How to Make Salmon Crispy in an Air Fryer

Cooking salmon in an air fryer is a quick and easy way to get perfectly crispy skin and moist, flaky fish With just a few simple tricks, you can achieve restaurant-quality salmon every time. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through everything you need to know to make irresistibly crispy salmon in your air fryer.

Why Cook Salmon in an Air Fryer?

Air fryers have become increasingly popular in recent years, and for good reason. They offer a healthier cooking method by using little to no oil, while still producing crispy fried results.

Cooking salmon in an air fryer gives you several advantages:

• Quick cooking time – Salmon fillets take only 8-12 minutes to cook through in an air fryer. It’s a fast weeknight dinner solution.

• Skin that is crisp—The moving hot air makes the fatty salmon skin look great. The skin comes out far crispier than baking or pan frying.

• Fish that stays moist: The salmon stays soft and juicy inside because it cooks quickly.

• Easy cleanup – With minimal splatter, air fryers are much cleaner than frying salmon on the stovetop.

• Versatility – Air fryers can also be used to cook veggies, potatoes, chicken and more, making them a useful multi-tasking kitchen tool.

How to Get Crispy Salmon Skin in the Air Fryer

Achieving crispy salmon skin without overcooking the fragile fish can be tricky, but there are a few key tips to follow:

• Pat salmon fillets very dry before cooking. Any moisture on the surface will steam the fish rather than crisp it. Thoroughly pat dry with paper towels.

• Brush with oil. A thin layer of oil helps facilitate browning and crisping. Use an oil with a high smoke point like avocado, grapeseed or light olive oil.

• Cook at a high temp. Preheat and cook at 400°F to properly crisp the skin. Lower temps will lead to soggy skin.

• Cook most of the way skin-side up to promote even browning, then finish skin-side down if needed to maximize crispness.

• Remove salmon and crisp skin separately if skin isn’t quite crispy enough. Finish cooking the removed skin by itself.

• Use a trivet to weigh down skin if crisping it separately. This prevents curling.

Follow these guidelines and your air fried salmon will have picture-perfect, crunchy skin every time.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here is a simple walk-through for how to cook salmon in an air fryer for optimal results:

1. Cut Salmon Portions

• For individual fillets, cut a large salmon side into 4-6 oz portions.

• Having them all the same thickness will help them cook evenly.

2. Pat Salmon Dry

• Pat the salmon pieces very thoroughly with paper towels to remove any surface moisture.

• Getting the salmon fillets as dry as possible is key for maximum crispiness.

3. Brush Lightly with Oil

• Use a high smoke point oil like avocado or grapeseed oil. Olive oil will work too.

• Brush just 1⁄2-1 teaspoon of oil evenly over the top (skin side) of each fillet.

4. Season the Salmon

• Sprinkle lightly with salt and any other desired seasoning. Go easy on wetter marinades.

• Herb rubs, lemon pepper, garlic powder and chili flakes all work well.

5. Preheat Air Fryer

• Preheat air fryer to 400°F for 3-5 minutes before adding the salmon.

• Some models only take 2-3 minutes to preheat. Consult your manual.

6. Cook Salmon Skin-Side Up

• Place salmon fillets in air fryer skin-side up. This promotes even browning.

• Cook at 400°F for 6-10 minutes until salmon is mostly opaque.

7. Flip and Finish Skin-Side Down

• For extra crispy skin, flip fillets over to finish cooking skin-side down for 1-2 minutes.

• Use tongs to gently flip the delicate salmon fillets.

8. Check Internal Temperature

• Use an instant read thermometer to check temperature before removing.

• Salmon is safely cooked between 135°F-145°F. Many prefer 135°F for medium rare doneness.

9. Let Salmon Rest

• When salmon reaches desired temp, remove from air fryer and let rest for 2-3 minutes.

• This allows juices to reabsorb for tender, flaky texture.

10. Crisp Skin Separately (Optional)

• If skin still isn’t as crispy as you’d like, remove it from the cooked salmon fillets with a fork.

• Return just the skin pieces to the air fryer basket.

• Weigh skin down with a heat-safe trivet and cook 2-4 more minutes.

• The skin will crisp up beautifully while the salmon rests.

And that’s it! In 10-15 minutes, you can enjoy restaurant-worthy crispy salmon from your air fryer any night of the week.

Air Fryer Salmon Recipe

Now that you know how to make crispy salmon in an air fryer, give this easy recipe a try:

Ingredients:

• 2 (6 oz) salmon fillets, patted very dry
• 1 tsp avocado oil or olive oil
• 1⁄4 tsp salt
• 1⁄4 tsp pepper
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions:

1. Pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Brush evenly with oil and season with salt and pepper.

2. Preheat air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes.

3. Place salmon skin-side up in air fryer basket lightly coated with oil. Cook 6 minutes.

4. Flip salmon fillets over. Cook 2-3 minutes more until salmon flakes and is opaque throughout.

5. Check temperature and cook longer if needed until 135°F for medium rare.

6. Transfer salmon to a plate and let rest 2-3 minutes.

7. If skin isn’t crispy enough, remove skin from salmon with a fork. Return only skin to air fryer, weighed down with a trivet. Cook 2-4 more minutes until crispy.

8. Serve salmon topped with crispy skin and lemon wedges.

Customize this recipe to your own taste by experimenting with different oil, seasoning and doneness preferences. In just 15 minutes or less, you’ll have delicious, restaurant-quality crispy air fryer salmon ready for dinner!

Tips for Air Frying Salmon

Beyond the basic method, here are some additional pointers for success:

• Brush a thin layer of mayonnaise on the flesh side instead of oil. It browns beautifully.

• Add fresh herbs like dill, chives or tarragon to complement the salmon.

• Try salmon burgers for a fun twist. They get crispy edges from the air fryer.

• Air fry frozen salmon straight from the freezer. Just add a couple extra minutes to the cook time.

• Consider investing in an air fryer basket insert to cook delicate foods like fish. It prevents sticking.

• Give a quick broil at the very end for even more texture on the skin’s surface.

• Use a cooking thermometer for doneness instead of time as thickness impacts cook time.

• Switch on your kitchen vent fan while air frying to mitigate lingering fish smells.

Common Air Fryer Salmon Problems and Solutions

Air frying salmon is easy when you know how, but there are a few pitfalls to avoid:

Problem: Salmon skin isn’t crisping up.

Solution: Be sure fillets are patted very thoroughly dry before cooking. Brush with oil. Cook at 400°F, not lower temps. Finish cooking skin-side down. Remove skin and crisp separately if needed.

Problem: Salmon flesh is overcooked and dry.

Solution: Don’t overcook based on time alone. Always use an instant read thermometer for doneness. Cook until salmon reaches 135°F for medium rare.

Problem: Salmon sticks to the basket.

Solution: Use a liner, foil or baking paper to prevent sticking. Brush basket with oil. Give basket a shake midway through cooking. Let salmon finish cooking through before attempting to remove.

Problem: Salmon skin curls up when crisping.

Solution: Weigh skin down with a trivet or metal steamer basket when cooking it separately.

Problem: Salmon comes out unevenly cooked.

Solution: Cut fillets into same-sized portions. Cook similar-thickness fillets together. Flip over halfway through cooking