One of my go-to ways of making salmon is in the air fryer. I love a slow oven baked salmon but when I need salmon and I need it fast, the air fryer is the way to go. It cooks salmon evenly and perfectly; itโ€™s juicy and flaky every time. Sometimes Iโ€™ll even meal prep salmon fillets at the beginning of the week so I have salmon in the fridge just ready to go on salads or on top of grain bowls.

Air Fryer Salmon | www.iamafoodblog.com

The other day we bought a giant side of salmon and I was so happy. I LOVE salmon. Itโ€™s truly one of the best kinds of fish out there: heathy, full of flavor, easy to cook, and super versatile. It tastes great with just a little bit of salt and pepper and tastes even more fantastic dressed up with seasoning and flavors. The best part is probably that it cooks so quickly โ€“ if youโ€™re hungry, you can go from hangry to sitting down to food in no time at all.

salmon in an air fryer | www.iamafoodblog.com

How to cook salmon in the air fryer

Cooking salmon in the air fryer is super simple.

  1. Lightly pat your salmon dry so the the surface has more of a chance to lightly crisp up.
  2. Season it generously. I went with a classic combination of lemon pepper, but feel free to add your favorite seasoning mix.
  3. Place the salmon in the air fryer basket. I like to line the basket with foil so itโ€™s easy clean up.
  4. Drizzle the salmon with olive oil.
  5. Air fry for 10 minutes at 300ยฐF.
  6. Remove and enjoy!

Air Fryer Salmon | www.iamafoodblog.com

Air fryer salmon ingredients

All you really need is salmon, but I drizzle on a bit of extra olive oil for flavor and add thinly sliced lemons that get lightly caramelized while the salmonโ€™s cooking.

salmon with lemon | www.iamafoodblog.com

Skin on vs skin off salmon

Both skin on and skin off salmon work great in the air fryer. Skin on salmon has an extra layer of protection against overcooking, so if youโ€™re worried about dry salmon, go with skin on salmon; you can always easily remove the skin after the salmon is cooked.

What temperature for air fryer salmon

I like cooking salmon at a lower temp so thereโ€™s less of a chance of overcooking. Most air fryer salmon recipes have you cook salmon at high heat for a shorter period of time, but in this case, low and (slightly) slow wins the race. Your salmon will be tender and juicy, flake perfectly and be opaque and just cooked through.

Air Fryer Salmon | www.iamafoodblog.com

What internal temperature should I cook salmon to?

For wild salmon, aim for 120ยฐF internal temperature
For farmed salmon, aim for 125ยฐF internal temperature
Note: the FDA recommends 145ยฐF.

How to tell if salmon is cooked

The best and easiest way to tell if salmon is cooked is to gently press it with the back of a spoon, when itโ€™s cooked properly it will flake apart. Perfectly done salmon will be tender, barely opaque, and juicy. Over cooked salmon will flake too but it will be dry, lighter in color, completely opaque, and tough.

air fried salmon | www.iamafoodblog.com

Which air fryer do you have?

If youโ€™re wondering which air-fryer we have, itโ€™sย this one. I donโ€™t know if itโ€™s the best on the market because itโ€™s the only one weโ€™ve used, but it works great. Itโ€™s quiet and easy to clean and really big (which is good because you can put a lot of food in it and bad because it takes up a lot of room in our place).

What about oven baked salmon?

If you donโ€™t have an air fryer you can simply bake your salmon in the oven at a low temp for flaky, juicy fillets. Bake at 275ยฐF until flaky and cooked through, about 30-45 minutes. Check out this post for more information on oven baked salmon.

slow baked salmon | www.iamafoodblog.com

Air fryer salmon ideas

If youโ€™re looking for seasoning ideas, try these:

  • Honey Garlic: Mix together 1 tbsp honey with 1-2 cloves minced garlic. Lightly pat the salmon dry, season generously with salt and pepper and coat in the honey garlic mix. Air fry for 10 minutes at 300ยฐF.
  • Everything bagel: Lightly pat the salmon dry, season generously with everything bagelย ย spice. Air fry for 10 minutes at 300ยฐF.
  • Maple Soy: Mix together 1 tbsp maple syrup with 1 tbsp soy sauce. Lightly pat the salmon dry, season generously with salt and pepper and coat in the maple soy mix. Air fry for 10 minutes at 300ยฐF. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds to finish.

What to serve with air fryer salmon

Air Fryer Salmon | www.iamafoodblog.com

Air Fryer Salmon

When you need salmon fast, the air fryer is the way to go.
Serves 2
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 12 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 boneless salmon fillets about 4oz each
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 6-8 lemon slices optional

Special Equipment

  • air fryer

Instructions

  • Lightly pat the salmon dry with paper towels. Drizzle with olive oil and season generously with salt and freshly ground pepper. Place in the air fryer basket (I like to line the basket with foil for easy clean up).
    salmon in an air fryer | www.iamafoodblog.com
  • Air fry the salmon for 10 minutes at 300ยฐF. The salmon should be cooked through, opaque and flake easily. Remove from the air fryer immediately and enjoy.
    air fried salmon | www.iamafoodblog.com

Estimated Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Air Fryer Salmon
Amount Per Serving (4 oz)
Calories 210 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 50mg17%
Sodium 50mg2%
Potassium 435mg12%
Carbohydrates 0.01g0%
Fiber 0.01g0%
Sugar 0.01g0%
Protein 22g44%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Comments

  1. ibrahim says:

    yummy and delicious

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