Air Fryer Salmon

Air fryer salmon is one of the fastest and most reliable ways to cook perfectly flaky, moist salmon with crisp edges in under 10 minutes. Using circulating hot air, the air fryer cooks salmon evenly while preserving its natural oils and flavor. If you’re looking for a super healthy meal you can easily cook in your air fryer then you don’t need to look any further than this one!

Salmon is a super versatile fish, one that can be your weeknight saver when rushed. This recipes cooks salmon in the air using very few simple spices, and a bright avocado salsa on top for freshness. We guarantee you’ll be making this super delicious salmon recipe on the regular.

What Is Air Fryer Salmon?

Air fryer salmon is salmon fillets cooked in an air fryer using rapid hot air circulation. This creates a crisp exterior with a moist flaky interior. The air fryer is a faster cooking method than oven roasting so you’re saving time. Cooking salmon in the air fryer has become a favorite because it combines roasting and pan searing results with almost no effort.

Why You’ll Love Air Fryer Salmon

• It cooks your salmon filets beautifully. The result is a moist fish plus a really nice crispy skin.
• The recipe is so TASTY yet it uses simple and few ingredients.
• It takes anywhere from 10-14 minutes depending on the thickness of your salmon filets!
• You can make this with skinless or skin on, the salmon skin becomes extra crisp if you love it.
• You only need minimal oil, so it’s very much a healthier version.
• The salmon is very nutrient dense so you feel good making it!
• You can adjust the seasonings, spice, topping, serving and much more, so it’s customizable. Make it as simple as a salt and black pepper salmon or make a bold flavor salmon.

What Air Frying Actually Does to Salmon

• Salmon is naturally rich in omega-3 fats, which melt gently as the fish cooks. These fats baste the flesh from within, keeping the fillet moist.
• In traditional oven roasting, heat moves slowly and often dries the outer layers before the center cooks. The air fryer solves this by circulating hot air rapidly around the fish. This does three important things:
• Cooks the fish evenly from all sides
• Evaporates surface moisture quickly (helping browning)
• Keeps the center tender while the edges firm slightly
• The result is salmon that feels closer to pan seared fish than baked fish, but with almost no effort.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Seasoning / Dry Rub: salt and black pepper, garlic powder, chilli powder, light brown sugar, oregano
• Olive oil. To brush the salmon, and you can likewise use oil spray or melted butter.
• Optional flavor boosters: Dijon mustard, Honey, or honey mustard, Soy sauce, more fresh herbs like dill or parsley, lemon juice to finish.

Salmon

• Use Coho salmon for milder flavor, Atlantic salmon is rich and fatty and Sockeye salmon has a  firmer texture and deep flavor.
• When buying salmon, make sure the filets are bright pink, firm and fresh smelling.
• Frozen salmon works here too, make sure to thaw it first.
• Skin-on fillets work best because they protect the fish during cooking.

How to Air Fry Salmon

Prepare the Salmon

1. Like so many air fryer recipes, the key is to always pat the salmon down with paper towels right at the beginning to get rid of any excess moisture.
2. Doing this allows the spices to stick to the salmon rather than just coming off. You also need to make sure you pat the skin as this ensures it will crisp up.

Season the Salmon

1. Once your salmon has been patted down in a small bowl combine the spices as seasonings.
2. Mix them really well and then add the seasonings to the salmon fillets along with olive oil (your all-important saturated fat that helps to crisp everything up) and rub them into the fillets well, including the skin.

Place in Air Fryer Basket

1. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F and then place the salmon fillet into the air fryer based skin side down and air fry.

Air Fry The Salmon

1. The thickness of your pieces of salmon will determine how long you will need to cook them for but on average your piece of fish should be perfectly cooked in about 12 minutes.
2. When you cook your salmon you want to ensure that the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees f and you want to make sure the thickest part reaches this temperature too as these take the longest to cook.

