This air fryer salmon dish is the key to having a nutritious supper ready in under 15 minutes. It's juicy with a beautiful exterior crust, and the seasoned Dijon mustard topping makes it taste like a million bucks.
The sole limitation of frying salmon in the air fryer is that only two salmon fillets may be cooked at a time (at least in my air fryer; yours may be different). Otherwise, once you pour the spice on top (which also doesn't require any measuring or preparation; you can just eyeball it), it's a completely hands-off dish. In other words, it's the most straightforward weeknight meal recipe you've been looking for.
HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED
- Salmon: Choose your preferred variety of salmon from king, coho, or sockeye. Additionally, steelhead trout may be used.
- Dijon Mustard: The mustard gives the top its distinctive flavor and keeps it moist. For more texture, you could also use stone-ground mustard.
- Spices: I'm using a combination of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and sweet paprika (although you could also use smoked paprika).
HOW TO COOK SALMON IN AIR FRYER
The steps in this salmon dish are rather simple. Nonetheless, I did want to include the spices. While proportions are provided for each, I found that shaking them directly from the spice container produced the best results for an evenly coated crust. On the other hand, sprinkling with a measuring spoon resulted in clumps on top, which you don't want.
Get the salmon ready. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C), then pat dry the salmon fillets. Don't neglect this step since it will aid in the seasoning's adhesion!
Mix in the mustard. Spread half a spoonful of mustard evenly over each salmon fillet. It's simple to schmear it into a thin coating with a brush or the back of a spoon.
Season to taste. Each spice should be sprinkled directly onto the salmon fillet. Just eyeball it to match the measurements in the recipe; it doesn't have to be precise. I usually season with salt and pepper before coating liberally with garlic powder and paprika. To keep the salmon fillet moist, finish with a short spritz of olive oil on top.
Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until flaky with a fork, using two salmon fillets in the air fryer.
HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER SALMON
Salmon may be an excellent meal prep item for the week if stored properly. You may even freeze it for later use! These are a few methods for storing salmon.
If you have any leftover fillets, store them in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
How to Freeze: Before freezing your salmon, make sure it is fully cold. Next, in a storage container, place it on parchment paper to keep it from clinging to the sides. When salmon is previously cooked, reheating it might be difficult. The idea here is to reheat it slowly and slowly, whether in the air fryer, microwave, or oven, to avoid drying out.
AIR FRYER SALMON (IN 15-MINUTES!)
Ingredients
- 4 (6-ounce) salmon filets
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- olive oil spray
Instructions
- Add the mustard. On each salmon filet, spread one teaspoon of mustard evenly in a thin layer.
- Add the seasonings. Sprinkle each of the individual spices straight onto the salmon filet. It doesn't have to be an exact measurement. I start with salt and pepper, then coat generously with garlic powder and paprika. Finish with a quick spray of olive oil on top to keep the salmon filet moist.
- Air fry. Add two salmon filets to the air fryer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until flaky with a fork. Then repeat with the remaining two salmon filets.
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