Do you love cooking salmon, but hate waiting for it to thaw? This Easy Frozen Salmon in the Air Fryer recipe won’t keep you waiting! This recipe is delicious and super easy to follow. It takes under 20 minutes to make. We love it so much that it has become a staple in our house. We use it every week for meal prep. The dijon mustard combined with the lemon juice as some nice flavor without too much kick!
Are you like me and always feel like your meats and seafood go bad just sitting in the fridge? This recipe is for you! You can take the salmon directly out of the freezer and cook it in the air fryer. This recipe will have your salmon coming out nice and moist and the salmon will literally melt in your mouth. I love pairing salmon with fun sauces like my Lemon Dill Aioli or Nut Free Pesto.
I have developed a variety of salmon dishes. Some of my favorite salmon dishes are: pesto salmon, maple crusted salmon, herb crusted salmon, honey sriracha salmon, Gluten Free Fish and Chips, Salmon Cakes and shredded lemon dill salmon salad. This recipe also pairs really well with my simple Blanched Broccoli recipe and Pineapple Pico de Gallo or my Mango Pico de Gallo recipe that is on my blog too!
If you are looking for another good air fryer recipe, check out my Air Fryer Turkey Burgers.
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Why I Love This Air Fryer Salmon Recipe
- This recipe only takes 5 minutes to prepare and under 20 minutes to bake and uses simple ingredients.
- You can use this salmon for nearly anything. It goes great on salads, tacos, and so much more! My favorite recipe to pair this with is the Fig Honey Mustard Salad on my blog. It is so good with salmon.
- This recipe is naturally keto, Whole30, paleo, gluten free, dairy free, nut free, soy free, low carb friendly, and a great way to get in fatty acids into your diet.
- Salmon filets like this make for the best kid friendly food option. It is easy to chew and not too many over powering flavors.
Ingredients
- Salmon-While any salmon will work I prefer wild caught salmon. It has the most nutrients in it and it literally melts in your mouth. I do suggest making sure that the salmon you use is already filleted. It is easier to cook it this way in the air fryer and it also makes it easier to just grab one portion.
- Oil-I prefer to only cook with healthier oils like olive oil, avocado oil, ghee or coconut oil. While any oil in this recipe will work, I like using olive oil.
- Dijon and lemon juice-This adds so much flavor to the salmon! However, you can totally leave it off and make the salmon more plain.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- Oil-If you are looking for the same flavor profile, I suggest either olive oil or ghee. I have a Homemade Ghee Recipe on my blog. The ghee will give the salmon a “buttery” flavor without the milk proteins. For people like me with a dairy sensitivity, ghee is a staple in my house.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
Step by Step Instructions
Photo 1: If the salmon is not already cut into filets, cut the salmon into 5-6 ounce pieces. Mix the seasonings together in a small bowl and sprinkle over the salmon filets. Brush the wet ingredients (lemon juice, dijon and olive oil) on top.
Photo 2: Place the salmon skin side down in the bottom of the air fryer basket on 390 degrees F for 18 minutes or until the salmon reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F which can be verified with a meat thermometer.
Expert Tips
- Tip # 1: Leave the skin on it is the best part! The skin is so good for you. If you like your skin crispier, be sure to flip it in the air fryer and cook it for at least 5 minutes with the skin facing up to get it nice and crispy.
- Tip # 2: Be sure to cut your salmon into small filets. This helps the salmon cook more evenly. I suggest doing this before you put the salmon in the freezer. This will allow you to portion out your salmon so if you only want to bake 1 portion rather than a whole fish, you can do that!
- Tip #3: If you dread air fryer clean up, there are parchment paper basket liners you can now get that allow for clean up to be minimal. I would still make sure to spray with cooking spray to prevent the skin from sticking.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You will need to adjust the cooking time. It will take approximately 5 minutes less. Salmon should be cooked to 145 degrees F.
I love getting my salmon from Butcher Box. They have the best salmon it is always wild-caught!
I have. While I always prefer wild-caught fish, Costco brand would work too.
Either works! I love the skin, especially in the air fryer because it gets nice and crispy meaning the best results. Plus, the skin is loaded with nutrients!
I highly recommend removing the skin prior to freezing it! It will be hard to remove while it is frozen.
If your salmon is already thawed, I suggest cooking it for 15 minutes or until the internal temperate reaches 145 degrees F. The best way to check is by using a meat thermometer to verify the internal temperature of the fish.
How to serve
- I like to serve salmon over salads like this Kale Blueberry Salad with Pecan “Cheese.”
- Pesto is one of my favorite sauces to serve with salmon. It adds so much flavor! The homemade pesto recipe on my blog is naturally dairy free and Whole30 friendly too! You can mix together the pesto sauce while the salmon cooks.
- You can also use this recipe to make tacos, like this Halibut Fish Taco recipe, except substitute the halibut for salmon.
- You can also just eat this recipe plain and serve it with a side like my Air Fried Lemon Dill Green Beans or easy Blanched Broccoli.
Storage instructions
- I suggest using leftover salmon within 3-4 days for optimal freshness. To ensure freshness, store the salmon in an airtight container. I prefer to use glass containers for meal prep!
Other Air Fryer Recipes You Will Love
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Easy Frozen Salmon in the Air Fryer
Equipment
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 1 lb wild-caught salmon cut into desired filets
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove minced
- ½ tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- If the salmon is not already cut into filets, cut the salmon into 5-6 ounce pieces.
- Mix the seasonings together and sprinkle over the salmon filets. Brush the wet ingredients (lemon juice, dijon and olive oil) on top.
- Bake the salmon in the air fryer at 390 degrees F for 18 minutes or until the salmon reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.
Paul David Jameson says
Will use air fryer on next fish
Yay!