This frozen salmon in the air fryer is lightly crispy on the outside and tender and flaky inside. It is an easy, low-carb dish, full of flavor, and has virtually no prep, so it's great when you don't have much time to cook but still want something delicious, perfect for busy weeknights!
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If you have spent any time on my blog before, you may know I love using my air fryer. It cuts cooking time in half and cooks food with little to no oil.
This frozen salmon is such an easy meal to make. It is my go-to recipe when I need to get supper on the table in a hurry.
Cooking salmon in the air fryer is one of the easiest methods to cook salmon. I love cooking fresh salmon on the smoker, but sometimes I need a quick recipe.
My popular Tilapia recipe inspired this recipe for frozen salmon fillets, also cooked in the air fryer.
Love salmon recipes? Check out Teriyaki Salmon in Air Fryer, Smoked Salmon on Pellet Grill, and Maple Glazed Salmon baked in the oven.
If you're looking for another excellent air fryer recipe, check out my popular Extra Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings.
🏷️ More air fryer recipes
Jump to:
- 🏷️ More air fryer recipes
- 💗 Why you will love frozen air fryer salmon
- 🐟 Ingredients for air fryer frozen salmon
- 🔪 How to cook salmon in air fryer
- ❓ I don't have an air fryer, can I use the oven?
- 📖 Substitutions
- 💡 Variations for frozen salmon air fryer
- 🍽 Equipment
- 🌡️ Storage
- 💭 Top tips
- ⭐ Recipe FAQs
- 👪 Health benefits of salmon
- 🥗 Side dishes for teriyaki salmon
- 🍣 More Seafood Dinner Recipes
- 📋 Recipe
- 🧯 Food safety
- 📔 More Recipes
💗 Why you will love frozen air fryer salmon
- An easy-to-make dinner recipe that is super fast.
- Made with real ingredients.
- Cooks perfectly in the air fryer. The salmon is juicy and tender.
- Great for meal prep
- Fully cooked in only 16 minutes!
- No breading or marinade required.
- Super quick recipe.
- Perfectly seasoned.
- Low-carb healthy protein.
- Tastes Delicious!
- Frozen salmon in air fryer is low-carb and keto-friendly
🐟 Ingredients for air fryer frozen salmon
- Frozen salmon fillets. I used individually frozen salmon fillets. You could also substitue other frozen fish.
- Lemon-pepper seasoning. I used lemon-pepper seasoning, a simple seasoning that gives the salmon a ton of flavor. However, feel free to change it up and use your favorite seasoning.
- Lemon, optional. I used fresh lemon to add some extra flavor to the salmon.
See the recipe card for quantities.
🔪 How to cook salmon in air fryer
This air fryer salmon from frozen recipe has got to be the easiest dinner recipe ever. This salmon is ready in just 16 minutes, and no olive oil is required.
Step 1: Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F. Place frozen salmon fillets in the air fryer, skin side down.
Step 2: Sprinkle lemon-pepper seasoning over the top. Place fresh lemon slices over the top if you want some extra fresh lemon flavor. Cook frozen salmon in the air fryer for 16 minutes. You do not need to flip the salmon during the cooking time. The thickness of the salmon will determine the amount of time to cook. My salmon fillets were about 1-inch in thickness, and the salmon was fully cooked in 16 minutes. Set the timer for less time than you think, just in case. You do not want your salmon to be overcooked.
Step 3: Ensure the salmon is fully cooked when the timer is up on the air fryer. It should flake easily with a fork. Remove from the air fryer with tongs. Serve with a salad or rice. I love to serve my air fryer salmon fillets with broccoli and carrots for a healthy dinner.
Tip: Make sure to leave enough space for air to move around the salmon fillets.
❓ I don't have an air fryer, can I use the oven?
Yes! If you do not have an air fryer, you can quickly cook this recipe in the oven; it just takes a little longer. Follow all of the instructions for frozen salmon precisely the same. Place parchment paper on a baking pan (for easy cleanup), place salmon skin side down and bake at 400 degrees F for about 25 minutes or so. Remember that the thickness of the salmon fillets will alter the cooking time, and ovens cook differently. The salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork.
📖 Substitutions
Substitute the salmon ingredients to include your favorites:
- Salmon - I used frozen salmon with skin, but you could also use frozen skinless salmon in air fryer. This recipe will also work well with other types of fish. You could also use fresh salmon, but reduce the cooking time by about 5 minutes or so. Follow the air fryer instructions for fresh salmon here.
- Lemon-pepper seasoning - Instead of lemon pepper seasoning, use your favorite seasoning. Garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika are great substitutes.
- Lemon - Instead of fresh lemon, use fresh limes.
💡 Variations for frozen salmon air fryer
This frozen salmon in the air fryer recipe is so easy to switch up ingredients to suit specific tastes. Try some of the following ideas:
- Spicy - Use diced jalapeno peppers or cayenne pepper for a bit of a spicy salmon.
- Honey - Brush honey and garlic on the salmon after it is cooked for honey garlic salmon in the air fryer
- Teriyaki - Brush teriyaki sauce on the salmon after it is cooked. Get the recipe here.
🍽 Equipment
To make air fryer salmon, you need an air fryer. The one I use is the COSORI Air Fryer (paid link). It was very reasonably priced and has a large basket so I can quickly cook for my family.
