Air Fryer Frozen Salmon (In 15 Minutes or Less!)

Name: Air Fryer Frozen Salmon
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 6 oz Salmon (filets, frozen); 1 tsp Avocado Oil; Salt & Pepper (to taste)

This method for Air Fryer Salmon shows you exactly how to cook a frozen salmon fillet in your air fryer or Ninja Foodi in just 15 minutes or less. There’s no excuse for getting healthy food on the table quickly when using this way to air fry frozen fish.

I cook lots of frozen foods in my air fryer. Doing this has honestly reduced the number of times we go out to eat because I really don’t have any excuse for getting healthy food on the table, even if I have such a small amount of time.

Since we eat salmon once a week for those good Omega 3’s, I decided to experiment with cooking frozen salmon in my air fryer. To be honest, the experiment was because it wasn’t thawed, but it worked!

Cooking frozen salmon in the air fryer resulted in a salmon filet that was tender on the inside while being browned and crispy on the outside making it the perfect protein to serve with any side dish.

Shouldn’t I just use the directions on the packaging?

Since the air fryer is a small convection oven, it uses dry heat to circulate air around the food making it cook fast. This means that the time and temperature may need to be adjusted and will be different from what’s on frozen salmon package instructions.

Frozen salmon is both thawing AND cooking during the air frying process, so things need to be changed up slightly.

🧐Why Make Frozen Salmon in the Air Fryer?

Less clean-up. When I use my air fryer to cook salmon filets, I’m not breaking out the grill or any pans. I just use my air fryer basket and that’s all I need to clean!

The most tender salmon. Since crust forms on the outside, it means that the inside will stay nice and tender making this salmon a perfect texture.

Salmon cooks quickly. I like knowing that a frozen block of fish can be cooked perfectly in 15 minutes or less!

It’s hard to mess up. The time and temperature for cooking frozen salmon work with MOST air fryers which makes it a versatile method.

🐟What You’ll Need

Frozen Salmon Filet – I buy my salmon from Costco and cut it into 6oz filets for freezing to save money. You can also buy the frozen filets of salmon that are individually sealed for this recipe.

Simple Seasonings – Halfway through cooking time, I brush my salmon with avocado oil, salt and pepper, but you can use any seasonings or oil you like!

Air Fryer or Ninja Foodi – Any air fryer will work using this method. My favorite air fryer continues to be from the Ninja Foodi line. I use their multi-cooker and Ninja Foodi Grill, both of which have air frying capabilities.

📖 How To Air Fry Frozen Salmon Filet

Prepare your air fryer. For this method, I not only preheat my air fryer to 400F, but I also lightly grease the air fryer basket with avocado oil. This helps keep the salmon from sticking as it thaws and then cooks.

Air fry the salmon filet. Place frozen salmon filets at the bottom of the air fryer basket and set the timer for 15 minutes. Halfway through, take a spatula and get under the salmon to release it and flip over.

Season the salmon. After it’s flipped, brush with a small amount of avocado oil, then add salt and pepper. Let it cook for 5-7 minutes more or until salmon is completely cooked through.

Remove and serve. Remove the cooked salmon using tongs or a spatula. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and serve hot with your favorite side dish.

⏲Best Time and Temperature for Air Frying Frozen Salmon

The amount of time it takes to air fry a frozen salmon depends on how thick it is. These are general guidelines.

If you’ve never cooked frozen salmon in your air fryer before, check regularly within the last 5 minutes of cooking to ensure they don’t burn or overcook as every air fryer is different!

1-2 inch thick – 15 minutes at 400F
½ inch thick – 8-12 minutes at 375F
Skin on filet – 10-12 minutes at 350F

🎣Using Skin on Salmon

If you’re air frying salmon that still has the skin on, you’ll need to air fry the salmon skin side up so the skin does not stick to the bottom of the air fryer

♻ Storing & Reheating

Storing: Store cooked and cooled air fried salmon in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. Re-freezing cooked salmon is not recommended.

Reheating: To reheat air fried salmon, preheat your air fryer to 325F and place cooked filets to cook for 5-6 minutes or until warmed through.

❔FAQ

Should I add oil to frozen salmon when using my air fryer?

No additional oil besides the light greasing of the air fryer basket is needed. The salmon is not deep-fried as it is “fried” in dry circulating hot air.

What temperature do you air fry frozen salmon?

Depending on the thickness, you’ll want to air fry your salmon between 350F-400F. If you air fry at the lower end of that range, it may take a few more minutes.

How do I know when salmon is done cooking?

An internal temp of 145F is the proper temperature to cook salmon, however, you can tell if it’s cooked if it’s opaque and flaky and is slightly firm to the touch.

Do I need to preheat my air fryer?

Yes. Since this salmon is both thawing AND cooking, it is necessary to preheat your air fryer.

Can I add aluminum foil to my air fryer?

This depends on the type of air fryer you have and where you’re putting the foil. I like to put the foil UNDER the basket to catch any excess oil or grease that comes off the salmon. This eliminates the need to clean the entire air fryer and you’ll just use the basket. If the foil is in a position where it can become loose, it may get sucked into the heating element when the air circulates so be sure it’s weighed down properly.

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