Air Fryer Salmon
Cook a 1-inch salmon fillet in the air fryer at 400°F (200°C) for 7–9 minutes, until the center reaches 145°F (63°C) and the flakes separate. Pat it dry, oil and season it, and leave it skin-side down. Do not flip it. Total time is about 13 minutes for two fillets.
Cook to an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C).
Ingredients
- 2 salmon fillets, about 6 oz (170 g) each and about 1 inch thick at the center
- 1 tbsp (14 g) olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp fine salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
Estimated nutrition
Per serving, estimated: 420 kcal, 35 g protein, 0 g carbs,30 g fat, 0 g fiber, 680 mg sodium.
Estimated per serving from typical USDA FoodData Central values for the amounts listed, then rounded. Not a laboratory analysis. Portions are the two raw fillets plus the tablespoon of oil. Garlic, paprika, pepper, and lemon are omitted as negligible. Salt is ½ tsp for the batch.
Instructions
- Pat both fillets dry with a paper towel, including the skin. Wet fish steams. Rub with the olive oil, then the garlic, paprika, ½ tsp salt, and pepper.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 3 minutes. A cold basket adds a minute and softens the surface.
- Set the fillets skin-side down in one layer, with a finger of space between them. Do not flip later. The fan browns the top.
- Air fry 7 minutes for a fillet under 1 inch, or 9 minutes for a thicker center. Stop when an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part reads 145°F (63°C) and the fish flakes under light pressure.
- Rest 2 minutes on a plate. The center finishes from residual heat. Serve with lemon. A squeeze at the table is better than cooking the lemon on the fish, which can scorch the zest.
Basket size and model notes
These times are for a preheated 5–6 qt basket, one layer, about 1,500–1,700 W. A 3–4 qt basket cooks a single fillet a minute faster because the food sits closer to the element. An oven-style air fryer with a weaker fan often needs the full 9 minutes plus 1 more; check at 7.
Dual-drawer machines: cook both fillets in one drawer if they fit without touching. Running both drawers at once can slow each side by about a minute. Use the thermometer, not the second drawer’s timer, as the finish line.
Frozen fillets are a different cook. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then pat very dry, or add roughly 3 minutes and expect more white albumin on the surface. Do not start this recipe from a solid frozen block.
Tips
- White stuff on the surface is albumin, a protein that weeps when salmon is rushed or cooked past 145°F. It is harmless. Pulling the fish at 140–145°F keeps most of it in the fillet.
- Skin-on fillets release more cleanly and shield the meat from the direct blast. Skinless works if you oil the basket and do not move the fish until the last minute.
- Center-cut fillets are more even than tail pieces. If one fillet is much thinner, check it two minutes earlier and pull it while the thicker one finishes.
Substitutions
- Salmon. Trout or arctic char at the same time and 145°F. They are thinner on average, so start checking at 6 minutes.
- Olive oil. A neutral oil, or 1 tsp mayonnaise brushed on the top if you want a deeper crust without a strong olive taste.
- Paprika and garlic. 1 tsp Dijon plus lemon zest, or a pinch of brown sugar with salt and pepper for a glazed top. Add sugar only in the last 2 minutes if it starts to darken too fast.
- Lemon. A spoon of yogurt and dill, or rice vinegar. Skip citrus in the basket itself.
Storage and reheating
Cool leftovers within 2 hours. Refrigerate in a covered container up to 3 days. The crust will not stay crisp, and that is normal for cooked salmon. Do not freeze salmon you have already air fried if you can avoid it; the texture turns dry. Raw seasoned fillets can sit in the fridge up to a day before cooking.
Reheat a fillet at 300°F (150°C) for 3–4 minutes, just until warm in the center. A hotter basket overcooks the already-done protein. Flake cold leftovers onto a salad or rice if you would rather not reheat them.
Questions
What temperature and time for air fryer salmon?
400°F (200°C) for 7–9 minutes for a 1-inch, 6 oz fillet, to an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). Do not flip. Thicker fillets need the extra minute or two; thinner tail pieces are done closer to 6.
Should you flip salmon in the air fryer?
No. Skin-side down for the whole cook lets the top brown while the skin protects the bottom. Flipping breaks the fillet and dries the side that was already done.
How do you keep air fryer salmon from drying out?
Dry the surface, oil it lightly, and stop at 145°F. The usual mistake is leaving it until the color is uniform all the way through, which is past the safe temperature and past the point where it stays moist.
Can you cook salmon and a vegetable together?
Only if the vegetable finishes in about the same window. Asparagus at 400°F is close. Potatoes are not. The collection of salmon and fish recipes is on the salmon and fish page; potato timing is on the cooking times chart.
More in this collection
- Air Fryer Salmon and Fish Recipes — Two fillet methods: unbreaded salmon, and breaded white fish. Different clocks, both to 145°F.
- Air Fryer Recipes for Beginners — The shorter, more forgiving recipes: frozen fries, salmon, a plain breast, wings, chops, fish, and an omelette.
- Healthy Air Fryer Recipes — The lighter recipes: salmon, white fish, chicken breast, pork chops, tofu, cauliflower, and the omelette.
- Air fryer cooking times chart for foods that do not have a full recipe yet.
