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Air Fryer Salmon

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Crispy-outside, tender-inside salmon fillets cooked in the air fryer in just 10 minutes. A fast, healthy dinner with minimal cleanup and no flipping required.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 salmon fillets, skin-on, approximately 6 oz each (about 1 inch thick)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp dried dill (or 1 tbsp fresh)
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 lemon, sliced, plus additional juice for serving

Instructions

  1. Remove fillets from the refrigerator 10 minutes before cooking. Pat each fillet completely dry with paper towels on both the skin and flesh sides — removing surface moisture is essential for browning.
  2. Preheat the air fryer to 375°F (190°C) for 3–5 minutes. Brush each fillet with olive oil on all sides. Mix garlic powder, dill, salt, and pepper and sprinkle evenly over the flesh side of each fillet.
  3. Place salmon fillets skin-side down in the air fryer basket in a single layer, leaving space between each piece for air circulation. Do not overlap.
  4. Cook at 375°F for 8–10 minutes without flipping. Add lemon slices to the basket during the last 2 minutes if desired. Start checking internal temperature at 7 minutes.
  5. Use an instant-read thermometer to verify doneness — the FDA recommends 145°F (63°C) for fish. Salmon should be opaque and flake easily. Remove immediately and serve with fresh lemon juice.

Notes

Don’t overcrowd: Cook in batches if making more than 2–3 fillets. Overlapping fillets steam rather than air fry, losing the crisp exterior.

Quick marinade option: Mix soy sauce, grated ginger, and a small amount of sesame oil and marinate for 15 minutes. Pat off excess before cooking to prevent burning.

Dry salmon fix: Overcooking is almost always the cause. Start checking at 6–7 minutes and pull the fillet when the center still has slight translucency — residual heat will finish it. You can also drop the temperature to 360°F for more control.

Thickness guide: ¾-inch fillets cook in 7 minutes; 1-inch in 9 minutes; 1¼-inch in 11 minutes; 1½-inch in 13 minutes. Add 2–3 minutes for frozen-then-thawed fillets.

Find it online: https://airfrycentral.com/air-fryer-salmon/