This recipe for Air Fryer Salmon is so easy and gives you flaky, juicy, and perfect tender salmon every time, with minimal prep and using only pantry ingredients.
Suitable for Gluten-Free, Low Carb, Keto, Paleo and Whole 30 diets. Post includes Weight Watchers points and video tutorial.
Need a quick and easy meal for weeknights or lunch, ready in less than 15 minutes that the whole family loves? Then look no further that these perfectly cooked Air Fryer Salmon fillets.
Yeap cooking salmon in the Air Fryer gives juicy, flaky and tender fillets that are perfectly crusted on the outside.
Even better you only needed to use the smallest amount of oil or cooking spray (we’re talking just a spritz folks). This really is the best way to cook it.
So a super nutritious meal, low in calories that is not only good for you but tasted good too. And as good as this Teriyaki Salmon or Salmon Croquettes.
The Best Air Fryer Salmon
This really may be one of the easiest dinners you will ever make. You only need 2 basic ingredients – aka fish fillets and spices and you are good to go. Minimal prep time, a few mins cook time and minimal clean up makes this recipe #mykindacooking. You get restaurant quality seafood at a fraction of the cost.
This is great for an easy dinner tonight, brunches, lunch boxes, Thanksgiving, Christmas and other festive meals, as well as picnic and potlucks.
Why You’ll Love It
- Family friendly – it is loved by the whole family.
- Cooks perfectly – flaky on the inside and crisp on the outside.
- Budget-friendly – this is an affordable dish that’s easy on the wallet.
- Pantry Meal – make this with a handful of common pantry staples.
- Great for meal prep and for a quick weekday lunch or supper.
Ingredient Notes
- Salmon: You can use fresh salmon or defrosted frozen salmon. If frozen, make sure to thoroughly defrost them first.
- Smoked paprika – this adds smoky flavor and color.
- Ground cardamom – really lifts up this recipe.
- Oil – a little olive oil or cooking spray helps crisp up the fish
- Optional Seasoning : You can use salt and black pepper to taste (optional).
Are you ready to learn how easy it is to make delicious and the best Salmon in Air Fryer? Gather up your ingredients and let’s get started…..
How to Cook Salmon In Air Fryer
Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.
- Preheat the air fryer to 350F / 180C.
- Lightly spray the fillets with some cooking spray or olive oil and sprinkle on the paprika, ground cardamom and salt.
- Place salmon fillets in air fryer basket skin side up. Make sure they are not touching.
- Cook for 8-12 minutes, to your desired level of doneness.
Can I Make Air Fryer Salmon and Asparagus?
I think that flaky salmon and asparagus is such an amaaaaazing combination. Not only does it taste fantastic, it also one of the healthiest meals around. And did you know it is possible to cook salmon and asparagus in the air fryer at the same time? Yeap.
- Simply place your pieces of salmon fillet and asparagus spears together in the air fryer basket, making sure they do not touch.
- Lightly coat with cooking spray and then cook at 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes, turning the food halfway through.
Folks, this is a truly fast, easy and simple one-pot meal!
If you are cooking multiple portions, you may find it easier to cook the salmon and asparagus separately. To make a batch of delicious air fryer asparagus, just set the air fryer to 400 degrees F and cook the spears for 10 minutes.
Air Fried Salmon Tips
A few tips on air frying salmon well.
- For best results, remember to flip the fish fillets over halfway through the cook time.
- Make sure the salmon are of similar thickness so that they cook at the same rate. Thicker ones will take a little longer to cook.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer. Make sure the fillets are not touching each other to allow for maximum air circulation so that they cook nice and evenly.
- Make sure to pat the fillets dry using a paper towel before you add the seasonings and oil so that these stick on for maximum flavor.
- T o avoid over cooking, make sure to take the cooked fillets out of the air fryer basket as soon as they reach their desired temperature.
- Adding a squeeze of fresh citrus juice, such as orange or lemon, gives the fish a lovely bright flavour.
- Insert an instant-read digital thermometer into the thickest part of the fillet. A reading of 120F to 130F for medium-rare or 135 degrees F to 145 degrees F for more cooked.
- The ground cardamom makes this a great dish for the Christmas holiday season, but you can use other spices as you like.
- Air fryer temperatures can vary depending on the make and model. I recommend starting out with less cook time, checking for doneness, and then adding more time as needed.
Delicious Variations
- I love trying this with some homemade Jamaican Jerk Seasoning.
