Easy air fryer salmon fillets cook to perfect tenderness at lightning speed! Coating the fish with garlic and spice-infused olive oil results in flaky fish with crisp edges and loads of flavor in just 10 minutes.

An overhead photo of 4 air fried salmon fillets on a platter with lemon wedges.
Photo Credits: Katherine Irwin

It’s no secret that we love salmon around here. It’s healthy, satisfying, and robust enough in texture to stand up to big flavors like harissa and lime, za’atar and garlic, or lemon and pesto without its own flavor getting lost in the mix. 

It was just a matter of time, really, until I tried cooking salmon in the air fryer, but I shouldn’t have waited! The intense circulation of hot air inside air fryers is remarkably good at cooking delicate seafood quickly so the edges crisp before the fish dries out. 

To make sure each fillet is coated in flavor, I like to roll them in a wet spice rub. You could just sprinkle the salmon fillets with spices, but I think you get a better and more even coating when you take the time to mix the spices with finely grated garlic, olive oil, and lemon zest. Plus, coating the spices in oil keeps them from burning while preventing the air fryer’s fan from blowing them off!

The results are tender and mildly spiced salmon in just ten minutes. In winter, a bed of rice and some roasted broccoli is an easy dinner. When the weather’s warm serve the salmon up with some sautéed summer squash with olives for a quick dinner, or use it to add protein to a juicy peach and arugula salad

Table of Contents
  1. What You Need to Make Air Fryer Salmon
  2. Ingredient Spotlight
  3. How to Cook Salmon in an Air Fryer
  4. How Long to Cook Salmon in an Air Fryer
  5. How Long Should I Cook Salmon in the Air Fryer?
  6. What to Serve with Air-Fried Salmon
  7. More Simple Salmon Recipes
  8. Air-Fryer Salmon Recipe
Ingredients for air fryer salmon including salmon fillets, olive oil, lemon, salt, black pepper, garlic, smoked paprika, za'atar and cumin.

What You Need to Make Air Fryer Salmon

You can tweak the seasoning in this air fryer salmon recipe to suit almost any flavor profile you like, but you can’t go wrong with a little garlic and lemon and a few spice cabinet staples. 

  • Extra virgin olive oil: A splash of olive oil carries the flavor of the aromatics and helps the seasonings coat the fish so the air fryer doesn’t blow them off. And yes, it’s safe and perfectly healthy to cook with extra virgin olive oil at high temperatures and in the air fryer. Read more in our full guide to Cooking With Olive Oil
  • Lemon zest: Adding a little lemon zest contributes tart lemon flavor without adding moisture, which inhibits browning.
  • Garlic: Two cloves of garlic is enough to be noticeable without taking over entirely. Pieces of garlic can burn quickly in an air fryer at high temperatures, so I recommend grating it very fine so it melds with the oil and coats the fish.
  • Spices: Smoked paprika gives salmon a smoky flavor and appealing red color, dried thyme or za’atar adds an herbaceous edge, and ground cumin brings an earthy background flavor in this salmon recipe. 
  • Kosher salt: A pinch of kosher salt boosts the flavor of the spices and the salmon itself. 
  • Black pepper: Though this isn’t a spicy recipe, black pepper adds a pleasant warmth to flavor the fish. 
  • Skin-on salmon filets: Look for skin-on salmon filets about 6-ounces each, or slice a 1 1/2 pound piece into four equal portions. Do keep in mind that thinner filets cut from the side of salmon closest to the tail will cook more quickly than center-cut filets, so this is an instance where center-cut filets will cook more evenly. 

Ingredient Spotlight

Za’atar is a savory, tart, nutty, and aromatic Middle Eastern spice blend of dried thyme, sumac, sesame seeds, and sometimes additional herbs depending on the producer. It’s an easy way to add complex flavor to simple dishes, like sheet pan chicken or fried goat cheese, from a single jar.

A close up of an air fried salmon fillet on a plate with lemon wedges, salad and a fork. In the background in is the rest of the salmon on a platter and a bowl of black pepper.

How to Cook Salmon in an Air Fryer

Cooking salmon in an air fryer is almost as simple a recipe as it can get, but there are a few details to consider to yield the best results. Here they are step by step. 

  • Mix the marinade. In a large bowl combine 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, 2 cloves grated garlic, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or za’atar, 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Whisk to combine. An overhead photo of the marinade for the air fryer salmon in a bowl with a spoon, Next to this is a parchment lined sheet pan with uncooked salmon and bowls of salt and black pepper.
  • Prep the salmon. Pat 4 (6-ounce) skin-on salmon fillets dry on all sides. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Add salmon to the olive oil mixture, turning to completely coat each piece (or spoon it on). An overhead photo of 4 uncooked salmon fillets on a parchment lined sheet pan with a spoon, three are coated in the marinade. Next to this is the rest of the marinade in a bowl with a spoon, and bowls of salt and black pepper.
  • Air fry the salmon. Transfer the salmon fillets to the air fryer basket, skin side down, leaving space between each one. Air fry the fish until the fillets are beginning to brown at the edges and are cooked through. An overhead photo of 4 uncooked marinaded salmon fillets in the basket of an air fryer. Next to this is a cloth napkin, an empty bowl with a spoon, and a bowl of salt.
  • Rest the salmon. Set the salmon aside to rest for a few minutes. 

How Long to Cook Salmon in an Air Fryer

Cook thick cuts of salmon in an air fryer for 8 to 10 minutes, and thinner cuts for 5 to 7 minutes. Thicker cuts of salmon are around 1-inch or more, and thinner cuts are less than 1-inch thick. 

