Air Fryer Salmon
Delicious air fryer salmon is a succulent Salmon recipe. Super easy salmon in the air fryer is the best dinner you can make in minutes!
Ingredients
Salmon
- 2 pieces salmon fillet with ot without skin
Dry Spice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper each
- 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon chilli powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
Avocado Salsa
- 1 avocado diced
- 1/3 cup mango diced
- 1/4 cup red onions finely diced
- 3 tablespoons cilantro minced
- 1 Jalapeño sliced
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon honey
Instructions
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Prepare all your dry spice mix and add them to a small plate.
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Pat your salmon fillet dry using a kitchen towel
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sprinkle the dry spice rub over both sides of the salmon fillets
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Add the olive oil to salmon and toss it well into the fish.
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Place the salmon fillets in the sir fryer basked preheated to 400 degrees and set it for 8 minutes.
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Flip the salmon and air fry for another 3-4 minutes max (depending on the thickness of your salmon fillets).
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You may find that the salmon is perfectly cooked after the first 8 minutes of air frying with no need to flip or continuing to air fry. this will depend on the thickness of your salmon fillets.
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remove from the air fryer on to a serving plate.
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Mix all avocado salsa ingredients in a bowl and top the salmon fillets with that.
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Drizzle extra olive oil on top.
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Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips for Air Fryer Salmon
- Choose your favorite type of salmon.
- Adjust the spice to be as simple as salt and pepper only, or go with your favorite flavors. Make sure it's as dry as possible because that works best for air fryers.
- No need to wait for marinades, just spice and go.
- Olive oil is key to crisping the salon. I use my all time favorite Moroccan brand olive oil (mina) which you can read all about it in this Olive Oil Cake.
- Any type of air fryer works for this recipe!
- Make sure you check your salmon after air frying for 8 minutes as it may be done. This depends on the thickness of your fillets.
- My 1 inch thick fillets were done in exactly 11 minutes of air frying, with 8 minutes at 400 degrees F and then I flipped them. Cooked an extra 3 minutes at 400 degrees F and it was perfectly done.
- Serve these with rice, pasta, potatoes, salad, soup, bread and keep leftovers for a lunch bowl next day. You can get an idea for leftover salmon bowls at this Grilled Salmon post.
Air Fryer Salmon Variations
- Honey Garlic Air Fryer Salmon: Glaze with honey, soy sauce, garlic.
- Lemon Dill Salmon: Season with lemon zest and fresh dill.
- Mediterranean Salmon: Add oregano, garlic, olive oil, and lemon.
- Spicy Cajun Salmon: Use Cajun seasoning and smoked paprika.
- Teriyaki Salmon: Brush with teriyaki sauce during last 2 minutes.
Salmon came out dry
Possible causes are it cooked too long, the temperature was too high or you started with a very thin fillet. To avoid this, cook 1–2 minutes less next time and remove at 125°F internal temp.
Salmon sticking to air fryer
Possible cause is the basket was not greased, to avoid this, lightly oil the basket or use parchment air fryer liners
Salmon not crispy
This happens when there's too much moisture, to avoid this, always pat salmon dry before seasoning
Salmon unevenly cooked
Possible cause is an overcrowded basket, so always cook in batches and make sure the salmon is in a single layer.
How long do you cook salmon in an air fryer?
Most salmon fillets cook in about 10 minutes at 400°F.
Do you need to flip salmon in the air fryer?
No. Cooking skin side down keeps the fish moist.
Can you cook frozen salmon in the air fryer?
Yes. Add about 3–4 extra minutes of cooking time.
What temperature should salmon be cooked to?
The USDA recommends 145°F, but many chefs prefer 125-130°F for a moist salmon.
What type of salmon should I cook with?
We recommend cooking with wild caught salmon but this isn't feasible or possible so every kind of salmon you have available to you will work just fine with this recipe.
Many people like to buy frozen salmon instead of fresh salmon. You can also use frozen salmon for this recipe, however, you need to make sure if it's fully defrosted before you start to cook with it.
Can I remove the Skin?
This recipe is great with the skin left on but, it's true some people prefer to remove it. While you can remove the skin, I wouldn't do so until after you have cooked your salmon on the air fryer. Once the fish is cooked the skill will peel off easily.