Air Fried Salmon

Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, this air-fried salmon is perfectly seasoned and cooked to flaky perfection in minutes. With minimal oil and a quick cooking time, it’s an easy, delicious way to enjoy a healthy meal.

Why This Recipe Works

Easy with the Air Fryer: If you haven’t jumped on the air fryer train yet, you have been missing out. It’s one of my favorite kitchen appliances (and this is coming from a culinary arts instructor) and I use it several times a week. If you already love easy air fryer recipes, then you’ll be down to try this one! I like air frying over searing on the stove or even slow roasting it (though I am quite obsessed with this butter basted salmon recipe) because it gets the most perfectly crisp skin.

Crispy & Delicious: Crispy skin is the key to getting the most nutrients out of your salmon because if it isn’t crispy it’s not exactly something I am going to eat (it usually gets scraped off and tossed to the dog). Below I have outlined the best tips and cooking techniques for seasoning your salmon, keeping the fish juicy while getting a super crispy crunchy skin, and all my favorite ways to serve this dish!

What is the best salmon to cook with?

The best salmon to cook with is the salmon you like to eat. There are a handful of different types of salmon out there, but ultimately you should buy what fits your budget, palate, and dietary needs. Here are a few things to note when you go to purchase your salmon: Decide if you prefer farmed or wild caught. I personally try to find sustainable, wild caught salmon when I can or high quality farm raised if possible. You can learn more about the difference between these buying options in this article by Eat This.

Most common types of salmon in grocery stores are:

• Atlantic (always a farmed fish)
• Sockeye Salmon (often wild caught)
• King Salmon (MY FAVORITE and what’s pictured… also usually the most expensive)
• Coho Salmon
• Pink Salmon

Supplies Needed

• Knife and Cutting Board
• Paper Towels
• Plate or Small Baking Sheet
• Air Fryer (I love this convection oven/ air fryer combo)
• Spatula
• Meat Thermometer

Ingredients

• Salmon Fillets: Choose any type of salmon you prefer. Equal size fillets work best for similar cooking times if possible.
• Olive Oil or Avocado Oil: A higher smoke point oil (like avocado) does work well here. You will want to lightly spray your air fryer basket and lightly oil the fish so the salt and pepper sticks.
• Sea Salt and Pepper: Season the skin generously and lightly season the rest of the exposed fish.

How to Make Air Fried Salmon

Prep:

Allow to Chill & Dry: If you have time, let the fish sit on a plate or small baking sheet in the fridge, uncovered for up to 24 hours. Even a few hours helps dry out the skin. Do not season it!

Pat Dry & Prep: Prep your fish by removing it from the packaging, and patting it very dry with paper towels. Remove any scales and pin bones.

Air Fry:

• Preheat: When you are ready to air fry, pre-heat your air fryer to 400 F.
• Season: Lightly oil each piece of fish and season the skin and meat with salt and pepper. Spray your air fryer basket to prevent the fish from sticking if needed.
• Air Fry: Cook your fish, skin side up until the thickest part reaches 145 F. Timing may vary depending on the thickness of your fish and the size of your fillets. This can range around 8-12 minutes or so. Serve hot with my easy lemon dill sauce and enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you get crispy salmon skin?

Moisture is the enemy of getting a crispy, crunchy skin. The best way to eliminate moisture is to first pat your salmon dry with paper towels. Place it on a plate or cutting board and leave it out so it’s exposed to the open air in your fridge. Do this in the morning before work or overnight if desired. I find doing this within 12-24 hours of cooking is the best way to naturally dry the fish skin out a bit before cooking. Do NOT season it when it’s exposed to the air. Adding salt to the fish will draw moisture out and result in a dry brine that could mess with the texture and moisture levels. If you plan on cooking with frozen salmon, be sure to thaw it overnight first. Pat the fillets dry and allow the air to circulate throughout the day in the fridge before cooking. This technique works best with fresh salmon, but it is doable with frozen.

Can I season my salmon with other spices?

You can experiment with adding other dried herbs and spices like this Cajun BBQ Dry Rub recipe (so good) or a simple garlic powder and some herbs to this air fried salmon. You could also try my lemon pepper seasoning on here! I suggest avoiding marinades or anything with white or brown sugar so it doesn’t burn. If you end up using a marinade, remove the skin since it won’t get crispy.

Serving Suggestions

I love pairing my salmon fillets with a small bowl of this easy lemon dill sauce! It livens up this lightly seasoned salmon and the citrus dill flavor combination pairs perfect with this style of fish.

Serve with my spicy cumin roasted sweet potatoes, crispy grilled potatoes, grilled lemon pepper parmesan brussel sprouts or even some grilled cauliflower mac and cheese too!

More Recipes to Try

• Furikake Salmon Nuggets
• Grilled Shrimp Rolls
• Smoked Crab Cakes
• Tandoori Salmon
• Hot Smoked Salmon
• Maple Pecan Salmon

Air Fried Salmon

Make cooking salmon in an air fryer a breeze with this simple step by step recipe! It's the key to perfectly cooked crispy skin and delicious juicy salmon.

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Dishes

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Air Fried Salmon

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes minutes

Additional Time: 12 hours hours

Total Time: 12 hours hours 13 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 678kcal

Author: Bon Appeteach

Ingredients

• 4 Salmon Fillets
• 2-3 tbsp. Olive Oil or Avocado Oil
• Salt and Pepper

Instructions

• Read through the post above regarding the best tips for getting crispy skin!
• 
  1. Prep your fish by removing it from the packaging, patting it very dry with paper towels. Remove any scales and pin bones.
• 2. If you have time, let the fish sit on a plate or small baking sheet in the fridge, uncovered for up to 24 hours. Even a few hours helps dry out the skin. Do not season it!
• 3. When you are ready to air fry, pre-heat your air fryer to 400 F.
• 4. Lightly oil each piece of fish and season the skin and meat with salt and pepper. Spray your air fryer basket to prevent the fish from sticking if needed.
• 5. Cook your fish, skin side up until the thickest part reaches 145 F. Timing may vary depending on the thickness of your fish and the size of your fillets. This can range around 8-12 minutes or so.
• 6. Remove from the air fryer and serve with this easy lemon dill sauce and enjoy!

Notes

This recipe can work with frozen salmon, but they should be full thawed and patted dry for the best results. See the full blog post notes above for more tips and cooking details.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 678kcal | Protein: 50g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 40g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 213mg