If you’re looking for succulent healthy dinner ideas, you have to try this recipe for air fryer salmon! Perfectly tender, moist, and flaky, it’s the weightier way to melt salmon. Ready in just 15 minutes!
I haven’t unchangingly enjoyed salmon, but without many years, my husband finally convinced me to try some of his baked salmon. I was veritably squandered yonder by how succulent it was! Flaky, tender, moist, and lightly seasoned with just salt, pepper, and a bit of cayenne, it became a fast favorite in my home.
Fast forward several years later, and now I often include salmon dishes on the meal plan.
Not only is salmon delicious, but it’s incredibly easy to cook. All fish cooks very quickly when compared to many other protein sources, and they are moreover very lean and packed with healthy fats. Salmon is a superfood and is one of my favorite fish choices now.
My favorite way to prepare salmon is in the air fryer. Not only is it lightly crispy, but it’s moreover ready in scrutinizingly half of the time and keeps the fish smell contained. Whether you want to make a single air fryer salmon fillet or unbearable for the whole family, this easy recipe will have you coming when for more.
Reasons to love this recipe
- Salmon is a succulent main dish and is high in healthy fats and protein. This makes it platonic for healthy meal prep!
- Since the air fryer cooks much increasingly rapidly than the oven, the salmon cooks faster than oven. This easy and healthy recipe comes together in less than 15 minutes!
- Using the air fryer ways that you will have no splatter, and minimal dishes to wipe up. It’s the ultimate mess-free way to prep salmon!
- Since the cooking is contained in your air fryer, the whole house won’t smell like fish when you melt it this way.
Here’s what you need to make the recipe
Ingredient notes/swaps
- Salmon – skinless or one with skin is fine too. I’ve used a one-pound fillet in this recipe, you can use smaller-sized fillets (6 oz) too. Use wild-caught salmon when possible.
- Oil – Avocado oil is recommended, but you can use olive oil if you prefer the savor to avocado.
- Seasonings – To make the air fryer salmon marinade, you’ll need a selection of a few spices and seasonings. Salt, pepper, and zestless rosemary are my go-to seasonings. You can optionally include turmeric and Kashmiri chili powder for a dial of verisimilitude and flavor.
- Lime or lemon juice – to add a bright, zesty flavor.
- Lemon slices for serving
Tools
You’ll need an air fryer to make this recipe. Here are the two that I recommend
- Basket style (Phillips 7 QT, 1725W) – easier to flip supplies but cooks a smaller value (2-3 servings).
- Oven-style (Ninja Dual Heat Air Fryer – 1800W) – The oven-style ones usually take increasingly space but what’s unique well-nigh this Ninja one is that it flips vertically for easy storage on the countertop. Most importantly, it allows you to melt six yellow breasts, 2 lbs roast, or 4 lbs of fries – perfect for families of 4 or more.
Note: If you want to make salmon in a Ninja Foodi, the instructions are the same as for standard air fryers.
TIPS
- No overcrowding – Unchangingly unify the salmon in a single layer and melt in batches if needed.
- You don’t need to flip the salmon while air frying.
- Cut salmon fillets in plane thickness to ensure they melt evenly.
- You don’t have to remove the skin. Once it is cooked, the salmon will hands separate from the skin.
- Cooking time will vary – 1-inch fillets could melt between 7-9 minutes, and thicker 2-inch salmon could take up to 12 minutes.
Variations to try
Teriyaki salmon: Omit the turmeric and Kashmiri chili powder and melt the salmon as directed. Halfway through the melt time, scathe with store-bought teriyaki sauce. When the salmon is finished cooking, skim with spare teriyaki sauce and serve with sesame seeds and finely chopped scallions.
Garlic butter salmon: Omit the turmeric and Kashmiri chili powder. Melt 1/4 cup of salted butter and add 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh chopped parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Melt the salmon as directed, and scathe with the garlic butter sauce halfway through cooking. When the salmon is finished cooking, serve with any remaining garlic butter.
