- This air fryer salmon recipe
is probably the fastest way to get a healthy dinner
on the table in under 15 minutes.
The inside of the salmon is so succulent and moist.
The outside has a gorgeous crust
and the simple topping of Dijon mustard and spices
make it taste like a million bucks.
All you've gotta do
is serve it up with your favorite side dish
whether that's broccoli, carrots,
asparagus, potatoes or rice
for the perfect easy weeknight meal and side note,
you can find all of those side dish recipes on my website
but today, let me introduce you
to your new favorite air fryer salmon recipe.
When you go to the fish market,
ask for four center cut pieces of salmon,
about six to seven ounces each.
If you don't have a local fish market,
you can absolutely use frozen salmon.
Just make sure to thaw it in the fridge the night before.
When it comes to the type of salmon to use in this recipe,
you have a few options.
I'm using king salmon today
which is one of my personal favorites.
It is packed with omega-3s.
It's got a really soft and buttery texture
but it's also one of the most pricey salmon options.
You could also use coho salmon
which has a really mild flavor
but is still packed with healthy nutrients.
You could use sockeye salmon
which has the most vibrant pink color
that you'll see at the fish counter
and it has a really deep, rich flavor
and you could also use steelhead trout.
Don't forget about steelhead trout.
Steelhead trout is a great alternative for salmon.
It's usually more cost effective
and it's still packed with omega-3s and nutrients.
So feel free to choose your favorite salmon or trout option.
And one last comment about salmon
that most people don't know
is that salmon if it's not frozen is seasonal
and for wild Alaskan salmon which is what I buy,
it's usually available from mid May
through the end of September.
So it's perfect timing to make this recipe.
Lay your salmon on a plate
and dab the pieces with a paper towel
to remove any excess moisture.
This also helps to ensure that the Dijon mustard sticks
and doesn't just slide right off the top of the salmon.
So add about a half a tablespoon of Dijon mustard to the top
and as you can see,
I'm just squirting it straight out of the bottle
and not even measuring and that's the beauty of this recipe.
There's actually no measuring of any sort required.
Just squirt the mustard
then use a brush or the back of a spoon
or even your finger assuming it's clean
to spread the mustard across the top.
Season the salmon with kosher salt or sea salt
and freshly ground black pepper.
Now, I should mention that I do have measurements
listed for this recipe on my website for reference
but honestly, you can just eyeball everything.
After the salt and pepper,
add a generous sprinkle of garlic powder and paprika.
I'm using regular sweet paprika, not smoky paprika
but you can use either and as you can see,
I like to make sure that the salmon is very well coated.
Don't be shy.
These spices aren't hot.
They're just super flavorful.
Next is my little trick for the best air fryer salmon
and it's to spray the top with a little bit of olive oil
or avocado oil spray.
This coats the spices and Dijon mustard on top
and prevents it from drying out in the air fryer
and it's less oil used
than rubbing oil on both sides of the salmon
at the beginning.
If you watched my air fryer chicken wings video,
you know I'm using my Ninja Max Air Fryer
which I purchased last Christmas and I'll link it below
but there's so many great models
of air fryers available nowadays
so feel free to use your favorite.
If you're using a basket style air fryer like I am,
lay two salmon pieces in the basket
as that's usually all that will fit comfortably
without crowding the basket
and you don't wanna crowd the basket
as the circulation of air around the fish
is what helps it cook perfectly.
Set your air fryer to a temperature
of 400 degrees Fahrenheit
and the timer for eight to 10 minutes.
It's always best to slightly undercook your salmon
and add more time if needed
than to accidentally overcook it.
And can you believe it?
That's it.
That's all you've gotta do
for your salmon to look as amazing as this,
juicy and moist on the inside
with an insanely flavorful and perfectly spiced crust.
If you're cooking more than two pieces of salmon,
just repeat the process again.
Plop two pieces of salmon into the air fryer
though do be careful on subsequent batches
as the basket will be hot
and then cook them for another eight to 10 minutes.
As I said at the beginning,
it really doesn't get much easier
than this 15 minute dinner recipe.
It's pretty much foolproof
and will make any cooking newbie look like a chef
and the best part is that there's no dirty dishes
from mixing bowls or prep work
since there was no prep work or mixing required.
The only thing you have to be slightly careful of
is removing the salmon from the air fryer
as it will be so flaky and fall apart tender
and that's why one of my pieces
looks like it's already falling apart.
So let's use a fork to dig into that one even more
and as you can see, it is absolutely perfect.
I have a lot of salmon recipes on my website
but honestly, this is the fastest and easiest one there is
which makes it a hands down winner in my books.
If you enjoyed today's video
and wanna see more air fryer recipes,
make sure to give this video a thumbs up
and let me know in the comments below
what you'd like to see next.
(calm music)