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    Urban Bliss Life » Blog » How to Cook Air Fryer Salmon

    Published: February 14, 2022 / Updated: May 6, 2022 by Marlynn Jayme Schotland · This post may contain affiliate links.

    How to Cook Air Fryer Salmon

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    air fryer salmon with text overlay
    air fryer salmon with text overlay
    air fryer salmon with text overlay

    If you like salmon, you will love learning how to cook air fryer salmon! This lemon garlic paprika salmon requires just 5 ingredients, and can be made in 30 minutes. Absolutely delicious!

    air fryer salmon with dill and lemon

    Living in the Pacific Northwest, we are lucky to have fresh salmon regularly. We love cooking it at home, and since we use our air fryer at least once a day, of course we also love to cook salmon in the air fryer!

    If you've never made air fryer salmon, you will LOVE it! This is a simple recipe, and I've got lots of helpful step-by-step air frying tips to help you make the most delicious salmon.

    Table of contents

    • Why cook salmon in the air fryer?
    • Kitchen tools and equipment
    • 5-ingredient salmon recipe
    • Step-by-step instructions:How to cook salmon in the air fryer
    • Air Frying Salmon FAQs
    • What to serve with salmon
    • Best wine pairings for salmon
    • More seafood recipes to try
    • Pin it

    Why cook salmon in the air fryer?

    salmon fillets cooked in the air fryer

    Like many other air fryer recipes, cooking salmon in the air fryer is faster, easier, and hands-off compared to other cooking methods.

    • This is a 5-ingredient recipe (not counting staples you already have, like olive oil, salt, and pepper).
    • The salmon cooks in less than 10 minutes!
    • You can use fresh or frozen salmon.
    • Salmon cooks evenly in the air fryer, ensuring delicious, flavorful salmon in every bite.

    Kitchen tools and equipment

    air fryer salmon on plate with Ninja Foodi

    For this recipe, you just need a few basic kitchen tools:

    Air fryer - I air fry this salmon in my Ninja Foodi Deluxe XL multicooker, or in my Instant Pot Vortex air fryer. You can use any basket style or tray-style air fryer that you have.

    Parchment paper - You'll need to cut out a sheet of parchment paper to fit your air fryer basket or trays. This helps keep the flavor in the salmon and keeps the salmon from sticking to your air fryer.

    5-ingredient salmon recipe

    ingredients to make air fryer lemon garlic paprika salmon

    Salmon - You'll need four salmon fillets that are between 4 and 6 ounces each. You can also make this with three salmon fillets if that's all you have. But if you make this with more than four salmon fillets, be sure to increase the amount of the seasonings to cover all of the fillets. You will also likely need to cook your salmon in batches.

    Make sure you slice the salmon into similar-sized fillets. This helps them cook evenly in the air fryer.

    Olive oil - Use a flavorful extra virgin olive oil to coat the salmon.

    Lemon juice - Use fresh lemon juice if you can. Otherwise, store-bought lemon juice works!

    Paprika - Ground paprika adds a subtle rich flavor to the salmon. You can lower the amount to ¼ teaspoon or omit it entirely if you prefer, but if you love paprika like we do, I highly suggest trying the amount in the recipe. Also try my air fryer paprika chicken and creamy paprika pasta recipes if you love this spice!

    Garlic powder - You could use fresh, minced garlic, but then you run the risk of ending up with burnt garlic on your salmon. Using garlic powder adds that zingy flavor we all love without the worry of burning the garlic.

    Dill - Seafood and dill go hand in hand. Chop some fresh dill or use dried dill.

    Salt & Pepper - Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper before air frying. Season with more salt and pepper if you find it needs it after it's done cooking.

    Step-by-step instructions:
    How to cook salmon in the air fryer

    In a small to medium bowl, mix together the paprika, garlic powder, dill, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

    rubbing olive oil onto salmon
    rubbing lemon juice over salmon fillets

    Rub the olive oil and then the lemon juice evenly over each salmon fillet.

    air fryer lined with parchment paper

    Evenly season the salmon fillets with the seasoning mix.

    Line your air fryer basket or trays with parchment paper. Place the salmon fillets onto the parchment paper.

    air fryer set to 400 degrees and 6 minutes
    salmon cooked in the air fryer

    Air fry at 400°F for 6 minutes.

    At 6 minutes, check for doneness. If needed, continue air frying for 1 to 2 more minutes, until the salmon reaches your preferred doneness level.

    Serve immediately, with a side of tartar sauce and lemon wedges.

    Air Frying Salmon FAQs

    air fryer salmon
    How do I know when the salmon is cooked?

    Use a meat thermometer placed in the thickest part of the salmon fillet to check for doneness.

    The USDA recommends cooking salmon to 145°F for well done salmon. However, if you are using high quality salmon from a trusted source, most food experts agree that you can cook it to medium rare or medium.