Air fryer salmon fillets should register 140°F using an instant read thermometer at the thickest part of the filet. The USDA recommends cooking salmon to 145°F, which these fillets will reach as they rest thanks to carryover cooking. 

Leaner, wild-caught salmon cooks more quickly, and fattier, farm-raised salmon cooks more slowly. Thicker, center cut salmon cooks more slowly than the thin section nearest the tail. One way or another, if you start to see a white coating on the edges of your salmon (called “albumin”), it’s well-done! Consider these factors and don’t hesitate to check the fish often to ensure you don’t overcook it. 

An overhead photo of 4 air fried salmon fillets on a platter with a fork and some lemon wedges. Next to this is a cloth napkin and a bowl of lemon wedges.

How Long Should I Cook Salmon in the Air Fryer?

Cook salmon in the air fryer at 400°F for about 10 minutes. It’s hot, which results in nice browning quickly without overcooking the fish. That said, you might find that 400° seems too hot. 

Air fryers have a lot of variability! Just like regular ovens, they can run hotter or colder than the temperature setting. In my experience, they’re even more inconsistent! 

In my house, we actually had four air fryers while I participated in a year-long in-home air fryer product test. My biggest take-away from the experience was that the temperature dial is more of a suggestion than a fact. It doesn’t always reflect how powerfully a given appliance will operate. 

  • I found that a gigantic basket-style air fryer ran considerably hotter than the same temperature setting using the air fryer function on our toaster oven.
  • The smaller basket-style air fryer fell somewhere in the middle.
  • In the fourth air fryer, which looked like a mini oven with two trays, the top tray was exposed to more heat than the bottom, so I’d have to switch the trays halfway to ensure even browning.

For those curious, out of the four I ended up keeping the Typhur Dome, despite the fact that it takes up a huge amount of space, because I like the large cooking footprint and how excellent it is at yielding crispy results.

Whatever type of air fryer you’re using it might run slightly hotter or colder or have a more or less powerful fan. As you cook in your air fryer you’ll get a sense for whether or not it’s a good idea to increase or decrease the temperature setting to best cook salmon in your specific appliance. 

An overhead photo of 2 plates with air fryer salmon, salad, lemon wedges and forks. Next to these is a cloth napkin, 2 glasses of white wine, bowls of black pepper and za'atar, and the rest of the salmon on a serving platter with a fork.

What to Serve with Air-Fried Salmon

Because air fryer salmon is so fast and easy, it’s a perfect answer to that weeknight question of what to make for dinner.

It makes a great companion to a big salad, especially one that has a cooked pasta or grain to round out the meal nutritionally. It’s particularly good with the lemon vinaigrette in this Mediterranean Quinoa Salad or Fattoush, or with the refreshing combination of mint and parsley in Tabbouleh

For something warm, try it with Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables and Barley or Pesto Gnocchi with Summer Vegetables. Have leftovers? Flake the cooled fish into a salad or make a salmon-topped version of our Gyro Bowls with feta and Tzatziki Sauce.  

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Air-Fryer Salmon

Photo of Emily Teel.Emily Teel
An overhead photo of 4 air fried salmon fillets on a platter with lemon wedges.
Juicy salmon with crispy edges cooks fast in the air fryer and has loads of flavor thanks to a quick wet rub in extra virgin olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, and spices.
Prep – 3 minutes
Cook – 10 minutes
Cuisine:
Mediterranean
Serves – 4
Course:
Dinner

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp lemon zest
  • 2 garlic cloves, grated
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme or za'atar
  • 1/4 tsp ground cumin
  • Kosher salt
  • black pepper
  • 4 (6-ounce) skin on salmon fillets (or one 1 1/2 pound salmon fillet, sliced into 4 equal pieces)

Instructions
 

  • Mix the marinade. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. In a large bowl combine olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, smoked paprika, dried thyme or za’atar, ground cumin, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Whisk to combine.
  • Prep the salmon. Pat each salmon fillet dry on all sides. Add salmon to the olive oil mixture, turning to completely coat each piece.
  • Air fry the salmon. Transfer the salmon fillets to the air fryer basket, skin side down, leaving space between each one. Air fry the fish until the fillets are beginning to brown at the edges and are cooked through. This will take 8 to 10 minutes for a thicker cut and 5 to 7 minutes for a thinner fillet. 
  • Rest the salmon. Set the salmon aside to rest for a few minutes.

Notes

  • Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including the cumin, za’atar and smoked paprika used in this recipe. 
  • How do you know when air-fryer salmon is done? Air fryer salmon fillets should register 140°F using an instant read thermometer at the thickest part of the filet. If you start to see white on the edges of your salmon, it’s done! Keep these factors in mind and don’t hesitate to check the fish often to ensure you don’t overcook it. 
  • Carryover cooking: Air-fryer salmon will continue to cook with carryover heat as the fish rests. Giving it a few minutes to rest will result in the best texture, without overcooking. The USDA recommends cooking salmon to 145°F, which these fillets will reach as they rest thanks to carryover cooking. 
  • Storage: Once cooled, store leftover salmon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Nutrition

Calories: 291.7kcalCarbohydrates: 0.8gProtein: 33.9gFat: 16.1gSaturated Fat: 2.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4.9gMonounsaturated Fat: 7.4gCholesterol: 93.5mgSodium: 75.6mgPotassium: 848.4mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 0.1gVitamin A: 197.7IUVitamin C: 0.9mgCalcium: 27.6mgIron: 1.7mg
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