Air Fryer Salmon (Quick and Easy)

Name: Air Fryer Salmon
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 4 salmon fillets (boneless); 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp paprika; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp pepper

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This Air Fryer Salmon Recipe is incredibly delicious! In the air fryer, salmon comes out perfectly browned and you get tender, juicy, flaky salmon. Best of all, this healthy meal takes just 10 minutes to make!

An air fryer cooked fillet of salmon on a black plate with asparagus and lemon wedges.

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Why Cook Salmon in The Air Fryer?
Ingredients You'll Need
How To Cook Salmon In The Air Fryer
Top Tips for Juicy Salmon
FAQ
What to Serve With Air Fried Salmon?
Love Salmon? More Recipes to Try:
Recipe
Comments

Why Cook Salmon in The Air Fryer?

I love cooking everything in the air fryer. The Air Fryer Asparagus Fries that I made a couple of weeks ago are now on permanent rotation. And we love Gluten-Free Buffalo Cauliflower Bites, Air Fryer Orange Chicken, Air Fryer Rutabaga Fries and Air Fried Green Tomatoes. I've even roasted a whole chicken: Air Fryer Whole Chicken, and made a cake! Air Fryer Cake. But I think cooking salmon in the air fryer is my favourite new way to use this appliance. I get perfect salmon every time.
Because the air fryer makes cooking fish so quick (10 minutes) and easy, you may find yourself cooking fish more often. This easy recipe is a perfect way to have a delicious and healthy weeknight meal on the table in no time.
The air fryer cooks the salmon quickly at a high temperature, so it stays juicy and tender, never drying out.
You get delicious salmon with just a couple of simple seasonings.

Ingredients You'll Need

The ingredients to make the recipe. — Recipe Ingredients

Salmon. There are a few different varieties, and you can use any type of salmon. I like to use wild sockeye salmon for air frying because the fillets are thick and the colour and flavour of the salmon is wonderful. Try to get boneless fillets, but it's ok if they have skin.
Olive Oil and Seasonings This recipe is simply salt, black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Feel free to use your favorite seasonings

That's it!

How To Cook Salmon In The Air Fryer

Using a brush or your fingers, rub each piece of salmon with olive oil on all sides, including the skin.

Salmon fillets being brushed with oil. — Brush fillets with oil

2. Rub the seasonings into the flesh of the fillet. (If your fillets are skinless, rub both sides).

Salmon fillets being seasoned before cooking in the air fryer. — Rub in seasonings.

3. Place the fillets in the preheated air fryer basket, skin side down in a single layer.

Three salmon fillets in an air fryer basket ready to be cooked. — Put the salmon in the air fryer basket.

4. Bake 10 minutes, then serve your delicious, air fryer salmon!

Three cooked salmon fillets in an air fryer basket. — Perfectly browned in 10 minutes.

Top Tips for Juicy Salmon

You can use fresh salmon or frozen. Thaw frozen salmon completely before cooking.
Buy pre-cut fillets, or cut a large fillet into portions yourself. Try to cut the portions into equal size to ensure even cooking.
For best results, pat the fillets dry with paper towels before brushing them with oil and seasonings.
This recipe is delicious just exactly as written. However, if you have extra time, you can refrigerate the fillets after rubbing with oil and seasonings for an hour or two before air frying them. This step will really maximize the flavour.
My salmon fillets were about 2 inches thick and I cooked them in two batches for 10 minutes. This cook time is approximate and depends on the thickness of the salmon fillets and your individual air fryer.

Air Fryer Salmon and asparagus on a black plate with a silver fork.

FAQ

What temperature should salmon be cooked to?

Salmon should be cooked to an internal temperature reaches 145° measured at the thickest part of the fillet. The safest, best way to measure this is using a meat thermometer. I use an instant read thermometer.

Should I take the skin off the salmon before air frying?

No, you should leave the skin on. The skin protects the tender flesh while it's cooking. You can even eat the salmon skin, which is delicious when crispy.

How long does cooked salmon keep?

You can keep cooked salmon in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Leftover salmon is delicious in salads, sandwiches and other recipes, like this quick and easy Salmon Spinach Pasta.

What to Serve With Air Fried Salmon?

Salmon goes well with almost any side dish! Besides asparagus, try Sautéed Green Beans With Lemon & Garlic, Air Fryer Carrots, Cabbage Stir-Fry (especially if you brush the salmon with Honey Teriyaki Sauce) or Sautéed Beet Greens.

For more side dish choices to serve with salmon, check out this collection of recipes: 21 Air Fryer Vegetable Recipes.

Salads are another great pairing for salmon. I especially like it with Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad With Apples or Southwestern Quinoa Salad. And be sure to serve it with plenty of lemon wedges and tartar sauce.

Love Salmon? More Recipes to Try:

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a rating in the comments below and let us know how it turned out. Did you make any changes? We would love for you to share and your feedback is important! Thank you for visiting The Food Blog!

Recipe

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Air Fryer Salmon

Salmon Cooked in the air fryer is quick and easy. It comes out nicely browned but juicy, tender and delicious! All in only 10 minutes.

5 from 47 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Seafood

Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Low Fat

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 15

Servings:

Calories: 277kcal

Author: Colleen Milne

Equipment

▢
Air Fryer

Ingredients

Instructions

Preheat the air fryer to 400°
Pat the salmon filets dry with paper towel
4 salmon fillets
Rub the salmon fillets all over with olive oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sprinkle the fillets with paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper and rub the seasonings into the flesh.
1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
Place fillets, without crowding, in a single layer in the air fryer basket
Cook 8-10 minutes until cooked through.
Serve with lemon wedges and tarter sauce.

Notes

You can use fresh or frozen salmon, just thaw frozen salmon completely before cooking.
You can buy precut fillets, or cut a large fillet into portions yourself. Try to cut the portions into equal size to ensure even cooking.
For best results, pat the fillets dry with paper towels before brushing them with oil and seasonings.
This recipe is delicious just exactly as written, However, if you have extra time, you can refrigerate the fillets after rubbing with oil and seasonings for an hour or two before air frying them. This step will really maximize the flavour.
My salmon fillets were about 2 inches thick and I cooked them in two batches for 10 minutes. This cooking time is approximate and depends on the thickness of the salmon fillets, and your individual air fryer.

Nutrition

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Comments

5 from 47 votes (24 ratings without comment)