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This delicious Air Fryer Salmon is ready in about 10 minutes! Learn how to cook salmon in the air fryer for the perfect healthy, quick dinner.
Fish is a great dinner option when you’re looking for a healthy meal that won’t take long to cook! This Air Fryer Salmon cooks in about 10 minutes and brings a load of healthy factors to the table.
Salmon is a fantastic source of healthy fats like Omega 3, Vitamin B12, Selenium, and so much more. These components are believed to help decrease inflammation, support brain health, decrease depression, and improve the health of your brain, heart, nails, hair, and more! It’s known as a super food for a reason–One serving packs a huge nutritional punch.
Salmon is also high in protein, so it helps support muscle growth while also helping you feel full for longer. It’s naturally low in calories, carbs, and fat as well, so it’s great for nearly every diet! This recipe just adds a tiny amount of oil and some seasonings, allowing you to get all the benefits of this healthy, convenient food without adding much trouble or effort.
This recipe is great for beginners, dieters, meal preppers, and busy families. It’s incredibly easy, inexpensive, and requires very little work for a dish worthy of company!
Ingredients for Air Fryer Salmon
Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll need for this recipe. For exact measurements, keep scrolling down to the printable recipe card.
- Salmon filets – I recommend boneless, skin-on salmon filets. The salmon skin gets deliciously crispy while protecting the delicate fish from becoming overcooked or dried out.
- Olive oil – I like to use a high quality oil since there are so few ingredients and flavors in this recipe. Avocado oil or refined coconut oil would also work well.
- Seasoning: Garlic powder, Onion powder, Paprika, Salt, Cumin – You can also use your favorite all-purpose seasoning or even a lemon pepper seasoning for a citrus twist.
How to Cook Salmon in the Air Fryer
This easy recipe is so simple! You will need an air fryer (either basket or rack version will work) and a meat thermometer.
Season
Pat your salmon dry, making sure to pick out any small bones that may have been left in the filets. Place the salmon skin side down on a plate, then rub the oil on top of the salmon. Combine the spices in a small bowl and sprinkle over the oiled salmon.
Cook
Preheat the air fryer for 3 minutes to 400 degrees F. Place the salmon skin side down in the basket and cook for 8-11 minutes. When a meat thermometer reads 125 degrees in the center of the largest filet, the fish should flake easily and is ready to serve.
Serve
When the fish reaches 125 degrees F and flakes easily, serve immediately. If you love your salmon skin crispy, serve it skin side up. For added flavor, you can add a sprinkle of fresh herbs (parsley or thyme would be fantastic) or a pat of compound butter.
What to serve with Air Fryer Salmon?
This healthy salmon recipe will work great with so many simple side dishes! Try some Perfect Roasted Brussels Sprouts or Garlic Butter Green Beans. This Sauteed Zucchini is an easy, fast side dish, or you could add this Air Fryer Broccoli if you’ve got a dual air fryer! These Cheddar Garlic Keto Biscuits are a great Red Lobster copycat while being both low carb and gluten free!
Store
This dish should be stored in the refrigerator up to four days in an airtight container. Make sure the salmon is completely cooled before transferring to your container.
Freeze
Cooked salmon can be frozen for long-term meal prepping! Allow the salmon to completely cool, then store in an airtight, freezer-safe container. It’s best eaten within 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or by running it under cold water for 20-30 minutes.
Reheat
The key to reheating cooked salmon is by warming it up slowly at a low heat. The best way to reheat without overcooking is by adding it to a rimmed baking sheet, adding a squeeze of lemon juice or a teaspoon of water, then baking at 275 degrees F for 10-15 minutes. It’s best once reheated to 125 degrees F as measured by a meat thermometer. It’s not a bad idea to tent a piece of foil over the salmon to prevent it from losing too much moisture.
If you can’t reheat it using this method, I highly recommend simply enjoying it cold! Cold salmon is absolutely delicious, retains a ton of moisture and flavor, and it avoids the fishy aroma that comes from the reheating process.
How to Use Leftover Salmon
Meal prepping salmon is perfect for having a healthy, easy protein! Add leftovers to salads, wraps, pasta for quick lunches and dinners. My favorite is adding it to this White Bean Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette!
Tips for the BEST Salmon:
- When cooking, make sure you don’t overcrowd your air fryer. The air fryer requires hot air to circulate–If you put the filets too close together, the air isn’t able to reach all of the edges to cook the salmon evenly.
- Make sure to use salmon filets that are relatively the same size. If the filets are not close to the same thickness, you’ll find that the thin filets cook much quicker than the thicker ones.
- The meat thermometer is the best, most accurate way to confirm your salmon is finished. However, you can use your fork to determine the doneness as well! Perfectly cooked salmon should easily flake and be fork tender.
If you love this Air Fryer Salmon, you’ll love these easy, quick recipes!
- Air Fryer Shrimp – Quick, easy, and SO delicious! You’ll need fewer than 10 minutes for this succulent appetizer, lunch, or dinner.
- Blackened Salmon Kabobs – Tender salmon chunks with tasty zucchini gets perfectly smoky and delicious with just a few minutes on the grill!
- Cajun Air Fryer Chicken Thighs – Crispy skin with unbelievably juicy dark meat on the bone… This is really chicken thighs at their very best!
- Air Fryer Pork Chops – This low-carb pork chop recipe stays wonderfully juicy and is perfect for a busy weeknight.
- Salmon with Jalapeno Lime Butter – This oven-baked salmon is full of flavor only needs 10 minutes of cook time.
FAQ’s about salmon in the air fryer
Raw salmon only lasts about 2 days in the fridge before it can become unsafe. Cooked salmon can last 3-4 days before it should be tossed. To extend the life of your salmon, freeze it (6 months for raw salmon, 3 months for cooked salmon).
The timing depends on the size of your salmon filets as well as whether the skin is attached or not. A skin-on, small salmon filet only requires 8 minutes of cooking time at 400 degrees F. Salmon without skin cooks quicker, and large filets will need longer.
You can use fresh or previously frozen salmon in this recipe with little difference noticed between the two! If you’re using frozen salmon, it’s best to thaw first (simply run under cold water for 20-30 minutes) so that the seasonings will adhere to the meat.
The air fryer is super quick because of its ability to circulate the hot air around the salmon. This gives you perfectly crispy skin and is an easy, hands-off way of cooking!
It’s best to use salmon with skin because the skin protects the salmon meat from overcooking and drying out. If you are using filets without skin, begin checking the temperature around the 6 minute mark. The bottom of the fish without skin is likely to be more cooked, so stick with skin-on filets for the best, most even cook.
Some people like to line the air fryer with foil to keep the appliance clean, but this method reduces the air circulation required for this recipe. If you must use foil, cut the piece to be just large enough for the salmon to sit onu002du002dYou want to allow the air to flow freely for an even cook.
Air Fryer Salmon
Ingredients
- 4 salmon filets
- Olive oil for drizzling
- 1/2 teaspoon EACH garlic powder, onion powder, paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon EACH salt and cumin
Instructions
- Rinse and pat the salmon dry. Place the salmon skin side down on a plate and rub olive oil on top of the salmon
- Combine the spices in a small bowl and sprinkle over the salmon.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F for 3 minutes. Add the salmon skin side down to the air fryer, and cook for 8 minutes to 11 minutes until it flakes easily.
The salmon pictured was done in 8 minutes. Larger pieces of salmon will require more cooking time. I use a meat thermometer and remove the salmon from the air fryer when it reaches 125 degrees F. When salmon is done it will flake easily.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
