Cooking Air Fryer Salmon is so easy, follow these simple tips and tricks for getting perfectly cooked salmon in less than 10 minutes.
Here’s another basic but classic air fryer recipe to give you a family friendly dinner option that is low on effort, fuss and time.
Air Fryer Salmon is seriously delicious and unbelievably easy – there may be no going back!
All you have to do is season it with simple flavouring and check out these foolproof hacks below for seriously good salmon in less than 10 minutes.
Why you’ll love this
So easy and quick
Deliciously tender fish in minutes
No need to switch on the oven.
Air Fryer Salmon Ingredients
- Salmon fillets – For this recipe, we’re cooking with 4, but choose however many you want according to your portion sizes and how many will fit in your air fryer. You can cook them with the skin on, but if you prefer to buy skinless salmon, make sure you grease the foil with oil first
- Seasoning – We’re keeping it simple by using just paprika and garlic granules, with salt and freshly ground black pepper, of course
- Oil – This makes a seasoning paste. Use olive oil or a flavourless oil
- Lemon – This is to squeeze over the salmon once it’s cooked for a little extra zest and freshness
How to make Salmon in an air fryer
1. Line your air fryer tray with foil and preheat. Make the spice paste and brush the fillets. Place the fish into the air fryer, skin side down.
2. Cook as per the recipe below and then squeeze over the lemon juice. Slide the salmon off the foil to serve.
More delicious salmon recipes…
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Leftovers
In the fridge The cooked salmon will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. It would be delicious eaten cold in a pasta or salad dish.
In the freezer You can freeze the salmon after it’s cooled, but be aware it won’t be at its best after defrosting. It may dry out a little, so be sure to reheat it gently (but thoroughly) again in the air fryer or oven when it’s time to eat.
AIR FRYER SALMON Tips
Skin on or off?
It’s up to you – some people like to eat the skin, but others don’t.
If you want to eat it with the skin: Cook it skin side UP and grease the foil with oil first so the fleshy bit doesn’t stick.
If you don’t want to eat the skin: You can slice it off first OR simply cook it skin side down and then slide the fillets off the skin when it’s cooked. This option is my preference because cooking with the skin on gives a little more moisture and flavour.
Lining
Putting a layer of tin foil in the bottom of your air fryer is wise and I highly recommend this step. Why? It makes the machine much easier to clean and prevents the unmistakable smell of fish getting into everything afterwards!
It’s also handy for lifting the salmon out of the air fryer once it’s cooked.
Lemon
Salmon always tastes better with a squeeze of lemon, but it’s best to do this after it’s cooked.
Cooking with frozen salmon
You can use frozen instead of fresh if you like!
Air fry it for 5 minutes initially, then season according to the recipe and cook for the 8 minutes as usual.
You could use a meat thermometer to make sure it has reached 63C (145F) or check when cutting that it’s cooked through and can flake.
More classic Air Fryer recipes…
Side Dishes
Air Fryer Baked Potatoes {The Ultimate Guide!}
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Perfect Air Fryer Bacon
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Air Fryer Garlic Butter Chicken Traybake
FAQs
This depends on the size of your air fryer. I can fit 4 in mine, but if yours can’t, you may have to cook in batches. Make sure they’re not squeezed in and have a bit of room around them to cook through.
No, the air fryer will cook the fillets evenly so there’s no need to turn over.
This may be because you’ve either overcooked it or haven’t added enough oil.
Yes, as long as it doesn’t touch the heating element and it has something heavy enough to weigh it down, which the salmon is. If not, the foil will blow around inside.
You can follow my Baked Salmon recipe for the oven instead, or did you know you can even make salmon in the slow cooker too?
Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the below.
Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).
Air Fryer Salmon {How to Cook Perfectly Every Time!}
Ingredients
- 4 Salmon fillets See notes below
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Garlic granules
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 Lemon Juice only
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
-
Line the air fryer with foil.
-
In a small bowl mix the paprika, garlic, olive oil and sea salt into a paste.
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Using a pastry brush to brush the salmon with the paste. (You can brush the skin if you’re going to eat it, but don’t bother if you’re going to remove it, just brush the other side.)
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Carefully place the salmon fillets into the air fryer basket. (If you want to eat the skin, cook them skin side up. If you will remove the skin, cook skin side down.)
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Cook on 180c for 10-12 minutes. Check they are cooked through.
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Squeeze over the lemon juice.
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Slide off the fillets from the foil and serve.
Notes
If you want to eat it with the skin: Cook it skin side up. You may want to add a little oil to the foil first if cooking this way so that the fleshy bit doesn’t stick.
If you don’t want to eat the skin: You can slice it off first OR simply cook it skin side down and then slide the fillets off the skin when it’s cooked. This is so easy.
Type of salmon: For this recipe we’re using the regular thin but fleshy strips of fillet we find in the supermarkets. Please note that any other kind that is much thinner or thicker will need adjustments in the cooking time.
Lining: Putting a layer of tin foil in the bottom of your air fryer is wise and I highly recommend this step. Why? It makes the machine much easier to clean and prevents the unmistakable smell of fish getting into everything afterwards!
Frozen fish in the air fryer: You can use frozen salmon instead of fresh if you like. Air fry it for 5 minutes initially, then season according to the recipe and cook for the 8 minutes as usual.
Nutrition
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