Why go out to a restaurant when you can have tender, flaky salmon right at home? You won’t believe how easy it is to make this 10 minute Air Fryer Salmon recipe!
Recipe Overview
While fish isn’t exactly the easiest protein to cook correctly, the right air fryer temperature and cook time combination gives you beautifully cooked, flavorful air fryer salmon every time.
Served with air fryer broccoli, this perfectly browned and cooked salmon recipe makes for one delicious and healthy lunch or dinner!
You will also love our Air Fryer Salmon Patties, which you can make with fresh or canned fish.
You’ll start with fresh salmon fillets (if you use frozen, thaw them overnight or under cold running water in the packaging it came in) sprayed with a little oil and coated in a smoky and savory seasoning blend.
About 10 minutes in your air fryer, and you’ll get the most incredibly flavorful salmon without ever leaving your house! No need to pay $30 or more for a Salmon dinner at a restaurant when you can make it at home for much, much less.
Are you cooking with a Ninja Foodi? Check out our Ninja Foodi Salmon recipe instead. The instructions are slightly different for air frying in the Foodi system.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Salmon – You’ll need two salmon filet pieces for this recipe. Depending on the side of your pieces, you may be able to fit more or less than this in your air fryer basket.
- Oil – Spray oil makes it really easy to coat the fish with a light layer of oil that the seasoning mix will stick to. Avocado oil, olive oil, or any other light flavored oil is perfect.
- Salt – A bit of salt mixed with spices gives our air fried salmon an amazing flavor.
- Smoked Paprika – I love using smoked paprika on fish, meat, and vegetables! It has a warm, smoky flavor that reminds me of barbecue.
- Garlic Powder – For additional savory flavor.
- (Optional) Lemon wedges – I like to serve salmon (or any fish) with fresh lemon wedges to squeeze over the fish before eating.
How to cook it
- Check your salmon fillets for bones or other unwanted pieces. Leaving the skin on, spray the fillets with cooking spray.
- Mix together the salt, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
- Then coat the salmon with the spice blend, gently pressing it into the fish.
- Place the salmon in the air fryer basket that you’ve lined with foil, leaving a couple of inches of space between the fillets.
- Air fry the salmon fillets as directed in the recipe card below. There’s no need to flip them over during the cooking time.
- Serve your Air Fryer Salmon with your favorite side dishes. I like to serve with a simple pairing of rice and air fryer broccoli.
Have a bag of frozen broccoli? Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli is just as delicious as using fresh broccoli.
Tips and tricks
- Don’t overcook! Salmon is commonly served medium in restaurants, which allows for a moist fillet that is super tender.
- Line the basket with foil for easy cleanup.
- Place the salmon in your air fryer skin side down. This will ensure that you’re able to get it out of the basket without the fillet falling apart.
- Adjust the seasonings if you’d like. Any seasonings that you typically enjoy on salmon will be delicious in this air fryer salmon recipe. The flavor in this maple glazed salmon recipe would work well in the air fryer too!
How to tell when it’s done
It doesn’t take much work to figure out when salmon is done cooking, but there are a few things to look for if you’re unsure.
- Raw salmon is a translucent orange-pink hue, and it turns to an opaque light pink color when cooked.
- When cooked, salmon fillets should be mostly opaque with a small amount of translucent flesh still remaining.
- Flake test: You should also be able to stick a fork or knife into the middle and see the salmon start to flake away.
should I leave the skin on?
There are several reasons to keep the skin on that might surprise you.
- It’s not easy to remove the skin: There’s really no need to fuss with the messy task of filleting a salmon plank. Removing the skin from a salmon filet requires a special type of knife, and can leave you with salmon fillets that are hacked into pieces and less than presentable.
- Salmon is easier to cook with the skin on: Leaving the skin on salmon fillets makes it easier to slide a spatula underneath the salmon to get it out of your air fryer basket in one beautiful piece.
- The skin creates a nice barrier between the pan or air fryer basket and the salmon flesh allows for a more moist, flaky fillet.
- Leaving the skin on Salmon when you cook it in the air fryer makes it very difficult to overcook it.
- Salmon skin is totally edible! It’s often served on the fillet or even by itself as a garnish or appetizer in high-end restaurants.
How to serve
Make your favorite air fryer side dishes to serve with your salmon fillets! Here are a few of my favorites:
Potato Sides, like Air Fryer Roasted Potatoes, Air Fryer Baked Potatoes, or Air Fryer French Fries.
