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Enjoy some perfectly cooked salmon in less than 10 minutes with this Air Fryer Salmon Recipe! You’ll get tender, juicy, flaky salmon every time when using your Air Fryer. Bonus – if you are short on time, you can make frozen salmon in the air fryer without any thawing!
If you’ve been around a bit, you know my love for salmon and all the health benefits it provides. I love how there’s so many ways to make it, too.
You can pan sear salmon, serve this honey glazed salmon (made on the grill, in the oven or in the Air Fryer), you can make lemon grilled salmon (if you love the lemon pepper from this recipe- you’ll love this grilled version!). And, you can even make this southwest salmon salad! So many ways to make such a healthy dinner.
And now the ultimate lazy girl dinner – this lemon pepper salmon in the Air Fryer. The perfect healthy dinner when time is not on your side. So freaking quick and easy…and the best part? If you forget to thaw your salmon filets, you are still good to go!
Still need an Air Fryer? Check out this post of the Best Air Fryers of 2022.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this Air Fryer Salmon recipe
- You only need a handful of ingredients and a pre-made seasoning to make perfect salmon every single time.
- It can be made with either fresh or frozen salmon filets for a super easy weeknight meal.
- Healthy, flavorful, low carb dinner made easy using the Air Fryer.
- Pairs great with simple sides, on a salad, or in a wrap.
- Fits into your meal plan (Weight watchers and container plan approved).
Ingredients Needed
You only need a few simple ingredients to make this amazing fish recipe. Get more info on the ingredients in the recipe card below.
- Wild Caught Salmon Fillets – or sustainably farmed salmon fillets for a more budget friendly option. These can be fresh or frozen.
- Extra Virgin Olive oilor Avocado Oil
- Lemon Pepper Seasoning – you can use any seasoning here, but since this is such an easy recipe, I love using a pre made seasoning blend. If your blend doesn’t include salt, you will need to add some to your salmon.
- Smoked Paprika (you can sub regular paprika) – love the color that paprika gives to this salmon.
- Lemon or lime wedges
How to Make Air Fryer Salmon
Here’s how to air fry salmon with fresh salmon filets:
- Preheat the Air Fryer to 400°F.
- While the fryer is preheating, rub each fillet with olive oil and season with lemon pepper, then sprinkle with smoked paprika.
- When your Air Fryer is hot, place 2 pieces of salmon in the Air Fryer and air fry for 7-9 minutes. The cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the salmon.
- Open the Air Fryer and check the internal temperature has reached 145°F with a digital thermometer or check doneness with a fork – it should flake easily. You can return the salmon and fry it for another 1 or 2 minutes, as necessary.
- Enjoy with fresh lemon juice or lime juice, if desired – it’s even good without the extra citrus juice if you don’t have it.
Frozen Salmon in the Air Fryer
If you want to make this perfect Air Fryer salmon recipe using frozen filets, here’s how:
- Preheat Air Fryer to 400°F.
- Place the frozen salmon in the Air Fryer basket or tray and cook it for 7 minutes – this is the thawing step.
- After that initial 7 minutes, add olive oil and the seasonings on top of the salmon. Cook for another 7 minutes
- Check on doneness of the salmon as you would with fresh fillets, adding extra time of necessary.
- Serve with fresh lemon slices or lime juice if desired. Enjoy.
Tips for the perfect salmon
- Don’t over crowd the air fryer basket: The air fryer needs enough room around each filet to circulate the hot air around to properly cook each piece of salmon. Otherwise the salmon will steam instead of getting that perfect crispy topping. Batch cook your salmon if needed.
- Preheat your Air Fryer: this will ensure that your salmon cooks evenly without drying out.
- Choose fillets that are size: try to match your salmon pieces in size, if possible, if you are cooking multiple pieces at the same time.
- Check for doneness: since size and thickness varies so much, using a digital thermometer or a fork to see if the salmon flakes easily is the best way to ensure your salmon is cooked perfectly.
What to Serve with Salmon
Salmon is such an easy protein to pair with lots of different side. I love making it with simple steamed green beans or Sautéed Zucchini. It’s delicious with grains like Instant Pot Quinoa and my Copycat Rice a Roni or with some classic Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes (Dairy Free). And my favorite way to enjoy salmon is on a salad – like this Maple Cider Holiday Salad.
Meal Prep and Storage
To Prep Ahead: the best part of this recipe is you can have it on the table without any prep time, even if you forget to thaw it out!
To Store: The best way to store any leftover salmon is in an airtight container. Be sure to refrigerate leftovers for just a few days 2-3 max.
