Name: Frozen Salmon in the Air Fryer
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 2 6- oz frozen skinless salmon fillets; 2 teaspoons olive oil; 1 teaspoon lemon juice; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; ½ teaspoon kosher salt; ½ teaspoon garlic powder; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; ⅛-¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper; Lemon wedges (for serving)

The trick to making the best frozen salmon in the air fryer is brushing the fillets with my secret blend of flavors. Once you try this flaky, delicious fish, you’ll be hooked!

fork cutting piece of soft and flakey salmon fillet cooked in air fryer

Do you ever find yourself in need of a nice meal that comes together fast? Maybe you made last-minute plans to host friends or family for dinner? My friend, just throw some frozen salmon in the air fryer and you’ll be good to go!

The air fryer is perfect for making tender, flaky fish in no time. And the flavor you get from brushing each fillet with my secret blend of oil, lemon juice, Dijon, and spices is absolutely out of this world.

Here’s what I’m going to teach you in this post:

How to cook the best air fryer frozen salmon fillet
How to know when salmon is done
The difference between cooking air fryer frozen salmon with skin or no skin
What to serve with salmon

Salmon is packed with heart-healthy fats and is naturally low in carbs. It’s even great for keto! And as long as you have a few frozen fillets in your freezer, you’re only about 20 minutes away from a nutritious, delicious meal that’s sure to impress family, guests, or even you!

Air Fryer I recommend: Large, easy to clean, square basket, burner on top and bottom. Click to see it.

prepared ingredients for air fryer frozen salmon

How to Cook Frozen Salmon in the Air Fryer

A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.

STEP ONE: Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees F.

STEP TWO: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon, salt, garlic powder, pepper, and cayenne. Brush the mixture on the top and bottom of each fillet.

STEP THREE: Place the seasoned frozen salmon in a single layer inside and cook for 12 to 18 minutes.

place seasoned frozen salmon fillets in air fryer

STEP FIVE: Serve with lemon wedges if desired.

Alternatively, you can put the salmon straight in the air fryer for 6 minutes to defrost it. From there, follow the directions in step two, then cook the salmon for another 6 to 12 minutes until cooked through.

flip salmon fillets to cook evenly in air fryer

Does Salmon Need to be Thawed Before Air Frying?

Nope! The beauty of this recipe is that the fish can go straight from your freezer to the olive oil and seasoning mixture to the air fryer. From there, it will cook to crispy-on-the-outside, flaky-on-the-inside perfection in 20 minutes or less!

air fryer frozen salmon fillet on plate with lemon slices

How Long to Cook Frozen Salmon in the Air Fryer

This is going to depend on how thick your fillets are. For me, 15 minutes always seems to be the right amount of time. However, make sure to start checking on your fish around the 12-minute mark if the fillets are thin. If they’re thick, it could take as long as 18 minutes.

Can I Leave the Skin When I Cook Air Fryer Frozen Salmon?

You bet! The skin gets nice and crispy, which some people prefer to skinless salmon. And the best part is that you’ll cook it the exact same way!

For more ways to cook salmon with skin, make sure to check out my Air Fryer Garlic Butter Salmon recipe.

plate with two air fryer salmon fillets with lemon slices

What to Serve with Frozen Salmon in the Air Fryer

And try out these other air fryer vegetable recipes here!

How to Know When Salmon is Done Cooking

You want to cook the salmon until it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. I highly recommend using an instant-read thermometer for the most accurate cook time!

If you don’t have a thermometer, cook the fish until it flakes if pressed gently with a fork. The color should also be an opaque pink all the way through.

air fryer salmon fillets on white plate with lemon slices

Does Frozen Salmon Taste as Good as Fresh Salmon?

As is true with most foods, fresh salmon is always going to have an advantage over frozen. However, when you make frozen salmon in the air fryer with this recipe, you probably wouldn’t notice the difference unless you were eating the two side-by-side!

Looking for even more fish and seafood recipes you can make from fresh or frozen? Check out this list of the Best Air Fryer Fish Recipes for plenty of tasty inspiration!

Other Air Fryer Fish Recipes You’ll Love:

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