Air Fryer Salmon is a heartbreaker. Utterly tender and flaky inside, with a blush of crispness on top, it is so darn delicious it will make it basically impossible for you to ever order salmon in a restaurant again.
A firm believer that you don’t need to arm yourself with an array of fancy gadgets to cook a fantastic meal, I generally loathe purchasing new kitchen appliances.
Thus, it is no small announcement when I tell you that salmon cooked in the air fryer (this is the model I eventually bought) is something to brag about.
Call your mom, text a pic to that foodie friend, and post to social media.
You cooked a seriously tasty piece of fish that is hands-down better than 97% of the salmon I’ve ordered out.
- If you don’t have an air fryer but want to cook salmon, try my top-rated Baked Salmon in Foil or Broiled Salmon, along with these healthy salmon recipes.
- If you DO have an air fryer, then I share your obsession. Be sure to check out my full collection of air fryer recipes. (Air Fryer French Fries, Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts, and Air Fryer Chicken Breasts are on our menu almost weekly.)
How to Cook Salmon in the Air Fryer
You can cook salmon in the air fryer with any of your favorite seasonings, using the time and temperature in this recipe.
The marinade I used for this recipe is very loosely based on the absolute favorite, back-pocket 5-Ingredient Maple Dijon Salmon from my cookbook.
It’s a lovely blend of sweet and savory.
The Ingredients
- Salmon. I prefer to cook this salmon with skin on, as the fillet holds together more easily, and I find skin-on salmon turns out more moist and flaky results than salmon with the skin removed. Once the salmon is cooked, it will flake away from the skin easily. For the best taste, seek out fresh salmon that is sustainably sourced (it feels good to do too!). A delicious protein, salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
- Brown Sugar or Honey. Brown sugar or honey gives the salmon the perfect amount of sweetness and helps it caramelize.
- Dijon Mustard. Tangy, zippy, and pairs wonderfully with the brown sugar/honey and soy sauce.
- Soy Sauce. A salty umami bomb that coats the salmon in scrumptious flavor.
- Ginger. While optional, adding a pinch to make salmon with ginger gives the sauce a subtle, lively touch.
- Garlic. A seafood flavor BFF (Garlic Salmon with Lemon Butter agrees).
The Directions
- Dry the salmon, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Stir the glaze together. Spread the mixture over the salmon.
- Add the salmon filets to an air fryer basket lined with aluminum foil for easy clean up.
- Air fry the salmon at 400 degrees F for 6 to 11 minutes cooking time. ENJOY!
TIP!
The best way to know when salmon is done is to use an instant read thermometer like this one.
Per the FDA, salmon should be cooked to internal temperature of 145 degrees F in the thickest part of the salmon. To make sure your air fry salmon isn’t dry, remove it around 135 degrees F, then cover it and let it rest. The carryover cooking will bring it to temperature, and your salmon will be moist and flaky.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Salmon
- Air Fry Salmon and Asparagus. Asparagus and salmon are a classic pairing. While the salmon is in the air fryer, prepare this fast Grilled Asparagus or Roasted Asparagus, or make Air Fryer Asparagus.
- Air Fryer Salmon and Vegetables. You can pair any veggie with salmon. For a comfort-food dinner, try Oven Roasted Potatoes or Roasted Fingerling Potatoes. For something green, Roasted Broccoli and Sauteed Brussels Sprouts are excellent.
- Air Fryer Salmon with Salad. Salad is an ideal side dish with salmon. Ramen Salad or Asian Noodle Salad would pair perfectly.
Storage Tips
- To Store. Refrigerate salmon in an airtight container for up to 2 days in the fridge.
- To Reheat. Gently reheat leftovers in a skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat until just warmed through.
Leftover Ideas
Flaked leftover cooked salmon can be used in many ways!
- Add it to scrambled eggs or Crustless Quiche (especially good with goat cheese and dill).
- Add it to Homemade Fried Rice.
- Serve it over a salad, such as this meal-prep-friendly Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad.
- Make Salmon Salad to serve in a sandwich, in lettuce wraps, or over greens or a bed of quinoa.
- Turn it into air fryed salmon patties by swapping it for the canned salmon in this Salmon Patty Recipe or the Salmon Quinoa Cakes in my cookbook.
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- Air Fryer. Perfect for any of your favorite air fryer recipes!
- Instant Read Thermometer. The best way to make sure your salmon is cooked through is using a meat thermometer.
- Liquid Measuring Cup. These are a must-have in my kitchen.
The Best Air Fryer
This air fryer is easy to use and has a myriad of different cooking functions. It’s the ideal appliance for creating healthier versions of your favorite fried foods!
