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In just 15 minutes, you'll have fork-tender, delicious air fryer salmon.
Air Fryer Salmon Recipe
The reason I love cooking salmon in the air fryer is that it gets a crispy outer texture we all love from seared salmon, with flaky middles from baked salmon. Add a few seasonings like paprika, and this protein is ready to make dinner a feast.
Ingredients
Both skin-on and skinless salmon fillets work perfectly fine for this recipe. You’ll also need olive oil to help the seasoning mix coat the salmon, grated or minced garlic cloves (garlic powder is also an option), smoked paprika (my favorite, but you can use regular paprika), and Italian seasoning.
How to Make Air Fryer Salmon
Here's how to cook fork-tender flaky salmon every single time:
- Preheat the air fryer.
This is so the grates are hot, and the salmon starts cooking right away. - Season the salmon.
Mix the seasonings and spread them over the salmon in the air fryer. - Air fry the salmon.
For 10 to 12 minutes, depending on the thickness, until the salmon meat separates easily with a fork. Serve with your favorite salmon side dishes.
Laura’s Tips for Air Fryer Salmon
With a few simple tips, you can cook salmon perfectly every single time!
Both can be cooked in the air fryer. And, if you cook skin-on salmon pieces, the skin separates easily from the salmon after. If you already purchased skinless, go ahead and cook that to perfection with this recipe.
Absolutely. You can use fresh or frozen salmon. If using frozen, thaw it first, or follow this recipe for frozen salmon in the air fryer.
The key to seasoning salmon for the air fryer is to add the seasoning right onto the fillets once placed in the air fryer basket. This will reduce run-off and create that nice crust we all love.
The best temperature to cook salmon in the air fryer is 400F because the circulating air seals in moisture, creates a nice crust on the outside, and keeps the middle flaky. To achieve this, I recommend you preheat the air fryer for about 5 minutes. Starting with a nice hot basket helps the salmon achieve great results in less than 12 minutes.
Nope, you don’t have to flip the salmon. The air circulates and cooks all sides evenly without the need to flip.
The cooking time for salmon depends on its thickness. For thinner salmon fillets, 10 minutes of cooking time should be perfect. For thicker pieces, 12 minutes of cooking time will be needed.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Salmon
Some great side dish options are Mexican cauliflower rice, lemon asparagus, and roasted Summer vegetables.
Air Fryer Salmon
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Instructions
Prep:
- Preheat the air fryer to 400F for 5 minutes.
- Pat dry salmon fillets and place them inside the air fryer basket.
- In a small dish, combine olive oil, garlic, smoked paprika, and Italian seasoning. Distribute it over the salmon fillets, and close the air fryer basket.
Cook:
- Cook salmon at 400F for 10-12 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fillet. You know it's done when the salmon meat separates easily with a fork.
Julian says
This air fryer salmon was tasty and very easy to make.
felicity says
Easy and yum!