How to cook quick and easy air fryer salmon fillets

We succumbed to getting an air fryer recently, and we have been having fun exploring it, with the aid of our new book The Complete Air Fryer, and our Air Fryer Temperature cheatsheet that we put together. We asked ourselves can you put salmon in the air fryer recently, and not only did the recipe book answer the question, it also gave us a fabulous, quick and easy recipe for salmon fillets. It takes less than 10 minutes to make, and is delicious.

We think using these details will help you to discover the best way to cook your fresh salmon fillets.This is an easy and flavor-packed air fryer salmon recipe. By following our recipe card, you’ll achieve perfect air fryer results – tender and juicy salmon with a delightful crust.

Ingredients

• 2 or 4 x 115g / 4oz salmon fillets
• Extra virgin olive oil spray, or a little olive oil
• 1 slice of lemon, or lemon juice from half a lemon
• 1 tsp dried dill, you can also add brown sugar, garlic powder, or onion powder for seasoning if you choose too
• Salt
• Black pepper, this can be freshly ground pepper

How to make your salmon fillets in the air fryer

The recipe with The Complete Air Fryer cookbook is a little shorter than ours, we have combined with some additional advice, and steps to help you out. Why not check out the book for even more air fryer recipes?

• Preparation: Start by patting the salmon fillets dry with a paper towel, or some parchment paper. This step ensures a better texture once the salmon cooks.
• Seasoning: Lightly spray the salmon fillets with olive oil—this not only prevents sticking but also helps the seasoning adhere to the fish. Drizzle lemon juice over each piece for a hint of acidity. Then, evenly coat the skin side and the top of each fillet with the seasoning mix. The combination of lemon and spices will elevate the natural flavors of the fresh salmon.

• Cooking: Place your seasoned salmon fillets into the air fryer basket, skin side down. The air fryer should be preheated to 360 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius). The cooking time for salmon in the air fryer varies slightly depending on the thickness of the salmon. However, a general guide is to air fry for 7-9 minutes. This cook time will ensure that your salmon reaches the ideal internal temperature, becoming firm to the touch yet still moist inside.
• Checking doneness: The best indicator that your salmon is cooked perfectly is when it easily flakes with a fork and has reached an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. Another hint is that there is a crispy salmon skin on your fillets too.
• Serving: Once done, remove the salmon fillets from the air fryer basket and serve immediately. Enjoy the succulent flavors that air frying brings out, accompanied perhaps by air fryer asparagus or other vegetables such as air fryer broccoli for a wholesome meal. You can grab your lemon slices to decorate the salmon to make it even more presentable.
• Storing leftover salmon: If you have leftover cooked salmon, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It remains delicious for up to two days and can be easily reheated in the air fryer to retain its delightful texture and flavor.

Note: For a little extra flavour for an even more delicious piece of fish, why not, in a small bowl, mix together a dash of brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper to create a savory rub for the salmon. This is an easy way to give you the best flavor for your fish, and a great way to give your air-fried salmon a little twist.

With this air fryer salmon recipe, you can have a quick, healthy, and easy way to enjoy salmon any day of the week – it is a really simple way to cook salmon. The best part is that it takes less than 10 minutes to make – so perfect to add to your list of easy family meals. Pair this dish with your favorite sides, and you’ve got a meal that’ might even pass the kids taste tests. Happy air frying!

You can download the recipe card for this dish below as well. It is easy to print, and to come back to if you want to do so:

I hope you love this as much as we do – including the simplicity of it! If you do want more recipes then check out these fish ones on the site too:

​Here are more recommendations for Salmon recipes too from other awesome sites that we know and love:

If you like this recipe, take a look at our cook section. Why not explore the rest of the site too? We are a family focused site, with loads of ideas and activities for kids. We specifically focus on wellbeing too as the editor for the site is a counsellor. What about checking out our free kids book club? Or some of the free printables and resources we have for kids? If you like what you see, you can sign up for our newsletter too:

I agree to receive email updates and promotions.

Yes, I want to get inspiration for kids to my inbox

We hope to see you again soon.

Take care,

Helen

Sharing is caring!