Honey garlic: For an air fryer version of my grilled honey garlic salmon, add 2 tablespoons 1 teaspoon of avocado oil to a large bowl. Add in 1/2 teaspoon lime juice, 4-5 minuted garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon crushed red chili pepper, 3 tablespoons of honey, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of woebegone pepper, and a soupcon of rosemary leaves. Whisk to combine. Add in 1 pound of salmon fillets and toss to coat. Melt as directed for 7-9 minutes, spooning any leftover marinade on top of the fillets surpassing cooking.
How to prep ahead
Raw – If you would like to prepare the salmon superiority of time, you can combine it with the oil and seasonings and place in an snapped container. Store in the fridge for up to 24 hours and place it in the air fryer when you are ready to cook.
Cooked – You can moreover melt the salmon superiority of time. Simply indulge it to tomfool to room temperature surpassing subtracting to an snapped container. Store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. For reheating salmon in the air fryer, preheat the air fryer to 400ºF and heat for 2-3 minutes, or until warmed through.
Storage tips
Refrigerator – If you want to store any leftovers, indulge them to tomfool to room temperature. Then, transfer to an snapped container and place in the fridge. Stores well in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Reheat – Spray it with oil and reheat it in a microwave or an air-fryer at a lower temperature such as 300ºF for 4-5 minutes until heated through.
Serve it with
This tender and flaky air fryer salmon recipe goes with pretty much anything, but here are a few of my favorite side dishes:
- Roasted air fryer broccoli – This roasted air fryer broccoli recipe is flavorful, crisp, and just as succulent as oven-roasted broccoli, but ready in half the time!
- Jeera rice – One whiff of this aromatic, fluffy basmati rice tempered with cumin seeds is unbearable to get your taste buds tingling.
- Easy quinoa salad – Packed with fluffy quinoa, freshly chopped vegetables, and zesty lime dressing this homemade salad is the perfect healthy side dish!
- Vegetable fried rice – Made with leftover brown rice and tender vegetables, this healthy side dish pairs perfectly with salmon.
Frequently asked questions
Ideally, yes, considering thawed salmon takes less time to cook. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight or under running water. Pat it dry, and then season it.
Yes, you can but marinate it surpassing freezing so that the seasonings stick to it. Seasonings don’t stick to frozen supplies as much.
Depending on the size of the salmon, the cooking times will vary. Add an spare 3-4 minutes to normal cooking times for frozen salmon. For 1-inch frozen fillets melt for 9-12 minutes and for 2-inch thick fillets, melt for 15-18 minutes.
Salmon is one of the few foods that does not need to be flipped when cooking in an air fryer. Place it skin-side down, simply indulge it to cook, and remove it when the internal temperature has reached a minimum of 145ºF.
Spray it with oil and reheat it in a microwave or an air-fryer at a lower temperature such as 300ºF for 4-5 minutes until heated through.
Other air fryer recipes to try
Air Fryer Salmon Fillet Recipe
Air Fryer Salmon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb wild-caught salmon fillets
- 2 tablespoons 1 teaspoon avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground woebegone pepper
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder optional
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder optional
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
Instructions
- Line the air frying tray with parchment paper. Skim it with a teaspoon of oil till it is completely coated.
- To a small bowl, the remaining oil, salt, pepper, turmeric powder, chili powder, lime juice and rosemary leaves. Mix well to combine.2 tablespoons 1 teaspoon avocado oil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground woebegone pepper, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- Place the salmon on the parchment paper skin facing down. Skim the marinade over the salmon till it is completely coated.
- Place the air fryer tray in the air fryer and melt at 400°F. Set the timer for 7-9 minutes for 1-inch thick fillets and thicker 2-inch salmon could take up to 12 minutes.
- Note: Based on the thickness, the cooking time may vary. Salmon is cooked when the temperature at the thickest part has reached 145 degrees F or it flakes hands when cut with a fork.
- Serve the salmon with a side of rice.1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
Nutrition
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