Air fryer salmon may have wholly ruined me from all future restaurant salmon orders, but thankfully it has a few important distinctions from heartbreaks of the past.
It exceeds expectations, never lets me down, and the only tears I’ll cry is if Ben beats me to the last serving!
Frequently Asked Questions
You can cook frozen salmon in the air fryer! To make this recipe with frozen salmon, preheat your air fryer to 360 degrees F. Lay the salmon on aluminum foil in the air fryer and cook for about 7 minutes or until thawed. Drizzle the soy/mustard mixture over the top of the filets as directed, then cook for another 6 to 11 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fillets.
Air Fryer Garlic Lemon Salmon. In the glaze spread over the salmon, replace the Dijon mustard and soy sauce with 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, increase the garlic powder to 1 1/2 teaspoons, and add 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Arrange lemon slices on top of the salmon while cooking.
Dry Rub. Remove all liquids and add your favorite seasonings for the dry rub, such as paprika, oregano, basil, and garlic powder. Or try this special Salmon Seasoning combination of mine!
Spicy Salmon. Season the salmon with your favorite Cajun seasoning, or try the seasoning from this Spicy Salmon recipe.
Air Fryer Salmon
Ingredients
- 2 salmon fillets about 6 ounces each
- Pinch kosher salt
- Pinch black pepper
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar or honey
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Pinch ground ginger optional
Instructions
- With paper towels, pat the salmon dry. Sprinkle lightly on both sides with salt and pepper.
- For easy cleanup, line the air fryer basket with aluminum foil. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F according to the manufacturer’s instructions (for my air fryer, that is 3 minutes).
- In a small bowl or larger liquid measuring cup, mix together the brown sugar, Dijon, oil, soy sauce, garlic powder, and ginger (if using). Spoon all over the top of the salmon.
- Slide out the air fryer basket and set it on a heatproof surface. Place the fillets in the basket so that they are not touching.
- Cook the salmon in the air fryer for 6 to 11 minutes, depending upon their thickness and your model (fillets around 1 inch will need 8 to 9 minutes). Do not overcook or the salmon will be dry. Salmon is done when it registers 145 degrees F on an instant read thermometer (I remove mine a few degrees early, let it rest, then the carryover cooking finishes the job). Check it a few times towards the end to make sure it doesn’t overcook.
- Transfer to a serving plate. Enjoy hot, with a sprinkle of additional salt and pepper as desired.
Notes
- TO STORE: Refrigerate salmon in an airtight storage container for up to 2 days.
- TO REHEAT: Gently reheat leftovers in a skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat until just warmed through.
Nutrition
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New to air frying–will try this salmon but is there brown paper underneath the foil?
Hi June, I hope you enjoy it! No brown paper underneath the foil, that is just the reflection of the light! Thanks!
very good and very easy. I’m cooking for one now so it was perfect.
So glad you enjoyed it Marie! Thank you for this kind review!
Hi, I don’t like dijon mustard. Would you suggest I use a different mustard or just leave it out ? Thanks
Hi Susan! I haven’t tested this recipe leaving the mustard out, so not sure how it would turn out. You could use any kind of mustard you’d like but the flavor may slightly be different. If you try it, let me know!
Made this tonight for my hubby. We both gobbled it up! It was very quick and easy, I will be making it more!!
Hi Jenny! So glad you enjoyed the salmon! Thank you for this kind review!
Hands down the best salmon recipe!! Nice crust and delicious flavor….so easy to make quickly in the air fryer with this recipe. I used aluminum foil as suggested and the clean up was a snap.This will now be on heavy rotation in my house. Thanks Erin!!!
Hi Vikki! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I haven’t yet tried this recipe because the only salmon I seem to find lately are those really thin fillets in the grocery store freezers. I’m talking 3-4 oz tops per fillet. It’s as though the driving thought is to get as many so-called fllets from each salmon as possible, resulting in such thin cuts I’m almost afraid to try to cook them. I was hoping for an air fryer recipe would work. Any advise? This looks really delicious!
Hi Nancy! Since that is all you can find, I would suggest in testing one out and work with the cook time. You’ll have to play around some with it! Let me know how it goes!
Finally another salmon recipe worth repeating! I used minced ginger with home grown honey and wow, my husband and I were so impressed. Thank you!!
Hi Jenny! So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for this kind review!
I just wanted to know what salmon you prefer. We love salmon but seems like every time we end up with salmon with a fishy taste. Thank you for sharing! Can’t wait to try it!
Hi Dottie! I do not have a preference, I normally get what is fresh and on sale. If you are finding yours has a fishy taste there could be multiple reason to why that is. Hope this helps!
