10 Minute Air Fryer Salmon
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If you have 10 minutes and want a healthy, quick and easy meal, this Air Fryer Salmon is your answer. With seared, crispy edges and tender, flaky center, it’s a salmon recipe you’ll find yourself making often!
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Don’t you love quick and easy meals? And when they can also be healthy (like, not out of a box)… all the better.
If you have an air fryer, or are contemplating getting one, this is an easy, healthy recipe to start with or add to your dinner routines.
What to Love About Air Fryer Salmon
- Tender, succulent, flaky salmon in 7 to 9 minutes.
- Handful of ingredients you may already have in the pantry.
- Healthy easy meals!
Healthy Benefits of Salmon
Healthline says, “Salmon is one of the most nutritious foods on the planet.” I would also argue it’s one of the most delicious too. Especially if it’s cooked just right.
You likely already know that salmon is healthy. But here’s why:
- Rich in omega-3 fatty acids: helps reduce inflammation and lower blood pressure.
- Great source of protein: Salmon provides 22–25 grams of protein per 3.5-ounce serving.
- High in B vitamins: An excellent source of B vitamins needed for producing energy, controlling inflammation, and protecting heart and brain health.
- Good source of potassium: which helps manage blood pressure
- Loaded with selenium: which is cancer protective and anti-inflammatory.
- Contains astaxanthin which may benefit heart, brain, and skin health.
Why Make Salmon in the Air Fryer?
Cooking salmon in an air fryer will give you a tender, flavorful, cooked just right seafood you’ll love. The air fryer browns the fish on the outside, giving it a crispy, seared edge yet keeps the inside flaky and wonderful.
How to Make Salmon in the Air Fryer
You will want salmon fillets of similar size. I like to ask the fish monger at the market if they will cut the fillets for me. Often, they’re more than happy to do so.
For 4 servings, I ask for 1.5lb and have them cut into equal 6-ounce(ish) fillets. Generally I choose whichever salmon is freshest, what you see here is Islandic Salmon that had come in that day.
Here are the steps to making Air Fryer Salmon:
Begin with even size salmon fillets. You can buy fillets pre-cut or ask the market to do it for you. Or, simply them them at home into equal sizes. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F while working with the fish.
Whisk a simple dry rub together with a handful of seasoning (recipe in the card below). Drizzle the salmon with olive oil and then rub the seasoning in well for best flavor and texture in the air fryer.
Air fry the salmon for 7 to 9 minutes. Exact cooking time will depend on the thickness of the salmon and the particular air fryer you have. You know it’s done when the salmon flakes easily!
Notes on air fryers: in my Air Fryer Chicken Wings recipe, I gave more detail on which air fryer I am currently using. And by the way, if you love wings, that is another incredibly simple, quick and easy recipe to try!
Tips for Making Air Fryer Salmon
- Remove pin bones: Especially when I’m cooking salmon ahead for soup, pasta or salads, I hate to find errant bones. I always keep fish bone tweezers on hand and pull out any remaining bones before cooking.
- Evenly-sized fillets: So that the salmon will cook evenly and at the same time, it’s important that they are evenly sized.
- Pre heat the air fryer. It’s important to pre-heat the air fryer so the salmon can cook evenly. It also results in a crispier edge and even speeds up cooking time.
- Space the salmon in the air fryer. For the crispest salmon, it’s important that they’re not touching on the tray or in the basket. This lets the air circulate freely, crisping the salmon perfectly.
Air Fryer Salmon Questions
An air fryer, in the way it quickly circulates air, cooks a salmon fillet to perfection. It’s flaky, juicy and tender on the inside, and beautiful browned and delicious on the outside!
For this recipe, you will cook the filets for 7 to 9 minutes at 400°F. This time could vary slightly depending on how thick the salmon is and which particular air fryer you are using. Fillets around 1 inch thickness will need 8 to 9 minutes.
Coat the salmon on both sides with olive oil and seasoning. Then preheat the air fryer and cook for 7 to 9 minutes. Check for doneness and add a minute or two if needed. The salmon should flake easily with a fork and have an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.
Air fryer salmon is so versatile, that’s it perfect for making ahead for meals, or serving now. It will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or you can freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then warm through.
If making ahead, it’s wonderful in soups, over salads or grains, as salmon tacos, or even made into salmon burgers. If serving immediately, I like to add salad greens and seasonal vegetables.
More Delicious Salmon Recipes
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10 Minute Air Fryer Salmon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 salmon filets 6 ounces each
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- salt to taste
- fresh parsley for garnish
- lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
- Remove bones if needed from the salmon filets. Brush olive oil over the filets, coating both sides. Then rub the garlic powder, lemon pepper, paprika, and salt into the filets.
- Place the salmon in the air fryer and air fry for 7-9 minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon. Cooking time may vary between air fryers. If using trays instead of a basket, rotate half way through.
- Check for desired doneness with a fork (it should easily flake) and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes if needed. The internal temperature should be 145°F.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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