Air Fryer Salmon Fillets

Salmon fillets cooked fast in the air fryer so they stay moist inside with lightly crisp edges. A quick honey, soy and garlic glaze turns them sticky and savoury — but they're lovely plain too. Ready in about 10 minutes.

Salmon in the air fryer is one of those quiet weeknight wins — minimal effort, almost nothing to wash up, and a genuinely healthy dinner on the table in the time it takes to cook some rice or greens. Keep it plain and let good fish speak for itself, or brush on the honey-soy glaze when you want something a bit more moreish.

Ingredients

• 2 salmon fillets — about 130g each, skin on
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp honey — optional glaze
• 1 tbsp soy sauce — optional glaze
• 1 clove garlic — crushed, optional glaze
• ½ lemon
• salt and black pepper

Method

1. Pat the salmon dry and let it sit out of the fridge for a few minutes. Rub with the oil and season with salt and pepper.
2. If using the glaze, mix the honey, soy sauce and garlic in a small bowl and brush half over the salmon.
3. Preheat the air fryer to 190°C for 2 minutes.
4. Place the fillets skin-side down in the basket, not touching. Cook at 190°C for 8–10 minutes, depending on thickness. If glazing, brush with the rest halfway through.
5. The salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork and is opaque all the way through (at least 63°C in the centre). Squeeze over the lemon and serve.

Serve it with

• New or baby potatoes
• Steamed broccoli or green beans
• Rice or noodles
• Stir-fried greens
• A wedge of lemon
• A simple side salad

Common swaps

• Skip the glaze and add a sprinkle of Cajun seasoning or a smear of pesto instead.
• Frozen salmon works too — add 3–4 minutes and check it's piping hot and opaque throughout.
• Use maple syrup in place of honey, or chilli sauce for a bit of heat.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overcooking — salmon goes from juicy to dry fast. Start checking at 8 minutes.
• Not preheating, which makes the timing less reliable.
• Brushing all the glaze on at the start, where the sugar can catch before the fish is done.

Storage, freezing & reheating

Storage: Keep cooked salmon covered in the fridge and eat within 2 days.

Freezing: Best cooked from fresh or frozen rather than freezing again after cooking.

Reheating: Reheat gently in the air fryer at 160°C for 3–4 minutes; salmon can dry out if blasted too hot.

Allergen notes: contains fish, soya. Always check individual product labels.

Estimated nutrition

Per serving, estimated from typical ingredient values — not a substitute for precise dietary calculation.