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The best air fryer recipe of 2024 is 10-minute salmon

I have been writing about food, kitchen gadgets and home tips for over a decade. I’ve tested dozens of air fryer recipes over the last year. This 10 Minute Air Fryer Salmon is by far the easiest and healthy air fryer recipe yet.

Salmon made on the stovetop in a pan is great, but you’re sure to end up with a greasy, fishy stovetop later. Broiling or baking salmon in a wall oven is another good option, but for multiple batches of fish you’ll need to preheat this large appliance. Really, the smell of seafood lingering in the kitchen for hours after you’ve finished cooking can be really bothersome.

Air fryer salmon was a revelation for me, and thanks to the quick and clean method, I eat more seafood than ever. An air fryer cooks fish quickly with very little mess and waste less energy than a large oven. The entire recipe can be prepared in less than 15 minutes, giving you a tasty, medium-rare piece of salmon with some protein when you’re in a hurry.

Like most filets fishsalmon copes well with the impact of high heat, giving the outer layer a crust without overcooking it on the inside. Air fryers were designed To achieve this, superconvection is used, which blows hot air at high speed using a powerful fan into the small cooking chamber.

Preheating the air fryer only takes a few minutes, so if you’re preparing a quick weeknight meal for one or two people, cooking salmon in the air fryer will be an ace up your sleeve. Fryers too cheaper to operate and they use less energy than large ovens and don’t create a greasy mess like pan-fried salmon on the stovetop.

raw salmon fillet on a cutting board with ramekin in sauce raw salmon fillet on a cutting board with ramekin in sauce

Fresh fillet and spices are all you need to prepare the perfect air fryer salmon dinner.

David Watsky/CNET

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

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

Ingredients for 10 Minute Air Fry Salmon

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari
  • 1 teaspoon of brown sugar
  • 1 green onion, diced
  • Salmon fillet
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Parchment paper (optional)

5 simple steps: perfect air fryer in 10 minutes

  • Step 1: Preheat your air fryer to 380 degrees F on “air fry” or “bake” mode.
  • Step 2: Mix olive oil, brown sugar, soy sauce and green onion.
  • Step 3: Pat the salmon fillet dry and place it in the fryer on parchment paper (paper optional).
  • Step 4: Pour the soy sauce mixture over the salmon and coat completely.
  • Step 5: Close the basket and cook for about 8 minutes, checking with a fork or the internal probe for doneness (cook another minute or two if you prefer your salmon medium rare).

salmon cut into pieces revealing the medium-rare center salmon cut into pieces revealing the medium-rare center

Just 8 minutes in the fryer and you have perfectly medium-rare salmon.

David Watsky/CNET

The air fryer is my favorite way to cook fried chicken, replacing my slow and dirty heavy oven recipe. I recently learned how to make juicy cheeseburgers in the air fryer and sizzling bacon in less than 10 minutes and without dirtying the pan or baking tray.

Air fryers are incredibly convenient and can perform many of the same tasks as an oven. They only take a few minutes to preheat, contain a lot of the kitchen mess you would otherwise have to spend cleaning up, and are overall more energy-efficient cooking appliances.

When planning to cook meals in an air fryer, make sure there is enough space in the appliance for the food you want to cook. Many air fryers can accommodate a single person’s portion, but you’ll likely need to run the fryer several times to prepare enough food for the entire family.