If you need a quick and delicious way to cook salmon, try this air fryer salmon recipe! It comes together in less than 10 minutes and has become one of my go-to dinners paired with some veggies.
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❤️ Why you'll love it
Air frying is a great way to cook food without using much oil, resulting in crispy and delicious dishes. Making salmon in the air fryer is easy and tastes delicious! The salmon comes out perfectly cooked, with crispy skin and a flaky texture. Plus, it's a healthy meal that you can make in minutes.
This air fryer salmon also makes a great meal prep option. You can make it ahead of time and then reheat it when you're ready to eat. It's a healthy, low-carb dinner that will keep you satisfied for hours.
Read on to learn how to make the easiest salmon recipe!
🥘 Equipment Used
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You can use any conventional air fryer in the market though you might have to do more batches if your air fryer is small.
My favorite brand is Ninja Air Fryer. You can also use a Ninja Foodi, which I've really come to love as it crisps up so fast!
🧾 Ingredients Used
- Salmon filets: you can use fresh salmon or frozen. If using frozen salmon, thaw it before air frying.
- Olive oil: You can use your favorite cooking oil for the recipe.
- Spices: I use this easy fish seasoning made with easy pantry ingredients like smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and black pepper.
🔪 How To Make This Recipe
Here's how to make this air fryer salmon recipe.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400F.
- Mix the olive oil and spices together in a small bowl.
- Rub all over the salmon.
- Arrange the salmon in the bottom of the air fryer basket and cook for 7-9 minutes.
- Use a fork to check if it's done. If you need to, cook for 1-2 more minutes.
🥫 Storing and Reheating
Once cooked, you can store any leftover salmon in an airtight container for up to 3 days. It's also a great meal prep option, so feel free to make it ahead of time and reheat it when you're ready to eat.
You can reheat your air-fried salmon in the microwave or oven. If using the oven, preheat it to 375F and bake until heated through (about 10 minutes). You can also reheat your salmon in the air fryer. Set the temperature to 350F and cook for 5 minutes or until heated.
💭 Helpful Tips
- For even crispier skin, pat the salmon dry with a paper towel before rubbing it with olive oil and spices.
- Don't forget to check the internal temperature in the thickest part of the salmon with an instant read thermometer before serving - the salmon should be cooked through when it reaches 145°F.
- If you don't have an air fryer yet, try cooking this recipe under the broiler or on the grill - just keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn!
- Adjust the cayenne pepper to suit your taste if you like things spicier.
💭 Recipe Variations
- Serve your air-fried salmon with roasted vegetables, a side of steamed veggies, or a bed of cauliflower rice for an easy and healthy weeknight meal.
- For a fun twist on this recipe, try adding some cooked bacon on top - it'll give the salmon an extra smoky flavor!
- Serve your air-fryer salmon recipe with a squirt of lemon juice, some lemon slices, wedges, and fresh herbs for a delicious and flavorful meal.
- Add a bit of swerve brown sugar for extra flavor and a nice caramelized color on top of the filets.
- You can add other seasonings like onion powder or chili powder to your spice mix.
- To make a quick salmon marinade, mix soy sauce, mustard, and a little olive oil in a small bowl. Let the salmon soak in this mustard mixture for 10 minutes before air frying.
🍽️ What can I eat this recipe with?
This easy recipe tastes great when paired with all kinds of low carb sides. For example, you could serve it with a side of veggies or another favorite side dish. Some of my favorites are:
👩🍳 Frequently asked questions
The salmon should be cooked in the air fryer with the skin side down. The salmon doesn't need to be turned over as it cooks. Use any combination of salt, pepper, garlic salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, cayenne, or a spice mix as seasoning.
You can line the basket of your air fryer with aluminum foil or parchment paper if you like for easy cleanup, but you should never totally cover the bottom of the basket to allow air to circulate around the food.
Salmon cooked in an air fryer raises the possibility of overcooking. Just make sure you don't cook it too long so it doesn't dry out.
📚 Related Recipes
Enjoy these other air fryer recipes!
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Salmon Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb salmon filets
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fish seasoning or 2
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400F.
- Mix the olive oil and fish seasoning together in a small bowl.
- Rub all over the salmon.
- Arrange the salmon in the bottom of the air fryer basket and cook for 7-9 minutes.
- Use a fork to check if it's done. If you need to, cook for 1-2 more minutes.
Notes
- For even crispier skin, pat the salmon dry with a paper towel before rubbing it with olive oil and spices.
- If you don't have an air fryer yet, try cooking this recipe under the broiler or on the grill - just keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn!
- Adjust the cayenne pepper to suit your taste if you like things spicier.
- For a fun twist on this recipe, try adding some cooked bacon on top - it'll give the salmon an extra smoky flavor!
Nutrition
Tayo Oredola is the founder of Low Carb Africa, where she shares healthy, low carb dishes with global flavors. She is passionate about teaching people how to cook drool-worthy dishes while losing weight and living their best lives. Tayo’s recipes have been featured on MSN, Women’s Health, Parade, Yahoo News, Pure Wow, Essence, and other online publications.
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