Air Fryer Salmon with skin is a perfect dinner recipe any night of the week! Get dinner on the table in 15 mins with this perfectly cooked Air Fryer Salmon.
Recipes like the Teriyaki Salmon Air Fryer fillets, Air Fryer Roast Chicken and Air Fryer Chicken Legs are super easy dinners done in the Air Fryer.
Pair them with a homemade sauce like the Parsley Yogurt Sauce or Basil Yogurt Sauce for a restaurant style home cooked dish.
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Recipe highlights
Salmon is a healthy choice that does not take a long time to cook!
It pairs perfectly with easy to bring together salads or veggies and sings with a sauce combo.
Flaking away at the soft flesh reminds us to eat fish more regularly and with the Air Fryer making the task reasonably automated, the recipe will soon be on repeat!
Is it better to cook salmon with skin on or off
This recipe is all about the salmon skin.
Cooking it with skin on or off is a matter of personal preference.
Salmon with crispy skin is a decadent and delicious dish both in texture and taste.
You can purchase salmon with skin on or off but for this recipe, we need salmon with skin on.
There is a mindfulness approach needed when cooking salmon with skin on as we need to master it to avoid the skin separating from the salmon and sticking to the Air Fryer Basket (or tray).
Ingredients
The ingredients needed for the recipe are simple and can be found at the local shops.
I am using thawed salmon fillets with skin on!
As you can see, the recipe calls for:
- salmon with skin on (fresh, thawed or frozen will work)
- Parsley yogurt sauce (optional, but seriously good!)
- cracked pepper (for serving)
If you are not into parsley, some other pairings that will work well with the fish are the Cilantro Lime Yogurt Sauce or the Herbed Yogurt Sauce.
Instructions
Here are the step by step instructions to make the recipe.
I recommend using baking paper for this recipe and not spray oil. The paper ensures the skin doesn't stick and is removed when we flip the fillets to skin side up.
- Place salmon skin side down on baking paper in Air Fryer (Photo 1)
- Air Fry the salmon for 7 mins (Photo 2)
- Use tongs to flip the salmon skin side up, remove paper (Photo 3)
- Cook salmon skin side up for 7-8 mins (Photo 4)
When Air Frying fish, I recommend baking paper as the flesh is so sensitive it has a tendency to stick to the basket.
For this recipe, we only need the paper for the 1st 7 mins.
After that time, (when we flip) there are enough juices in the partially cooked salmon to prevent it from sticking.
When we remove the paper, we also allow for the continual air flow that is the feature of Air Fryer cooking.
As you can see in the photos, I use strips of baking paper instead of one whole piece.
This is so that to protect the skin from sticking, save on using oil and as mentioned above allow that air to flow in around and onto the fish.
Frequently asked questions
- This is a quick, easy and delicious recipe!
- Cook as many salmon fillets at the one time as you need
- The salmon should be in one flat layer, not stacked (can touch)
- Use strips of non stick paper to protect the salmon skin
- Remove the paper when flipping the salmon to allow air flow
- Serve with your favorite creamy sauce
- Shown in the photos is my Parsley Yogurt Sauce
- My Air Fryer is a 7 litre basket version
- It takes about 14 mins to cook the fish perfectly
- It takes a total of 15 mins from start to finish for the recipe
If getting dinner on the table ASAP is your game plan, you might like to try Air Fryer Chicken Legs, Air Fryer Honey BBQ Chicken Wings or Dry Rub Air Fryer Chicken Wings.
Expert tips
This is what I have learnt that will help you master the recipe from the 1st time and every following time:
- Use baking paper and no spray oil for this recipe
- Start with skin side down on the paper and flip to skin side up
- We cook for 7-8 mins, flip, then cook for a further 7-8 mins
- There are so many sizes and types of Air Fryers that some will cook faster or slower depending on the model, the 1st time you make the salmon, check the fillets along the way to see how they are cooking!
To serve your salmon, make is simple.
The combination you see in the photos other than the sauce, is fresh herbs, edamame and capsicum (peppers).
Dinner is literally too easy with this combo!
More Air Fryer recipes
If you love Air Frying, then check out the following recipes for inspiration:
- Teriyaki Salmon Air Fryer fillets
- Easy Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
- Air Fryer Hamburgers
- Air Fryer Cheeseburgers
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Recipe
Air Fryer Salmon with Skin
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- Baking paper
- Tongs
Ingredients
- 2 fillets salmon with skin Note 1
- Parsley Yogurt Sauce optional, Note 2
- cracked pepper to serve
Instructions
- Cut 2 strips of baking paper to fit the fillet size and lay flat in the Air Fryer Basket. Note 3
- Place salmon fillets onto the baking paper with skin side down
- Turn the Air Fryer on to 180°C/350 F for 15 mins (allow 5 mins to preheat if your model requires it) Note 4
- Cook the salmon for 7 mins, then pull the basket towards you and rest on a heat proof surface. Use tongs to flip the salmon to skin side up and remove the baking paper
- Cook for an additional 6-7 mins, checking skin visually once or twice Note 5
- Serve immediately with sauce and salad.
Notes
- Note 1 There are multiple different ways to purchase salmon at the grocery store. Fillets like the ones you see in the photos are generally a good option as they come frozen in a big bag and are economical. The fresh salmon in the deli areas or fish shop works too, but is more expensive. So if you are going to be eating it regularly, I recommend the budget friendly purchase!
- Note 2 The sauce shown in the photos is my homemade Parsley Yogurt Sauce, a truly delicious pairing! Use homegrown herbs if you have.
- Note 3 You will be doing this with the Air Fryer basket in front of you on a heatproof surface to avoid the paper flying around in there on its own. The fish goes onto the paper before the basket gets pushed back in.
- Note 4 I know technically it make confuse people to get started before turning the Air Fryer on. But you have to do it this way as the Air Fryer is not like a traditional oven, where you heat and then add dishes. If you put baking paper into it and shut the basket, it would fly up and burn. It needs to be weighed down by the fish. So cut the paper, pop the fish on there, close the basket, then press the buttons (no fire, no burning and it is under control!)
- Note 5 You can test to see if the salmon is cooked in a couple of ways. When you are learning to use your Air Fryer, use a knife to cut near the centre and see that the flesh is fully light pink, cooked and not raw (it will be the same colour as the rest of the salmon). Once done, you will know how long it takes to cook in your Air Fryer. 15 mins is a good ball park. For the skin, you can lightly touch the top of it with your finger, it should feel dry, not moist and the colour should be moving towards brown/black. Once the salmon has been removed from the Air Fryer it sets into a crispy delicious, out of this world yum taste!
Nutrition
Catch of the day
Do you remember the one I caught that was 'this' big, haha!!
Everyone has a fishing tail to tell no doubt. I have many.
This is my preferred method to cook salmon and I make it repeatedly as it is SO good and I know you will LOVE it!
Talk about easy breezy, lemon squeezy, people pleasing dinner!
I would LOVE to hear your feedback in the comments below, please let me know if you make the recipe!
No boat needed for this catch of the day!
Adrianne
Keeping the skin on makes SUCH a difference! Love how simple and dinner-friendly this recipe is. It's perfect for every weeknight!
Preparing this for my parents for Sunday dinner. They will love this I am sure 🙂
Thank-you Jac! I enjoyed reading your comment.
Love salmon here, and great to find a new way to prepare it! Very good, clear instructions with informative photos. Thanks!
Thanks David! I appreciate your feedback.