If Only Everything Were as Easy as This 10-Minute Air Fryer Salmon [CNET]

Alas…

Making a filet of salmon in the air fryer is one of the best cooking tips I’ve picked up this past year. Salmon made on the stovetop in a skillet is great, but you’re bound to end up with a greasy, fishy stovetop afterward. Broiling or baking salmon in the wall oven is another good option, but you’ll have to heat up that big lug of an appliance all for a few portions of fish.

Air fryer salmon has been a revelation for me, and the speedy, clean method has me eating more seafood than ever. An air fryer cooks fish fast, makes very little no mess and uses less energy than the big oven. The whole recipe takes around 10 minutes, and the air fryer salmon comes out medium rare every time. 

As with most filets of fish, salmon does well with a blast of high heat to give the outer layer a crust without overcooking it through the middle. Air fryers are designed to do just that, with super convection that blows hot air at rapid speeds using a powerful fan to inside a small cooking chamber.

Air fryers take only a couple of minutes to preheat so if you’re making a quick weeknight meal for one or two, cooking salmon in the air fryer is an ace up your sleeve. Air fryers also cost less to run and use less energy than big ovens, and they don’t create an oily mess like searing salmon on the stovetop will.

Making salmon in the air fryer takes about 10 minutes from start to finish. Here’s how to make a perfect fish filet every time.

For more, see our favorite places to order salmon online and the best air fryers we tested for 2024. If you’re wondering how these trendy and efficient countertop cookers work and which model is best, read my complete guide to air fryers.

Ingredients for air fryer salmon

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 green onion, diced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Parchment paper (optional)

How to make perfect 10-minute salmon in an air fryer

• Step 1: Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees F on either “air fry” or “roast.”
• Step 2: Whisk together olive oil, brown sugar, soy sauce and green onion.
• Step 4: Pat salmon filet dry and place it in the air fryer on top of parchment paper (paper optional).
• Step 5: Pour soy sauce mixture over salmon, brush to coat completely.
• Step 6: Close basket and cook for about 8 minutes, checking with a fork or internal probe for doneness (cook a minute or two more if you prefer your salmon medium well or well done).

What else can you cook in the air fryer?

It’s become my go-to for roasted chicken, replacing my slow and dirty dish-heavy oven recipe. I recently learned to make juicy air fryer cheeseburgers and sizzle bacon in less than 10 minutes and without dirtying a skillet or sheet pan.