Make sure you are getting Atlantic salmon and not sockeye salmon which is more orange and has a stronger fishy flavor.
An outstanding salmon recipe! This will be on regular dinner rotation 😊
Hi Tencia! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Great food with less effort…just how cooking should be! Absolutely loved this recipe and will definitely be making again! Also really loved the aluminum foil tip.
Hi Bailey! So glad you enjoyed the salmon! Thank you for this kind review!
I have No name frozen salmon fillets, would those work in this recipe?
Hi Linda! I’ve only tested the recipe as written and I am not familiar with that brand. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!
I made this today. I had it with Arugula /baby Spinach and Avocado dressing. Absolutely delicious. Thank you for this recipe.
Hi Shaun! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I’m new to air frying. My particular air fryer has a pre-setting for fish and the manual recommends 350* for salmon. Your recipe states 400*. Which should I go with?
Hi Christine! Since all air fryers are different, I recommend going with the recipe. Hope this helps!
This recipe was my first attempt at air frying. So glad it was a success! Nice and crisp texture on the outside with a moist inside. The flavor was incredible! This will be a go to recipe for salmon. I used the honey instead of brown sugar. I also purchased perforated parchment paper for the Ninja AF101 and that made cleanup a snap (didn’t use foil – I wanted the air flow)! And I love how quickly a meal comes together using an air fryer.
Hi Tanya! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I I have a Breville toaster oven with air fryer capabilities. What temperature would you recommend to make this salmon? And for how long? This looks so good.
Thanks
Marcia
Hi Marcia! I have no idea because I do not have that particular brand. It should air fry the same thought. If you decide to try it out, let me know how it goes!
My favorite way have salmon! It was juicy and full of flavor!
Hi Megan! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
So easy to make & easy to adapt to more or fewer servings. The cooking time suggestions were right on! Definitely delicious!
Hi Allie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
absolutely delcious!! will definitely make again thank yoU!!!
Hi Tracy! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Amazing! I order salmon whenever I can. My first attempt and it is sooo good!
Hi Kristi! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I was hesitant to use the air fryer for my very expensive salmon. But I followed the recipe, omitting the dijon mustard as my husband dislikes it. The salmon turned out fantastic and perfectly cooked although it took about twice as long as directed. It was a good hunk of salmon! I loved the salty sweetness of the glaze.
Hi! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Nice and moist, could have more flavor. Please, please, please do not put foil in when preheating. The foil will suck up into the fan and start a fire!!!!!
Hi Dorothy! I’m so glad you enjoyed the salmon. Thanks for sharing your concern. I actually have never heard this before. The only downside I know of with foil is that it can make it a little hard for air to circulate so your food might not get as crisp. Air fryers use hot air to cook food, they don’t generate heat like a microwave, so foil won’t catch from everything I have read. Can you share where you learned this? I’d like to know more. Here’s an article I was referencing: https://www.southernliving.com/food/kitchen-assistant/can-you-put-aluminum-foil-in-air-fryer“
Yum. I think my husband is done grilling salmon….
Hi! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This was so delicious and easy! My 9 year old helped to make it and loved it! Will definitely be making again!
Hi Stephanie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Absolutely perfect and we loved the seasoning! Keeper.
Hi Natasha! So glad you enjoyed the salmon! Thank you for this kind review!
We switched out the honey for real maple syrup and it was amazing! Try it!
Hi Peggy! So glad you enjoyed the salmon! Thank you for this kind review!
Yes! This is indeed a five star entree! I didn’t have any soy sauce so I used Yoshida sauce. I will definitely make this many more times. It’s perfect for company too! Thank you!!!
Hi Teri! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I will never grill or broil again!
Hi Judy! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This is an amazing way to cook salmon! I am new to the air fryer, and this was delicious. I used honey and added the ginger. Since I like my salmon medium rare, I only cooked it for 5 minutes and let it rest for about 4. It was cooked through, but like butter! Thank you! Will try more of your recipes!
Hi Mabel! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review.
I love this salmon! I’ve made it multiple times to rave reviews! It’s so easy and comes out juicy and sweet & tangy.
Hi Allie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
1st time to use air fryer ! Well plated by Erin was a wonderful recipe for salmon. Honey , soy sauce cooked on foil was delicious. Bev
Hi Bev! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Wow!! This is the best salmon recipe I’ve ever tried!! Thank you for sharing. I definitely will
make this again and bookmarked the recipe!!
Hi Debbie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Do you use bake or air fry dial for the salmon? I m new to using the air fryer
Hi Janet, this salmon is an air fryer salmon, so you would be air frying it.
Awesome, very tasty, and very very easy to make.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, LaJuana! Thank you for sharing this kind review!