, sour cream, or cheese. You can serve with lime wedges but I think the salsa is juicy enough that you don’t really need fresh lime juice.
Coating the Salmon Bites
I usually soak my salmon bites in my go to sauce mixture for about five minutes prior to air frying them. This adds flavor and creates a coating that can caramelize in the air fryer. After the salmon bites are coated I add each piece to a small greased pan that fits in my air fryer.
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PrintAir Fryer Salmon Tacos with Pineapple Mango Salsa
- Total Time: 36 minutes
- Yield: 5-8 servings 1x
Description
Looking for a salmon taco recipe that is full of fresh flavors? You have to try my air fryer salmon tacos with pineapple mango salsa. They are so good and make a healthy dinner for taco Tuesday. Salmon is one of my top choices when it comes to fish because of its rich flavor and healthy omega 3 fatty acids. Add some fresh mango salsa with pineapple and these tacos will be your go to taco recipe for summer dinners. They have a sweet and tangy taste and make an easy weeknight meal the whole family will love. This simple air fryer salmon taco recipe has only a little bit of prep time and a short cooking time but makes a delicious meal.
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 1/4 cup Honey
- 1/2 cup Soy Sauce
- 2 tsp Garlic minced
- 1 tbsp Sriracha
- 4 tbsp Hoisin
- 2 tbsp Brown Sugar
For the Salsa
- 1 Whole Pineapple cubed
- 3 Yellow Mangoes cubed
- 1/2 Red Onion diced
- 2–3 Jalapenos diced with seeds removed
- 1 1/2 tbsp Cilantro chopped
- 1/8 tsp Salt
For the Tacos
- 2 Salmon Fillets cubed
- Small Flour or Corn Tortillas
- 1 Avocado sliced (optional)
- Small Bag of Shredded Cabbage (optional)
Instructions
For the Sauce
- In a small bowl, whisk together honey, soy, garlic, sriracha, hoisin, and brown sugar.
- Note, you will use half of this sauce to coat the salmon bites before air frying and other half should be reserved for glazing after frying. Do not cross contaminate with the sauce that contained the raw fish.
For the Salsa
- Cut pineapple into 1-2 inch cubes and add to a medium bowl. See details here on cutting a whole pineapple.
- Cut mangoes into cubes and add to the bowl with the pineapple.
- Dice the red onion, jalapenos, and cilantro and add to bowl. To speed up chopping I use this slicer.
- Add the salt to the bowl and stir all the ingredients until combined. Set aside.
For the Salmon
- Set the temperature of your air fryer to 390 degrees F. Pre-heating is not required, but I think it helps for the fryer to heat up for a couple of minutes prior to adding the salmon.
- Spray the inside of the air fryer with cooking oil spray or use a small pan that fits in the air fryer to prevent the salmon from sticking to the bottom.
- If you are using fresh salmon, remove the skin before cubing.
- With a sharp knife, cut each salmon fillet into 1 inch cubes depending on the thickness of your fillets.
- In a small bowl, add half of the sauce mixture and all the salmon bites. Marinade for 5 minutes. Note, you will use the other half of the sauce after they are done cooking.
- Once the salmon is coated place on a greased pan, piece of parchment paper, or aluminum foil that will go inside the air fryer. NOTE: be careful with parchment paper, if it is too big it can burn in the fan.
- Place the salmon inside the pre-heated air fryer and cook for 4-6 minutes flipping halfway through. I use my mega zone for this and can make both fillets if I use parchment paper or place directly on the grates.
- When the bites are done, remove immediately and do not allow them to cool in the fryer. I find that this makes things less crispy. As soon as the time ends, open the fryer and turn it off. Cool for a few minutes with the drawer or lid off.
- Transfer to a plate and brush the salmon bites with the remaining sauce.
For the Tacos
- Lightly toast your small tortillas. If you have a gas range, you can do this directly over the grates with the burner set to low heat. Char for no more than 20 seconds on each side and DO NOT leave unsupervised as they can catch fire. If you do not have a gas range you can toast in a pan on the stovetop. Be careful not to over cook these. You want them to still be soft enough to fold in half.
- Add a small amount of shredded cabbage to the bottom of each tortilla.
- Add 5-8 bites of salmon per taco and top with pineapple mango salsa and sliced avocado.
Equipment
Notes
- Air fryer ovens may differ in size and temperature so your cook time and quantity may vary. Two salmon fillets makes about 45 bites depending on cut size.
- The pineapple mango salsa can be made ahead of time and will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 6
- Category: Entree
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
Storage
Leftover salmon bites can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. But if I am being honest, these are best when made fresh.
When to Make Air Fryer Salmon Tacos
This is the perfect weeknight or weekend meal when you are on a healthy diet or craving something full of fresh flavors. At the risk of sounding cheesy, I like to make these for taco Tuesday but any night of the week works just fine. You can make these air fryer salmon tacos for dinner, lunch, Cinco de Mayo, on Fridays during lent, or for taco Tuesday. The good news is no matter when you decide to make these tasty salmon tacos, I am confident they will become a great addition to the family favorites recipe box.
Want to try a white fish taco? Try my frozen Costco tilapia fish tacos. Looking for more easy air fryer recipes? Try my air fryer sweet potato fries, breakfast bagel egg in the hole, crispy salmon bites, or tater tots. Looking for more seafood recipes? Try my peanut butter shrimp pad Thai or spicy tuna sushi bowls.
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