Air Fryer Salmon

Perfect Salmon in 15 Minutes!

My favorite restaurant serves the best salmon, never overdone or dry, always with just the right amount of crispiness on the outside, and piping hot. Cooking salmon like that can be tricky. I often wondered how they achieve that perfect balance every time. What’s the secret? 

My aha! moment came when I used my air fryer to make salmon for the first time. Using an air fryer to cook salmon is the best idea ever. With a delicious glazed, almost caramelized crust, yet perfectly tender and super juicy on the inside, this recipe is a definite winner!

Easy Air Fryer Salmon

Every method for cooking salmon has advantages. Often I bake salmon or grill salmon, with delicious results BUT if you have an air fryer (and if you don’t, strongly consider buying one!), here’s why you should give air fryer salmon a try:

Crispy salmon without heavy frying. In an air fryer, the hot air circulates rapidly around the food, giving it a nice crispy exterior without any added fat. It only takes 8 to 10 minutes! (This method works well for steak, too; try air fryer steak bites.)

Easy clean-up. The air fryer makes clean-up a breeze! This means no fussing with dirty pans, greasy skillets, or a messy stove.

Adaptable. I just know you’ll be very pleased with how your salmon turns out. You can easily make this recipe your own simply by changing the seasoning or trying a different glaze. Really, there are endless possibilities for perfectly cooked salmon, seasoned and dressed to your liking. 

Ingredient Notes

• Salmon: Either skin-on or skinless salmon is fine. The skin will separate easily from the flesh once the salmon is cooked. You can make this recipe using fresh or frozen salmon filets (see my tip below on how to thaw frozen salmon). The recipe is written for 4 fillets but it’s easy to adjust for a smaller amount. If you want to increase the recipe, keep in mind that many air fryers don’t have room to accommodate more than 4 fillets so you may have to cook it in batches.
• Honey: The sugar in honey caramelizes to make a nice crust on the salmon.
• Mustard: You can choose your favorite mustard; both whole grain mustard and Dijon are always a good choices. I’d stay away from regular yellow mustard.
• Olive Oil: Just add a smidge so the salmon browns nicely.
• Paprika, Salt & Pepper: These simple seasonings add lots of flavor!

How To Make air fryer Salmon

Air fryer salmon is super easy to make. Get your air fryer preheating, and let’s get started.

Make the glaze. Stir up a simple honey mustard glaze. With only a few ingredients, this glaze has loads of flavor and caramelizes as the salmon bakes. 

Prepare the salmon. Pat the salmon dry, and place the salmon fillets on the rack, sides not touching, and brush the glaze on the top of the fillets.

Cook. Set the air fryer to 380ºF to 400ºF. Air fry the salmon for 8 to 10 minutes, keeping in mind that thin fillets cook more quickly than thick fillets. There’s no need to flip the salmon because the air fryer blows air around the salmon so the salmon cooks evenly on all sides.

Serve. That’s it! Can you believe how easy that is? And you’ll love how it turns out every time! Be sure to take a look at the serving suggestions below.

Tips for Success

Follow these tips for perfectly cooked air fryer salmon!

Try not to overcook the salmon because perfectly done salmon is so much better. It’s like the difference between a medium rare steak and a well-done steak. If you’ve tried both, you know what I’m talking about.

Check the salmon for doneness. The easiest way to tell if your salmon is thoroughly cooked is to check its temperature at the thickest part of the filet. If the internal temperature is 145ºF, or close to it, your salmon is done!

Don’t have an instant-read thermometer? Insert the tip of a sharp knife into the thickest part of the salmon. If the flesh looks mostly opaque and flakes easily, it’s done. Perfectly done salmon should be very slightly translucent in the center and separate easily from the skin.

Serving Ideas

Sides: Serve air fryer salmon with stovetop scalloped potatoes or Instant Pot risotto. Easy yellow rice is another great option. Salmon goes well with creamy vodka pasta or fresh tomato pasta. For a perfect summer meal, serve it with asparagus panzanella salad or bruschetta orzo salad.

Salads/Sandwiches/Tacos: Try cooked salmon right on a salad or make a salmon bowl. I like a salmon sandwich sometimes instead of a burger. Put the cooked salmon fillet on a bun with lettuce, tomato, and a dollop of creamy tartar sauce or tzatziki sauce. Air fryer salmon makes a great fish taco with mango slaw, or try this recipe for salmon tacos.

Recipe Variations

This recipe is simple yet it packs tons of flavor AND leaves lots of room for customizing. Here are some variation ideas to try:

• Brush on any glaze you like. I use this Asian-inspired soy sauce and brown sugar marinade recipe or I make baked soy glazed salmon. It’s so good! If you love barbecue sauce, try this BBQ salmon. It’s also easy to make in your air fryer.
• Add crunch. Take inspiration from my almond crusted salmon and add a crunchy, buttery parmesan and almond topping.
• If you prefer a rub, try your favorite rub or this easy-to-make BBQ rub. My all purpose seasoning works great, too.  
• Make salmon bites. Air fryer salmon bites are a fun variation. They can be served as a main course or appetizer. They go great on salads and meal bowls, too!
• Use different types of fish or seafood. Try air fryer tilapia or air fryer breaded shrimp.

If you love the idea of easy dinners with only a few ingredients, be sure to take a look at my collection of 5 ingredient dinner recipes. Good eating doesn’t have to be complicated.

Storage & Reheating Tips

Fridge: Wrap any leftover salmon well and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or pop it back in the air fryer for a few minutes to reheat. It’s great cold, too. 

Frozen: I don’t usually recommend freezing cooked salmon as it tends to change the texture (and not for the better!). If you absolutely must freeze your leftovers, make sure to wrap the salmon tightly in plastic wrap and seal it in an airtight freezer bag. Freeze salmon for up to 3 months, and defrost in the fridge before reheating.