I recently bought this Ninja Foodi Air Fryer (paid link) as well. (because heck, sometimes you need 2 ;). It has an 8 qt basket and dehydrates, perfect for dehydrating fresh mint and hot peppers! Plus, it has two baskets! That makes it so easy to make enough food to feed my family in no time at all! I highly recommend it!
🌡️ Storage
If stored correctly in an airtight container, cooked air fryer salmon will last for 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
After that, you can eat it cold on a green salad (my favorite) or place it in an oven-safe baking dish with 2 tablespoon of water, cover with foil, and reheat at 300 degrees for about 15 minutes or so. Cooking it at a lower heat will help to prevent it from drying out. Also, you can use the reheat setting on your air fryer if it has it. It will only take about 5 minutes to be heated through.
You can also freeze cooked salmon in an airtight container or Ziploc bag for up to 2 months.
💭 Top tips
The preparation of cooking frozen salmon in the air fryer is relatively simple. All you need to do is place the salmon in the air fryer, set the timer for 16 minutes, and start cooking. These tips will ensure your salmon comes out perfectly.
- Preheat the air fryer before placing the salmon in it.
- For best results, use salmon fillets that have the skin on. The skin keeps the oils and nutrients in the salmon so it does not dry out and the meat will stay juicy.
- No extra oil is required to air fry the salmon.
- Leave a bit of space between the fish fillets so air can pass around them for even cooking.
- Do not overcrowd the basket.
- Cook salmon for 16 minutes, but start checking a few minutes before the timer is up to make sure it does not overcook.
- You can use a temperature probe to check to see if the salmon is fully cooked. When it reaches 145 degrees F, it is fully cooked.
⭐ Recipe FAQs
No, you do not need to flip salmon in an air fryer. Instead, place the salmon skin-side down in the air fryer. If you flip it, the salmon would stick to the air fryer and fall apart.
When salmon is fully cooked, it will flake easily with a fork. You can use a temperature probe to check to see if the salmon is fully cooked. When it reaches 145 degrees F, it is done.
According to Healthline, salmon skin contains the highest concentration of omega-3 fatty acids on the fish. There's strong evidence that these fatty acids can reduce triglyceride levels and decrease your chances of heart disease. Whether you choose to eat it or not is up to personal preference. I prefer to remove the skin from my salmon. 🙂
If your air fryer does not have a preheat setting, set the temperature you will be cooking your food, and let it heat up for 3-5 minutes before adding the food to the air fryer basket.
Yes! It is very easy to cook salmon in an air fryer. Place frozen salmon fillets in a preheated air fryer, and cook for about 16 minutes at 400 degrees F, or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F.
👪 Health benefits of salmon
Salmon is extremely healthy. According to WebMD, A serving of salmon, 3 to 4 ounces, is about 200 calories. It's very low in saturated fat, a good source of protein, and one of the best sources of vitamin B12. It's also bursting in potassium and other nutrients like iron and vitamin D. Vitamin B12 keeps blood and nerve cells humming along.
Most importantly, salmon contains a wealth of omega-3 fatty acids. These omega-3s are "essential" fatty acids. Your body can't make them, but they play critical roles in your body. For example, they can lower the chance that you'll have cardiovascular disease (including heart attack and stroke), some types of cancer, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease. They can also ease the effects of rheumatoid arthritis.
Experts recommend that all adults eat at least two portions (a total of 8 ounces) of seafood a week, especially fish high in omega-3s, like salmon. We are also supposed to avoid fish that contains a lot of mercury, and fortunately, salmon is not one of them.
🥗 Side dishes for teriyaki salmon
- Instant Pot Rice
- Air Fryer Broccoli
- Smoked Corn on the Cob
- Air Fryer Carrots
- Delicious green salad
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
- Ultra Crispy Air Fryer Potatoes
- Oven-Roasted Potatoes
🍣 More Seafood Dinner Recipes
Air-fried salmon is a simple weeknight dinner that is both flavorful and easy to prepare. So when you need an easy, quick, and delicious dinner, give this recipe a try!
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📋 Recipe
Frozen Salmon in Air Fryer - Low-Carb, Healthy & Gluten-Free
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 4 Salmon fillets 5-6 oz. fillets
- 1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
- 1 lemon, sliced optional
Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F. Place frozen salmon fillets in the air fryer, skin side down.
- Step 2: Sprinkle lemon-pepper seasoning evenly over the top. Place fresh lemon slices over the top if you want some extra fresh lemon flavor. Set the timer on the air fryer for 16 minutes. You do not need to flip the salmon during the cooking time. The thickness of the salmon will determine the amount of time to cook. My salmon fillets were about 1-inch in thickness, and the salmon was fully cooked in 16 minutes. Set the timer for less time than you think, just in case. You do not want your salmon to be overcooked.
- Step 3: Ensure the salmon is fully cooked when the timer is up on the air fryer. It should flake easily with a fork. Remove from the air fryer with tongs. I like to serve my salmon with broccoli and carrots for a healthy dinner.
- Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Preheat the air fryer before placing the salmon in it.
- For best results, use salmon fillets that have the skin on. The skin keeps the oils and nutrients in the salmon so it does not dry out and the meat will stay juicy.
- No extra oil is required to air fry the salmon.
- Leave a bit of space between the fish fillets so air can pass around them for even cooking.
- Do not overcrowd the basket.
- You can use a temperature probe to check to see if the salmon is fully cooked. When it reaches 145 degrees F, it is fully cooked.
Nutrition
🧯 Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 145 °F
- Do not use the same dishes or utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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