Summer heat inspires lighter fare with shorter cooking times and less mess. Salmon ticks a lot of those boxes, but even grilling this healthy fish outside has its drawbacks. If you’ve ever had to scrape salmon skin off your grill, you know what I mean.
The air fryer may have made its name via its ability to make crispy wings and fries without all the oil, but it’s also the perfect way to make filets of salmon or any other fish. The 10-minute method crisps the outside, leaving the inside a tender medium-rare. Best of all, there’s no messy grill or oil-splattered stovetop to clean up afterward. And forget preheating the large oven, which takes twice as long and can raise the temperature of the kitchen by as much as 10 degrees (the air fryer won’t).
For hot nights when I need something affordable, healthy and quick, this air fryer salmon is an easy decision. You can also play with the recipe, mixing and matching sauces, seasoning and sides until you find a flavor that fits your taste. Salmon tacos are a particular favorite in this house.
A fresh filet and seasonings are all you need to make the perfect air fryer salmon dinner.
Here’s how to make a perfect filet every time. And for more, see our favorite places to order salmon online and the best air fryers we tested for 2025. 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 the 10-minute air fryer salmon
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1 green onion, diced
- Salmon filet
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Parchment paper (optional)
Read More: Best BBQ Sauces
Directions for perfect 10-minute air fryer salmon
- 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 3: Pat the salmon filet dry and place it in the air fryer on top of parchment paper (paper optional).
- Step 4: Pour soy sauce mixture over salmon and brush to coat completely.
- Step 5: Close the 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).
Just 8 minutes in the air fryer and you have perfectly medium rare salmon.
The air fryer is 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.
Air fryers are incredibly convenient and can do many of the same jobs that an oven can. They only take a couple of minutes to preheat, contain many of the cooking messes you’d otherwise have to spend time cleaning up and are overall more energy-efficient cooking appliances.
When you’re planning to cook meals with an air fryer, you need to make sure you have enough space inside of your appliance for the food you want to cook. Many air fryers can accommodate for a single person’s serving size, but you’ll likely have to run the air fryer multiple times to make enough food for your whole family.
Yes, you can. The air fryer functions just like a convection oven, making it suitable for baking cookies, brownies and more.