Rest The Salmon

1. Don’t leave your salmon fillets on too long to overcook as over cooked salmon becomes dry very quickly.

Serving air fryer salmon fillets

1. Air fryer salmon fillets are great paired with refreshing ingredients. We make a colorful and tasty avocado and mango salsa to go on top of the cooked salmon fillets as well as fresh cilantro fresh jalapeños. 
2. A few wedges of lime to squeeze over and a little olive oil drizzled, go perfectly to finish off this wonderful fish.
3. Try our Mango Pico De Gallo, Pineapple Salsa, Snap Pea Salad, Brussel Sprout Salad, Broccoli Slaw for bright salads.
4. Also try them with Cilantro Lime Rice, Coconut Rice, Crispy Potatoes and more!
5. For a fancy sauce, make sure to try this Citrus Beurre Blanc which is a seafood lovers’ dream!

Pro Tips for Air Fryer Salmon

1. Choose your favorite type of salmon.
2. Adjust the spice to be as simple as salt and pepper only, or go with your favorite flavors. Make sure it’s as dry as possible because that works best for air fryers.
3. No need to wait for marinades, just spice and go.
4. Olive oil is key to crisping the salon. I use my all time favorite Moroccan brand olive oil (mina) which you can read all about it in this Olive Oil Cake.
5. Any type of air fryer works for this recipe!
6. Make sure you check your salmon after air frying for 8 minutes as it may be done. This depends on the thickness of your fillets.
7. My 1 inch thick fillets were done in exactly 11 minutes of air frying, with 8 minutes at 400 degrees F and then I flipped them. Cooked an extra 3 minutes at 400 degrees F and it was perfectly done.
8. Serve these with rice, pasta, potatoes, salad, soup, bread and keep leftovers for a lunch bowl next day. You can get an idea for leftover salmon bowls at this Grilled Salmon post.

Air Fryer Salmon Variations

• Honey Garlic Air Fryer Salmon: Glaze with honey, soy sauce, garlic.
• Lemon Dill Salmon: Season with lemon zest and fresh dill.
• Mediterranean Salmon: Add oregano, garlic, olive oil, and lemon.
• Spicy Cajun Salmon: Use Cajun seasoning and smoked paprika.
• Teriyaki Salmon: Brush with teriyaki sauce during last 2 minutes.

Salmon came out dry

Possible causes are it cooked too long, the temperature was too high or you started with a very thin fillet. To avoid this, cook 1–2 minutes less next time and remove at 125°F internal temp.

Salmon sticking to air fryer

Possible cause is the basket was not greased, to avoid this, lightly oil the basket or use parchment air fryer liners

Salmon not crispy

This happens when there’s too much moisture, to avoid this, always pat salmon dry before seasoning

Salmon unevenly cooked

Possible cause is an overcrowded basket, so always cook in batches and make sure the salmon is in a single layer.

How long do you cook salmon in an air fryer?

Most salmon fillets cook in about 10 minutes at 400°F.

Do you need to flip salmon in the air fryer?

No. Cooking skin side down keeps the fish moist.

Can you cook frozen salmon in the air fryer?

Yes. Add about 3–4 extra minutes of cooking time.

What temperature should salmon be cooked to?

The USDA recommends 145°F, but many chefs prefer 125-130°F for a moist salmon.

What type of salmon should I cook with?

We recommend cooking with wild caught salmon but this isn’t feasible or possible so every kind of salmon you have available to you will work just fine with this recipe.

Many people like to buy frozen salmon instead of fresh salmon. You can also use frozen salmon for this recipe, however, you need to make sure if it’s fully defrosted before you start to cook with it.

Can I remove the Skin?

This recipe is great with the skin left on but, it’s true some people prefer to remove it. While you can remove the skin, I wouldn’t do so until after you have cooked your salmon on the air fryer. Once the fish is cooked the skill will peel off easily.

Salmon Recipes 

• Salmon Recipes
• Grilled Salmon
• SOCKEYE SALMON
• Baked Salmon With Greek Dressing
• Sushi Burrito, Sushi Rice & Spicy Salmon Sushi
• Smoked Salmon Platter
• Seared Salmon with Blue Cheese
• Smoked Salmon Salad With Blue Cheese Dressing
• Salmon Burgers
• Miso Salmon
• Maple Glazed Salmon
• Sweet Chili Salmon
• Honey Glazed Salmon

Air Fryer Recipes

• Air Fryer Garlic Bread
• Salmon Bites
• Air Fryer Turkey Breast
• Air Fryer Steak Bites
• Best Mushrooms
• Air Fryer Meatballs
• Air Fryer Hot Dogs