Salmon: Air Fryer (Maya)

 

This air fryer salmon recipe is the fastest way to cook salmon — it takes just 10 minutes including the prep time and the cook time! While I regularly make my recipes for baked salmon, grilled salmon, and pan seared salmon, cooking salmon in the air fryer is faster and more foolproof than all of these. That’s why it has been my go-to method ever since I tried it years ago. If this fish is a staple at your house like it is in mine, make this version and you just might never look back.

❤ With love and full tummies ~ Mama Bear  ❤

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  Let's Get Cooking!

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  Servings: 4  | 1.1 net carbs | 34 g Protein | Total Cook Time 6 Minutes

• Why You'll Love this Recipe: 

Moist, flaky, and tender – I make this recipe several times a month, that’s how good it is (and that’s saying a lot for someone who develops recipes for a living, ha!) Sometimes I change it up with air fryer tilapia or air fryer cod, but the premise is the same: The air fryer locks the moisture in fish so well!

Simply seasoned – The seasoning blend I use relies on basic ingredients (read: you probably have them on hand!), but it makes each bite pop with flavor. If you like something a little more sweet and bite-sized, you can easily transform it into honey glazed air fryer salmon bites!

Ready in no time – No excuse not to have a healthy dinner if you have salmon on hand! My air fryer salmon recipe takes just 10 minutes start to finish… much faster than the oven. It has saved me on so many busy weeknights.

Healthy and satisfying – This recipe is naturally gluten-free and packed with protein.

Ingredients and Substitutions:

• Salmon – I usually buy a large fillet and cut it crosswise into narrow, 5-6-ounce strips, as shown in the picture below. You can also just buy the fillets already pre-cut. I prefer to use wild-caught salmon with skin (and the air fryer makes the best crispy skin!), but you can use any type of salmon that you prefer.
• Olive Oil – For brushing over the salmon. Avocado oil also works.
• Lemon Juice – Use fresh lemon juice for best flavor, or bottled for convenience.
• Spices – My simple blend is garlic powder, paprika (or sometimes I use smoked paprika), sea salt, and black pepper. If you like a kick, you can change it up and use Cajun seasoning, lemon pepper seasoning, or jerk seasoning. Prefer something more sweet? You’ll love my maple salmon marinade, which leaves a little glaze on top of the air fryer salmon after cooking.

Ingredients :

• 1/4 cup Olive oil
• 1 tsp Sea salt
• 1/2 tsp Paprika
• 1/4 tsp Black pepper
• 1 tsp Garlic powder
• 4 6-oz Salmon fillets
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice

Instructions :

• Use paper towels to pat the fish dry.

• In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil and lemon juice. Brush the salmon fillets on both sides with the olive oil mixture.

• Season both sides with garlic powder, sea salt, paprika, and black pepper. Rub the seasonings into the salmon to spread evenly.

• Arrange salmon fillets in the air fryer basket, skin side down, with space between them. (If using skinless salmon, line the bottom of the basket with aluminum foil before adding the salmon, leaving the edges of the basket uncovered so that air can flow through.)

• Air fry salmon at 400 degrees F (204 degrees C) for 6-10 minutes, until the salmon internal temperature reaches your desired doneness: 125 degrees F (52 degrees C) for medium rare, 130 degrees F (54 degrees C) for medium, or 140 degrees F (60 degrees C) for well done. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can test if the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Tips & Tricks :

• Get salmon fillets that are uniform in size. That way, they cook at the same rate. Also, I found that narrow (5-6-ounce) fillets will cook more evenly (and more quickly!) than large pieces.
• Don’t overcrowd the air fryer. Leave space between the salmon fillets in the air fryer basket, so that air can fully circulate around the fish. Again, this ensures even cooking. Cook in batches if they don’t all fit at once, but in my air fryer, four fillets fit just fine.
• Test internal temperature with a thermometer. Insert it into the thickest part of the fish to measure. I highly recommend 130-135 degrees F for buttery, flaky salmon that isn’t dry. If you don’t have a thermometer, the fish should be opaque and flake easily with a fork, but don’t cook it for so long that it turns almost white.
• You can cook from frozen. I love this shortcut when I forget to thaw the salmon! I don’t normally recommend cooking fish from frozen, but it actually works beautifully in the air fryer with just an extra step. I explain how to cook frozen salmon in the air fryer here.

Storage :

• Reheat: It’s probably no surprise that reheating salmon in the air fryer is the best way to do so. The key is to use a lower temperature than you did for cooking it initially, otherwise it browns too much. Just a couple of minutes at 350 degrees F is perfect. I don’t recommend the microwave, as it dries out the fish, but it works okay in a pinch.
• Store: Keep leftover salmon in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. I usually re-purpose the leftovers for another dish for variety — see ideas below!
• Freeze: Store the salmon in an airtight container or zip lock bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. However, like most fish recipes, it tastes best fresh.

• Source : 
•  Maya - Wholesome Yum