Veggies in the air fryer, like Air Fryer Broccoli or Air Fryer Baby Carrots.
Try a healthy salad with your salmon, like this Mediterranean Chickpea Salad. Cold salmon and this salad make a tasty and nutritious lunch.
salmon fillets vs salmon sides
When buying salmon to cook in the air fryer, you may come across salmon steaks, salmon fillets, and salmon sides.
For this recipe, buy salmon filets, or get a whole side of salmon and slice it into filets yourself.
fresh vs. frozen salmon
You shouldn’t cook frozen salmon in the air fryer, but it can be very cost-effective to buy salmon frozen. Just be sure to thaw it before cooking. Fresh salmon can be more expensive, but I think it’s generally tastier.
more fish and seafood recipes to try!
This Air Fryer Salmon recipe will also work with similar firm-fleshed fish, such as pollack, hake, halibut, and cod.
Air Fryer Fish Recipes are easy to make. One of my favorites is Air Fryer Fish Tacos. Air Fryer Tilapia is also a weeknight dinner winner because it cooks in no time at all!
If you enjoy fish, you should try seafood in the air fryer too. Air Fryer Calamari and Air Fryer Shrimp are both delicious meals that everyone will enjoy.
We truly hope that you enjoy this easy Air Fryer Salmon recipe!
Air Fryer Salmon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 salmon fillets
- cooking oil spray
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Check your salmon fillets for bones, and remove them. Leave the skin on the salmon fillets.
- Spray tops of salmon fillets with oil.
- In a small bowl mix the spices, then gently pat/rub the spices onto the salmon fillets.
- Line your air fryer basket with parchment paper or foil. Place the salmon fillets over the liner.
- Air fry the salmon on 400 degrees F for 10 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Cooking times will vary based upon the thickness of your salmon. I used 1 ½ inch thicken salmon.
- If you leave the skin on you do not need to flip the salmon. If you removed the skin, you can gently slip the salmon half way through the cooking process.
- If your salmon is not done to your liking, you can add 1-2 minutes until it is done.
- You can quickly over cook the salmon, so be sure to check on it every few minutes.
- Pro Tip: This recipe can be made in the air fryer unit with a basket or the air fryer oven. If you are using the air fryer oven, use the middle rack and select the “Air Fry” function.
- Pro Tip: Check your food as it cooks. Each air fryer runs a bit differently. Sometimes airfying is a trial and error process. Check your food as it cooks to learn your air fryer better! When cooking a new recipe or food items be sure to check your food often to help avoid over/under cooking.
Nutrition
Air Fryers can vary greatly. Please take the time to learn your specific air fryer. You may need to adjust times and temperatures based upon your air fryer. All though this website attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, the information should only be considered an estimate. Varying factors such as different product types, different brands, etc. can change nutritional information. It is your responsibility as a consumer to read all labels to make sure the ingredients fit your dietary needs as well as calculate your own nutritional information as a double check.
I am loving my air fryer and I’m loving to try every new recipe that you post! I am a true diehard fan of the site and thank you so much for creating recipes for this single gentleman. This air fryer salmon was amazing I cooked more than one so that I could use it for lunch for tomorrow. Thanks again for the delicious recipe
Thank you Bob! Wow, such kind words! I really appreciate them! So glad you are a fan of our air fryer recipes!
There is absolutely no reason to go out when you own recipes like this salmon. Delicious, great looking and I am sure so flavorful!
Thanks so much for stopping by and checking out our Air Fryer Salmon!
The salmon I can easily call my favorite… because I often make mine similar to yours. Although I am very excited to try your recipe now!
Thanks Mahy, you’ll have to stop by and let me know how it went. Any tips you can offer for the readers is great!
You’ve given me a new way to prepare salmon and this will be on my table tonight! I am looking forward to giving this a try. So far I’ve only used my air fryer for things like chicken nuggets and fries.
I am so excited for you, Holly! I think you’ll be in love with this air fryer salmon!
Super easy weeknight recipe that takes less than 20 minutes!!!
For sure Jen! We love how quick this air fryer salmon is! Perfect for busy weeknight meals!
Such a great recipe, loved the video too made it helpful when making the salmon!!
Thank you Tawnie! So glad you loved our air fryer salmon and the video was helpful! I appreciate you coming back to share!
The slices in this were Delicious. It cooked perfectly
Great to hear, glad you liked!
This salmon recipe as great. Perfectly cooked.
So glad you liked it Janet!