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When I’m starving and need something filling, fast – and don’t want to dig into something greasy or heavy, I always reach for salmon. I designed this Air Fried Lemon Garlic Salmon Recipe to be an easy, simple powerhouse – it is great for lunch or dinner, on its own or over a salad – for a healthy meal that you can get on the table in less than 20 minutes!
We’re using an air fryer to precision cook salmon filets with convection heat – not additional calories from butter or oil. Forget about hovering over a pan or preheating the grill – this recipe is the result of years spent perfecting a method that utilizes the magic of the air fryer to deliver consistently restaurant-quality salmon in a fraction of the time – and it’s always cooked perfectly!
Don’t want all the extras in a recipe post? We provide a skip to recipe button in the top left corner, as well as a clickable table of contents, just below, to help make this page easier to navigate.
At Sweet C’s, I add lots of tips in all of my recipes – because I am a home cook without any formal training, and I find I am more confident making dishes when I understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe. My goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.
Table of contents
How to Air Fry Salmon
Check out my web story on this garlic lemon salmon!
Lemon Salmon Ingredients
To make this salmon, we will use the following ingredients:
- 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 1/2 lemon into thin rounds, and juice the rest. Drizzle juice over salmon and season generously. Optional: marinate for up to 24 hours.
Air Fry
Cook for 10-15 minutes based on desired doneness.
Can I use Frozen Salmon?
Yes, you can use frozen salmon for air frying. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly and ensure it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C).
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.
Air Fried Salmon Tips and Tricks
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.
Lemon Salmon Recipe Variations
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.
Storing Leftovers
Store leftover air-fried salmon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Make sure the salmon has cooled completely before sealing the container to maintain its quality.
Tips for Reheating
To reheat air-fried salmon, preheat your air fryer to 350°F (175°C) and heat the salmon for 3-5 minutes, or until warmed through. This helps retain its crispy texture without drying it out.
Air Fried Salmon FAQs
No, salmon does not need to be flipped in the air fryer. The circulating hot air cooks it evenly on both sides, but you can flip it halfway through for extra crispiness if desired.
It is not necessary to thaw salmon before air frying; you can cook it directly from frozen. However, cooking times will be longer, and it is crucial to check that the internal temperature reaches 145°F (63°C) for safe consumption.
Try these favorite sides:
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Easy Air Fryer Lemon Salmon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 6 oz salmon filets
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp celtic sea salt
- 1 tsp fresh cracked pepper
- 1 lemon, sliced into thin rounds
- 1 tsp lemon juice*
- 2 tsp 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!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love this recipe and I can say I’m not a big fan of salmon to begin with but when I did this it made me want to make it again and again.
So glad you loved it!
I have an air fryer oven. Where do you position the rack to properly cook?
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!
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
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.
I think it’s just great!! Incredible work!!