Bang bang salmon bites are crisp, juicy, and tossed with a sweet and spicy homemade bang bang sauce. This fun salmon dish is perfectly seasoned, quick and easy to make in 15 minutes, and it comes out delicious every time!

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If you love bang bang shrimp you are sure to love this version made with salmon! Salmon bites are pieces of salmon cut into bite-sized nuggets. They get crispier than a whole piece of salmon and it cooks quicker too! Try my other salmon recipes like Air fryer jerk salmon or Air fryer stuffed salmon.

Tossed with smoked paprika and garlic powder, the salmon bites are air fried until crisp and golden brown on the outside and flaky and tender on the inside. If you don't want to use an air fryer, you can just as easily make this recipe inside your oven or over the stove. I've included instructions for all 3 cooking methods below!

What really takes this recipe to a whole new level is the homemade bang bang sauce. It's creamy, sweet, and spicy and pairs so well with the flaky salmon bites!

Bang bang salmon bites can be a quick and easy appetizer for party guests or added to salads or grain bowls for extra protein. This meal is loaded with flavor and only takes 15 minutes to make from start to finish!

How to make bang bang salmon bites

To prepare these flavorful Bang Bang Salmon Bites, start by cutting your salmon into roughly 2-inch pieces. Once you've done that, take all of these bites and put them in a bowl. Now, add your spices and oil to the bowl and give it a good mix until all the salmon pieces are well-coated with the spices.

At this point, you have a few options for how to cook your salmon bites. If you have an air fryer, you can use that to get a nice, crispy texture. To do so, just put your salmon bites in the air fryer and set it to 390 degrees. You'll want to let them cook in there for about 5 minutes.

If you don't have an air fryer, not to worry - you can easily use your oven instead. For this, you'll need to preheat your oven to 425 degrees. While it's heating up, arrange your salmon bites on a baking sheet that's been lined with parchment paper. This will help prevent them from sticking to the pan. Once your oven is hot, put the baking sheet in and let the salmon cook for 10 minutes.

Alternatively, if you prefer cooking on the stovetop, you can use a pan to cook your salmon bites. To do this, heat up your pan over medium heat, then add the salmon bites. You'll want to cook them for about 2 minutes on each side, just until they're cooked through and have a nice color on the outside.

While your salmon is cooking, you can prepare the Bang Bang sauce. For this, you'll need mayo, Sriracha, and sweet chili sauce. Just mix all of these ingredients together in a bowl. Once your salmon bites are done cooking, pour this tasty sauce over them. Now your Bang Bang Salmon Bites are ready to serve and enjoy!

Recipe ingredients

Salmon. Fillets cut into 2-inch bite-sized pieces. Use the freshest salmon you can find for the best flavor.

Seasonings. Salt, ground black pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder.

Vegetable oil. Used to cook the salmon bites.

Sriracha. Adds color and a spicy tomato flavor to the bang bang sauce.

Mayo. Used to give the sauce a creamy consistency.

Sweet chili sauce. Adds more spice and sweetness to this dish.

Recipe tips

• You can use fresh or frozen salmon for this recipe. If buying fresh make sure you are choosing high-quality fillets that are thick and firm. If using frozen, it's easier to cut cubes when the fillets are cold and partially frozen. Make sure to completely thaw the cubes before cooking for the best taste and texture.

• Don't overcook your salmon bites. They will cook very quickly no matter what cooking method you choose. Keep an eye on them and take them out as soon as they are ready so that they don't dry out.

• If you are baking your salmon bites in the oven, you can broil them towards the end of the cooking process so they get extra crispy on the outside.

Substitutions

Sweet chili sauce. Use a mix of hot sauce and honey or maple syrup and red pepper flakes. If you want to use garlic chili sauce instead, add your favorite sweetener to it since this sauce is usually unsweetened.

Sriracha. Substitute with your favorite hot sauce mixed with ketchup to give your sauce some of the same spicy, sweet, and tomato flavors that sriracha has.

Variations

You can use your favorite mayo or whatever you have on hand. Full-fat, light, or fat-free will all work great for this recipe.

Use cajun seasoning or your favorite seasoning blend to switch up the flavor of your salmon bites.

Use more or less sriracha in your bang bang sauce depending on your spice tolerance. You can try mixing the mayo and sweet chili sauce together first, then add as much sriracha as you like, tasting after each addition.

Frequently asked questions

Side dishes

Steamed White or Brown Rice: This is a very neutral side that goes well with all types of salmon dishes. It's particularly good at soaking up flavorful sauces.

Cucumber Salad: A light and refreshing cucumber salad with a simple vinaigrette can help balance out a rich salmon dish.

Baked Potato: A baked potato is easy to prepare and offers a hearty accompaniment to salmon. You can keep it plain or add a bit of butter or a sprinkle of salt.

Mixed Green Salad: A simple mixed green salad with a light dressing can be a refreshing and light side dish that won't compete with the flavors of your salmon.

Storage instructions

Bang bang salmon bites should be stored in the fridge in the air tight container for up to 4 days. You can also just cover the bowl with salmon with foil, tightly and store it that way. Reheat in the air fryer or microwave. Do not overheat or fish will become dry.

More seafood recipes

• Air fryer sole
• Baked swordfish
• Hake recipe
• Air fryer frozen tuna steaks
• Cobia ceviche
• Triggerfish recipe
• Grouper cheeks recipe
• Baked corvina recipe

You may also like these air fryer recipes : Alligator sausage recipe, air fryer bone marrow, Air fryer lamb meatballs or Air fryer whole duck

Hope you will like this bang bang salmon bites recipe as much as we do. Please rate the recipe if you made it and leave a comment below if you have any questions or suggestions.