To Freeze: You can also freeze the pieces of cooked salmon for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and then warm in the air fryer until heated through.
To Reheat: For best results, reheat your salmon right in the air fryer on 300 until warmed through.
Recipe FAQs
What does the internal temperature of the salmon need to be?
When cooking any salmon, you need to use an internal thermometer to make sure the fish reaches an internal temp of 145°F before it is considered safe to eat. Always place your meat thermometer in the thickest part of the salmon filet and be sure you aren’t sticking it through the salmon and touching the Air Fryer basket or tray.
How do you know when your salmon is done?
If you don’t have a digital thermometer, it’s very easy to check the doneness of your salmon with a fork. Cooked salmon should flake easily – meaning it separates easily onto your fork.
Do you need to flip air fryer salmon halfway through cooking?
You do not have to flip salmon over in the air fryer because it circulates air to cook your food perfectly on both sides.
Do you air fry salmon skin side down?
Yes, for this recipe, I like to cook the salmon skin side down since the salmon is not flipped during cook time. For my pan seared salmon, however, I cook it starting skin side up!
Can you air fry salmon from frozen?
Yes! While I think it tastes better when cooked fresh, I have cooked salmon from frozen in the air fryer in a pinch and it still comes out great. Both methods – fresh and frozen – are outlined in the recipe card below.
More Easy Air Fryer Recipes
If you love the Air Fryer like I do, then here are a few more recipes that you need to check out:
- Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Hot Honey
- Air Fryer Potato Chips
- Air Fryer Zucchini
- Air Fryer Cauliflower
- Air Fryer Turkey Bacon
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Air Fryer Salmon (Fresh or Frozen)
Author: Nancylynn
Enjoy some perfectly cooked salmon in less than 10 minutes with this Air Fryer Salmon recipe! You'll get tender, juicy, flaky salmon every time when using your Air Fryer. Bonus – if you are short on time, you can make frozen salmon in the air fryer without any thawing!
5 from 4 votes
Servings : 2
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 2 minutes mins
Cook Time 9 minutes mins
Total Time 11 minutes mins
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 wild caught salmon fillets or sustainably farmed salmon fillets fresh or frozen
- 1 lemon
- 2 tsp olive oil
- lemon pepper seasoning if yours doesn’t have salt, you will need to sprinkle salt on your salmon, too
- smoked paprika you can sub regular paprika
- lemon or lime wedges
Instructions
From Fresh:
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
Rub each filet with olive oil and season with lemon pepper, then sprinkle with smoked paprika.
Place 2 filets of salmon in the air fryer and air fry for 7-9 minutes, depending on this thickness of the salmon.
Open air fryer and check for desired doneness with a fork – it should be flakey. You can return the salmon for another 1 or 2 minutes as necessary.
Enjoy with fresh lemon or lime, of desired – it’s even good without if you don’t have it.
From Frozen:
Preheat air fryer to 400° Fahrenheit.
Place the frozen salmon in the Air Fryer basket or tray and cook it for 7 minutes – this is the thawing step.
After that initial 7 minutes, add olive oil and the seasonings on top of the salmon. Cook for another 7 minutes.
Check on doneness of the salmon as you would with fresh fillets, adding extra time of necessary.
Notes
21 Day Fix: 1 RED, 1/2 TSP (per serving)
WW: 2 points (per serving)
Meal Prep and Storage
To Prep Ahead: the best part of this recipe is you can have it on the table without any prep time, even if you forget to thaw it out!
To Store: The best way to store any leftover salmon is in an airtight container. Be sure to refrigerate leftovers for just a few days 2-3 max.
To Freeze: You can also freeze the pieces of cooked salmon for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and then warm in the air fryer until heated through.
To Reheat: For best results, reheat your salmon right in the air fryer on 300 until warmed through.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 201kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 34gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 76mgPotassium: 908mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 80IUVitamin C: 29mgCalcium: 34mgIron: 2mg
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Roderick Reed says
Delicious air frypatties.
Reply
Ami says
Excellent recipe! I followed the from frozen directions and your timing was spot on. The seasoning was excellent too. All your recipes are fantastic 👌Reply
Nancylynn says
Thank you, thank you, thank you Ami!!
Reply
Melanie says
Hi Nancy – Lemons are listed twice in the recipe but instructions are only once, for brightness at the end. Should a lemon also be juiced on the fish before cooking? Thank you
Reply
Nancylynn says
Hi! I see that now, thank you! You could for sure squeeze lemon before – that would be yummy! But the recipe works with or without it. Thanks, Melanie!
Reply
