Easy Air Fryer Lemon Garlic Salmon Recipe - delicious crispy and flavorful keto air fried salmon packed with tons of lemon and garlic flavor in under 12 minutes!
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Perfect Tender Air Fried Salmon
This lemon garlic salmon has the most amazing flavor - and you'll be shocked just how easy it is to get.
If you can season salmon filets and pop them in an air fryer - you can master perfect, tender, and juicy salmon that isn't tough or dry - and is BURSTING with lemon garlic flavor! This easy lemon garlic salmon can't get any simpler when you want a healthy, beautiful dinner in no time - with almost no work.
Even if you don't have an air fryer you can make this salmon in a snap - I'm providing a super easy foil pack oven option below as well! I hope you love this delicious, naturally low carb and keto salmon recipe as much as I do. It's a perfect elegant dinner you can make any day of the week, and fits in most diets!
To buy an air fryer lid for your Instant Pot to be able to make this in your instant pot, please buy one with my affiliate code here - Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid.
Check out my web story on this garlic lemon salmon!
How To Air Fry Salmon
To make this salmon, we will use the following process:
- Salmon filets - salmon is perfect for the air fryer, since the high heat hits the
- Olive oil - olive oil adds fat to the salmon and allows it to crisp in the air fryer, so it has a delicious, crunchy outside and tender, juicy center.
- Garlic powder - garlic is a classic addition to salmon, as the pungent flavor enhances the mild, buttery flavor of salmon.
- Celtic sea salt - use a high quality sea salt - I personally love using maldon flakes, for the extra crunch.
- Cracked pepper - use fresh cracked pepper, as the strong, hot, earthy flavor fades quickly as pepper is stored.
- Lemon - lemon juice and slices of lemon help add sweet, bright, acidic flavor to salmon, cutting through the oily meat and fattier texture of the fish.
- Italian herbs - Italian herb seasoning is a blend of marjoram, thyme, basil, sage, and oregano
Once you've gathered your ingredients, we will use the following method:
- Prep. Drizzle olive oil over salmon and season generously. Slice ½ lemon into thin rounds, and juice the rest. Drizzle juice over salmon and season generously. Optional: marinate for up to 24 hours.
- Air Fry. Air fry using the table below based on your desired doneness.
- Serve.
Tips and Tricks To Perfect Air Fried Salmon & FAQs
To air fry salmon, I recommend following the tips below:
Don't skip olive oil. This will help give your salmon a lightly fried texture and allow the oil to crisp on the salmon. Don't skip the oil!
Arrange lemons to touch salmon while cooking. Lemons break down quickly, dousing your salmon in lemon juice that is sweet and tart, not bitter.
Salmon cook times. For salmon filets (no thicker than 3-4" across), follow these times for desired doneness when air frying at 400 degrees:
- -10 Minutes for salmon filets that have just a little bit of red in the very center (medium).
- -12 Minutes for salmon with no red in the middle, but still soft.
- -14 Minutes for well done salmon filets.
Make it in the oven. If you think this recipe looks great - but you dont have an air fryer - no worries! You can easily make this recipe in the oven, too. Simply wrap the salmon and lemon in foil, and bake at 375 for 15 minutes, until top is speckled white but albumin (white fat) has not released.
What to Serve With Air Fried Salmon
This salmon is so easy and delicious - it goes with all sorts of side dishes.
We love serving a simple Crunchy Lemon Parmesan Salad, a Salade de Chèvre Chaud, delicious and super easy Baked Goat Cheese Balls, Roasted Acorn Squash, a Pineapple Strawberry Salsa for a bit of a tangy zip, or even some Easy Black Bean and Corn Salsa for a southwestern flair.
Easy Air Fryer Lemon Garlic Salmon Recipe
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Easy Air Fryer Lemon Garlic Salmon Recipe
Easy Air Fryer Lemon Garlic Salmon Recipe - delicious crispy and flavorful air fried salmon packed with tons of lemon and garlic flavor in under 12 minutes!
Ingredients
- 4 6 oz salmon filets
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon celtic sea salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- 1 lemon, sliced into thin rounds
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice (I put a flexible cutting board down when slicing my lemon, as I'll usually just use the juice that comes from cutting it.)
- 2 teaspoon Italian herbs
Instructions
- In a large bowl, drizzle lemon juice and olive oil over salmon and rub to make sure the salmon filets are evenly coated.
- Season generously with salt, pepper, and Italian herbs.
- Arrange salmon filets in air fryer basket, making sure they dont touch too much (don"t over crowd the basket, so air can move around salmon easily).
- Arrange lemon slices on and around salmon in air fryer basket.
- Set air fryer to 400 degrees and cook for 10 minutes for salmon with a little bit of red in the middle.
- Cook for 12 minutes for salmon with no red in the middle, 14 for well done salmon or thicker salmon filets.
- Serve and enjoy!
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Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1 salmon filetAmount Per Serving Calories 462Total Fat 28gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 21gCholesterol 107mgSodium 724mgCarbohydrates 13gFiber 2gSugar 8gProtein 39g
Laddie
I have an air fryer oven. Where do you position the rack to properly cook?
Katherine
That depends, if your oven has five rack positions, use rack position 3, if your oven has seven rack positions, use rack position 4. Hope that helps!
imsen
Great food with less effort…just how cooking should be! Absolutely loved this recipe and will definitely be making again! Also really loved the aluminum foil tip.
Quick and Easy Family Recipes
Sarah R. Mickens
I tried the LEMON GARLIC SALMON RECIPE, the salmon was amazing, but the lemons made it too lemony for my taste. Very tender salmon. I cooled it for 12 minutes, it was perfect. Besides the lemon. Trying it again without the lemon on top.
Floranet
I think it's just great!! Incredible work!!
Christine
I can’t wait to try this recipe. I’ve tried your air fryer chicken, shrimp and meat ball recipes and they have all been fantastic! I’m sure this one will be too. Thank you!
Jocelyn
I love how easy and delicious the air fryer makes this salmon!
Taylor
So delicious! Love that lemon flavor!
Allyson Zea
I LOOOOOOOVE the air fryer!! I can't wait to try this as I already have all the ingredients!
Minze
I have all the ingredients too but don’t see where the recipe tells me to use the garlic powder. I assumed and added it with the salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Must have been right. It came out amazing. I have done the steamed salmon and the skin well... we just peeled it off and got rid of it. I don’t like doing that. This was great all around. Thank you for this recipe.
Becky Hardin
Delicious! I bet this salmon just falls apart and has tons of flavor.