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Farina Farina

How to air fry frozen salmon

Lachs-Würfel aus dem AirfryerFoto: Anna Gieseler

Fancy cooking on the spur of the moment without defrosting your salmon first? With an air fryer, it’s easy. Frozen salmon in the air fryer is no problem at all! Find out what matters when it comes to temperature, cooking time and prep. Plus a recipe and simple tips for juicy salmon rather than dry fish.

Table of Contents
  1. 1. Recipe: frozen salmon in the air fryer
    1. 1.1. Ingredients (serves 4):
    2. 1.2. Method:
  2. 2. 3 tips for extra juicy salmon in the air fryer
    1. 2.1. Marinate briefly and always use oil
    2. 2.2. Lower temperature, not full blast
    3. 2.3. Always skin-side down or on a bed of baking paper

Recipe: frozen salmon in the air fryer

We’ve linked a classic air fryer salmon recipe here for you to use as a guide. 

Ingredients (serves 4):

  • 4 salmon fillets (approx. 125 g each)
  • 1 squeeze of lemon juice
  • 3 pinches of salt
  • 2 pinches of pepper
  • 1 unwaxed lemon, sliced

Method:

  1. Season the salmon fillets with lemon juice, salt and pepper, place them in the basket and top with a lemon slice.
  2. Preheat the air fryer: set it to 160–170 °C.
  3. Put the fillets in the air fryer basket and cook for 8-12 minutes at 160–170 °C.
  4. Take them out, leave to rest briefly and enjoy.

Click here to go straight to the air fryer frozen salmon recipe.

Lachs mit ZitroneFoto: Anna Gieseler

3 tips for extra juicy salmon in the air fryer

Frozen salmon needs different treatment in the air fryer than fresh fish. It goes straight from the freezer into the air fryer, so it cooks differently. These tips will help you get perfect salmon:

Marinate briefly and always use oil

Rub the frozen salmon with about 1 tsp of oil before cooking (e.g. olive, rapeseed or sesame oil). The oil stops the surface from drying out and helps it heat evenly. A simple mini marinade of salt, lemon juice, a little honey or maple syrup and olive oil always works!

Lower temperature, not full blast

Lots of people cook salmon at 200 °C, which quickly leads to dry fish. The sweet spot is 160–170 °C for about 8–12 minutes, depending on thickness. Pull the basket out after about 8 minutes and check how the salmon looks. 

Always skin-side down or on a bed of baking paper

Place the salmon skin-side down in the basket. If it has no skin, you can make a little bed out of baking paper. That keeps the juices in the fish and stops the underside from drying out.

Have you ever cooked frozen salmon in the air fryer? Give these tips a try and let us know how it goes: we can’t wait to hear how yours turns out and what you think.