- Try using a spice rub and have fun experimenting with your favorite seasonings such as garlic powder, Poultry Seasoning, Cajun and Creole, BBQ, onion powder, chili powder and dijon mustard and soy sauce.
- You can simply season this with salt and pepper.
- Sweeten it – a sprinkle of brown sugar sweetens this (but not if you are following a low carb diet).
- Add citrus – sprinkle on some lemon juice or lemon zest
Prep Ahead and Storage
Yep, Air Fried Salmon is a great recipe to prep ahead.
Prep Ahead – This is a great meal prep solution. Cook as directed, then store in the fridge or freezer and reheat when needed.
Store – This recipe will store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freeze – Follow the handy tips below for how to freeze this;Transfer the cooled fillet to airtight storage containers or Ziptop bags. If using bags, be sure to squeeze out the excess air. Label and store flat inside the freezer for up to 3 months.Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before warming and serving.
FAQs
The cook time will vary based on the thickness and the size of your fillets. Check on the level of doneness halfway through the cook time, and then adjust as needed.
Cooked salmon is safe to eat once it reaches an internal temperature of 145F. It is important to always check the internal temperature using a thermometer inserted into the thickest section of the salmon fillet.
Simple. Insert a meat thermometer, (instant-read digital thermometer) into the middle of the thickest part of fillets. A reading of 120F to 130 degrees F for medium-rare or 135 F to 145 degrees F for more cooked fillets.
Alternatively, Salmon flesh will firm up when it’s cooked – so keep an eye on this and carefully touch the top to test for firmness. You can also use a fork and flake the middle part of the salmon. If it flakes easily, it is done. If not, then it needs a little more time
Salmon is one of the healthiest sources of protein you can find. Just one 4-ounce serving contains a whopping 26 grams of protein.
This depends on two things: your air fryer make and model, and the size of the fish fillets.
Since the temperature of air fryers can vary depending on the make and model, this recipe includes a range of cook times. And you will also need to keep in mind that the thicker your pieces of chicken are, the more cook time will be needed.
This recipe recommends a cooking time is between 8 and 12 minutes. You can aim for 9 minutes the first time you make this, check them for doneness, and then adjust from there.
More Air Fryer Seafood Recipes
- Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos.
- Air Fryer Salmon Tacos.
- Crispy Golden Air Fryer Fish. This is seriously crispy.
- Air Fryer Salmon Croquettes.
- Air Fryer Shrimp Po Boy.
- Air Fryer Blackened Salmon.
- Teriyaki Salmon <= on of my favs.
Serving suggestions
Feel free to serve this alongside some veggies – like Air Fryer Green Beans, Air Fryer Asparagus, delicious Frozen Broccoli Cooked In The Air Fryer, and crave worthy Air Fryer Zucchini Fries and the best Air Fryer Beets.
Add in some carbs – Air Fryer Frozen French Fries or Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes in the Instant Pot or Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries.
Or top it up with some leafy greens like a simple green salad, broccoli salad or a simple spinach salad.
Weight Watchers Points
There are just 0 Blue Plan SmartPoints in a serving.
Air Fryer Salmon Recipe Video
Originally published November 2018.
Thank you for reading my AirFryer Salmon recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice, and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Southern Recipes, and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.
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Air Fryer Salmon
Ingredients
- 2 pink salmon fillets
- cooking spray
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- ground cardamom pinch
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 350F / 180C.
- Lightly spray salmon fillets with some cooking spray and sprinkle on the paprika, ground cardamom, salt and pepper.
- Place salmon fillets in air fryer basket.
- Cook for 8-12 mins to your desired doneness. Flip the fillets halfway through cook time.
Video
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Notes
- The ground cardamom makes this a great dish for the Christmas holiday season, but you can use other spices as you like.
- Try using various dry rubs and have fun experimenting with different flavours such as Cajun and Creole, BBQ, Herbs de Provence, Jerk and Harissa.
- Adding a squeeze of fresh citrus juice, such as orange or lemon, gives the salmon a lovely bright flavour.
- For best results, remember to flip the salmon fillets over halfway through the cook time.
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Yay! We just got an air fryer and my son-in-law is keto. Wasn’t sure what we were going to do for holiday dinners, but air fryer salmon (https://lummiislandwild.com/our-seafood/wild-coho-portions/) is definitely the winner! What sides should we serve?
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