    Salmon is cooked when the temperature reaches:
    Medium-Rare: 125°F
    Medium: 130° to 135°F
    Well Done: 140°F

    Allow the salmon to rest for a few minutes before serving. The salmon will continue to cook slightly during this rest period, usually bringing the final cook temperature to about 5°F more than the initial thermometer reading.

    Can I use salmon without the skin?

    Yes! Salmon with the skin tends to be more flavorful, since the skin helps hold all of those delicious flavors and juices in the salmon - plus the crispy salmon skin is amazingly flavorful on its on. But you can make this same recipe with salmon without the skin.

    What's the best way to store leftover salmon?

    This salmon is best eaten right after it is air fried. However, you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days. I do not recommend freezing leftover cooked salmon.

    Ready to take your air fryer salmon to the next level? Try this Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon recipe. It's SO delicious and easy!!

    What to serve with salmon

    air fryer salmon with lemon wedges and tartar sauce

    Serve salmon fillets with a side of tartar sauce and lemon wedges.

    This seafood dish is also delicious with any of these side dishes:

    • Roasted Garlic Rosemary Glazed Carrots
    • Instant Pot Garlic Rice
    • Simple Fruit Salad
    • Air Fryer Broccoli
    • Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes
    • Garlic Lemon Asparagus

    Best wine pairings for salmon

    salmon and pinot noir

    The richness of this salmon makes it a nice companion for both red wine and white wine.

    If you feel like red wine: go for a fruit-forward Pinot Noir.

    If you feel like drinking a white wine: pair it with an unoaked or lightly oaked Chardonnay.

    More seafood recipes to try

    • Pan-Seared Salmon with Almond Basil Pesto
    • Tuna with Capers and White Wine Pasta
    • Air Fryer Lobster Tails
    • New Orleans-style BBQ Shrimp and Scallops
    • Prosciutto-Wrapped Halibut

    air fryer garlic salmon with lemon and herbs.

    Air Fryer Salmon

    5 from 5 votes
    Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time: 10 minutes mins
    Total Time: 20 minutes mins
    Recipe by Marlynn Schotland
    Easy and fast air fryer salmon with lemon, garlic, paprika, and dill. So good!
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 277kcal
    PRINT PIN RATE 🤍 SAVESaved!

    Equipment

    • Air Fryer

    Ingredients

    • 4 (4-6 ounce) salmon fillets
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon dill
    • ½ teaspoon ground paprika
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • lemon wedges for serving
    Get Recipe Ingredients

    Instructions

    • Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. In a small to medium bowl, whisk together the garlic powder, dill, paprika, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
    • Rub each fillet with olive oil, then lemon juice. Then sprinkle the seasoning mix evenly over each fillet.
    • Line the air fryer basket or trays with parchment paper. Place the fillets, skin side down, onto the air fryer basket or trays.
    • Air fry at 400°F for 6 to 9 minutes, just until the salmon reaches your desired level of cooking (see temp guideline in NOTES below)

    Notes

    Parchment paper helps keep the fillets intact, keeps them from sticking to the air fryer, and helps keep the oils, lemon juice, and seasoning from falling through. Alternatively, you could spray your air fryer basket or trays with a non-aerosol cooking spray (I like this avocado oil spray) to keep the salmon from sticking to the air fryer. 
    Salmon temperature guideine: To check if your salmon is cooked, place a thermometer through the thickest part of the salmon fillet.
    • Medium-Rare: 125°F
    • Medium: 130°F
    • Well Done: 140°F
    Tried this recipe?Please leave a star rating and comment! Then snap a pic of your dish and share it on social media. Tag @UrbanBlissLife and #UrbanBlissLife!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 277kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 366mg | Potassium: 853mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 194IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.

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      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Jeff says

        March 03, 2022 at 6:13 pm

        This looks so easy. I like that it will work well with frozen salmon.

        Reply
      2. Tavo says

        March 03, 2022 at 5:32 pm

        5 stars
        Absolutely delicious salmon recipe; thank you for this fantastic recipe! I will make it again!!

        Reply
        • Marlynn Jayme Schotland says

          March 10, 2022 at 10:43 pm

          Wonderful to hear! :)

      3. Heather says

        March 03, 2022 at 5:11 pm

        5 stars
        Made this for dinner...SO easy and so so so good...definitely a keeper :)

        Reply
      4. Casey says

        March 03, 2022 at 4:45 pm

        5 stars
        Seriously the easiest dinner ever! Comes out perfect every time!

        Reply
      5. Andrea says

        March 03, 2022 at 3:54 pm

        5 stars
        What a quick, easy and great way to have salmon. It looks perfect!

        Reply
      5 from 5 votes (1 rating without comment)

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      Marlynn Jayme Schotland 2021 profile pic

      Hi! If you're looking for easy, fast, delicious family-friendly recipes, wine pairings, and travel tips, you've come to the right place! I'm Marlynn - a cookbook author, writer, photographer, and mom of two teenagers + a lovable lab retriever. I hold a WSET 2 with Distinction in wine, and am a member of Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA).

      More about me →

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