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This easy Air Fryer Salmon is perfect for healthy meal prep or a quick meal. Customizable with your favorite seasonings, it cooks in minutes for a delicious, flaky, and protein-packed meal that makes easy to eat well during even the busiest of nights.
Meggan’s notes
The secret to perfectly cooked air fryer salmon? High heat and air circulation! As a classically-trained chef, I love how the my favorite air fryer has become a total game-changer—it cooks salmon quickly and evenly, delivering a tender, flaky texture with minimal effort.
If your meal prep is starting to feel blah, air fryer salmon is a great way to switch things up. You can customize the seasoning however you like! My go-to blends are Cajun seasoning and Lemon Pepper, but the sky is the limit when it comes to seasoning your salmon.
Pair this quick and easy air fryer salmon with healthy sides like air fryer broccoli, roasted asparagus, or lemon rice pilaf (made effortlessly in one of my favorite rice cookers) for a meal that’s as nutritious as it is delicious!
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Salmon: If using skin-on salmon, use a sharp knife to score the skin-side of salmon filet 2-3 times, about 1 inch apart, without slashing into flesh, prior to seasoning. Start salmon filets skin-side down in the air fryer basket. Ensure filets are of a similar size to ensure even cooking. Thaw fish overnight in the refrigerator. To thaw frozen cod quickly, place in a sealed bag under cool running tap water for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Seasonings: I love Cajun Seasoning, but you can use other spice blends, such as Old Bay Seasoning or Lemon Pepper Seasoning.
Step-by-step instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 380 degrees. Pat salmon filets dry with a paper towel. In a small bowl, combine Cajun Seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Drizzle filets with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning blend, coating all sides evenly.
- Spray air fryer basket with cooking spray. Transfer filets to the basket, skin-side down, ensuring space between the filets to allow air to circulate. Air fry at 380 degrees until filets flake easily with a fork or paring knife, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Flip halfway through to ensure even cooking. (The internal temperature should reach 145 degrees in the thickest part.)
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe yields two entree-sized filets.
- Storage: Store up to 3 to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Freezer: Place cooled filets in an air-tight freezer-safe container or tightly wrap them in plastic wrap. Store up to 3 months in the freezer. Longer than 3 months might effect the texture of the salmon.
- Meal prep: Air fryer salmon is an excellent addition to your weekly meal prep rotation, if you want to serve up some flavor. Serve air fryer salmon with with cooked quinoa or lemon rice pilaf with a generous serving of air fryer broccoli or roasted asparagus to really pack in all the healthy goodness.
- Make it a meal: I love salmon with a side of buttery fava beans with garlic and basil, oven roasted potatoes with fresh thyme or chives, or with a pile of creamy cucumber salad with fresh dill.
Frequently Asked Questions
Even thick cuts of salmon take as little as 10 minutes in the air fryer, depending on your preferred level of doneness.
Yes, you can put fish on aluminum foil in an air fryer, but don’t completely cover the fish with the foil—leave some gaps to allow hot air to circulate firsts.
You can air fry salmon with or without the skin, but buying salmon with the skin and leaving it on helps retain moisture, preventing the salmon from drying out. Just make sure to place the filet skin-side down in the air fryer basket.
More easy meal prep ideas
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Chicken and Turkey Recipes
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Fish and Seafood Recipes
Blackened Salmon
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Air Fryer Salmon Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 (6-ounce) salmon filets about 1 to 1 ½ inches thick (see note 1)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Cajun Seasoning (see note 2)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 380 degrees. Pat salmon filets dry with a paper towel. In a small bowl, combine Cajun Seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Drizzle filets with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning blend, coating all sides evenly.
- Spray air fryer basket with cooking spray. Transfer filets to the basket, skin-side down, ensuring space between the filets to allow air to circulate. Air fry at 380 degrees until filets flake easily with a fork or paring knife, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Flip halfway through to ensure even cooking. (The internal temperature should reach 145 degrees in the thickest part.)
Notes
- Salmon: If using skin-on salmon, use a sharp knife to score skin-side of salmon filet 2-3 times, about 1-inch apart, without slashing into flesh prior to seasoning. Start salmon filets skin-side down in the air fryer basket. Ensure filets are of a similar size to ensure even cooking. Thaw fish overnight in the refrigerator. To thaw frozen cod quickly, place in a sealed bag under cool running tap water for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Seasonings: Make your own homemade Cajun seasoning with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, Italian seasoning, thyme, cayenne pepper, and salt. Or try any of my other DIY spice blends.
- Yield: This recipe yields two entree-sized filets.
- Storage: Store up to 3 to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
Could Tuna be substituted for Salmon? I was just gifted some Tuna from a friend.
Hi Donna, I haven’t tried it myself, but I don’t see why not. I would keep an eye on the cooking time as the thickness can vary. Take care! – Meggan