Air Fryer Recipe
Salmon Fishcake Bites
Salmon fishcake bites are a tasty, wholesome little dish, just as good for an appetiser as they are for a simple main. The air fryer helps give them a crisp outside without needing much oil.
Ingredients
- 300g of fresh salmon fillets, skin removed
- 200g of mashed potatoes
- 2 spring onions, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon of capers, drained
- 1 tablespoon of dill, chopped
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 150g of breadcrumbs
- Olive oil spray
Method
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Put the salmon fillets on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, or until cooked through. Leave them to cool, then flake into small pieces.
- In a large bowl, combine the flaked salmon, mashed potatoes, spring onions, capers, dill, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir until everything is evenly mixed.
- Using your hands, shape the mixture into small balls or bites, roughly the size of a golf ball. Dip each one into the beaten egg, then cover with breadcrumbs.
- Set your air fryer to 200°C (392°F) and allow it to heat up for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Lightly spray the air fryer basket with olive oil. Arrange the fishcake bites in the basket in a single layer, making sure they are not touching. Lightly spray the tops with a little more olive oil.
- Air fry for about 10 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden brown and crisp.
- Serve with tartar sauce on the side or a fresh green salad.
Why this works in an air fryer
Pre-cooking the salmon removes excess moisture and lets the potato bind the flakes without turning pasty. In the air fryer, fast convection dries the breadcrumb surface while the light oil spray conducts heat into the crumbs, giving colour and crunch before the already-cooked centre overcooks.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 4–5 litre basket holding about 8–10 golf-ball bites with gaps; cook in batches if crowded. In a single-drawer air fryer, place them around the hotter outer edge and turn carefully halfway. In a dual-zone model, split between drawers and start checking 1–2 minutes early, as smaller loads brown faster.
Common pitfalls
- Bites flattening or splitting as you coat them? The mash is too loose or warm; chill the shaped bites for 20–30 minutes, or mix in a spoonful of breadcrumbs before coating.
- Breadcrumbs still pale at 10 minutes? They were too dry or under-oiled; give the tops a second light spray and cook 2–3 minutes more, rather than raising the heat and drying the salmon.
- Crumbs browned but centres feel cold or dense? The bites are too large or packed tightly; make them smaller, golf-ball sized, and leave clear airflow gaps between each one.
- Bites sticking when flipped? The coating has not set; spray the basket properly, wait until halfway before turning, and use a thin silicone spatula rather than tongs that squeeze the fishcakes.
Variations & substitutions
- Use panko breadcrumbs for a rougher, crisper crust; they brown well in the air fryer but need a thorough oil spray to avoid dry white patches.
- Swap fresh salmon for drained tinned salmon; the mixture will be softer and saltier, so drain very well and reduce the added salt before shaping.
- Replace dill with parsley and a little lemon zest for a milder flavour; the cooking time stays the same because the moisture level is similar.
- Add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard to the mix for sharper flavour; if the mixture loosens, balance it with an extra tablespoon of breadcrumbs before shaping.
Storage & reheating
Keep cooled fishcake bites in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days, then reheat in the air fryer at 180°C for 4–6 minutes until hot through and re-crisped.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
