Frozen salmon, ready for dinner in under 25 minutes? Absolutely! Not only is cooking frozen salmon in the air fryer quick but the results are completely delicious.
If you forgot to take the salmon out of the freezer, fear not. In this article, I explain how you can safely cook frozen salmon in your air fryer. The results will be sooo good! Honestly, this is the only way I cook salmon now. I particularly love serving it with air fryer roast potatoes and veg - it's a great alternative to beef for a Sunday lunch.
Table of contents
Is it safe to cook salmon from frozen?
It’s safe to cook salmon directly from the freezer, as long as you cook it at the right temperature until its completely cooked all the way through. When you know how to cook frozen salmon safely, there’s no need to defrost it first. You don’t even need to know how to thaw frozen salmon with this method. The key is to cook it at an adequate temperature for the correct amount of time. When it’s ready, the salmon should be opaque and flake easily.
Salmon is a staple in our house. I’m a pescatarian so it’s a good source of protein for me. It’s also something my picky daughter requests for dinner on a regular basis. So I like to keep a stash of frozen salmon fillets in the freezer ready to make evening meals.
Frozen salmon fillets
Salmon has risen dramatically in price recently, so I buy frozen salmon packs where you get several fillets in one bag as they work out better value. Of course, this means freezing them to make sure they keep well until I need them.
The problem was, I would never remember to take the frozen salmon fillets out of the freezer to defrost. And I had no idea how to thaw frozen salmon quickly. Then I discovered that you can cook salmon from frozen in the air fryer – it’s a gamechanger! Now, when I’m wondering what to cook, I can simply grab a couple of frozen salmon fillets, air fryer them and have a delicious meal on the table in under 30 minutes. In this article, I’ll explain how I air fry frozen salmon and how long to cook frozen salmon in an air fryer. This method works for cooking the smaller salmon fillets that come in individual portions. Then I’ll share three of my favourite ways to serve salmon fillets.
Why you’ll love this air fryer frozen salmon recipe
Fast – there’s no need to defrost the salmon before cooking it. So you can get dinner on the table quickly.
Efficient – putting salmon fillets in the air fryer means you don’t need to heat up your whole oven. Plus you can save money by buying frozen salmon fillets in bulk, ready to cook just what you need.
Versatile – once you’ve learnt how to air fry frozen salmon, you can use the fillets as the basis of a whole host of delicious and healthy meals.
Healthy – salmon is packed with nutrients, it’s a useful source of protein and contains Omega-3 fatty acids. It’s also naturally gluten-free and low carb. Cooking frozen salmon in air fryer is a great way to get all of the nutrients which are locked in during the freezing process.
Easy – because the salmon is cooked inside an aluminium foil parcel, there is minimum mess to deal with after you’ve cooked it.
Why air fryer salmon from frozen?
Whether it’s frozen or not, I love to cook salmon in the air fryer. It stays much more succulent than when cooking it in the oven. Plus, it’s more energy efficient to cook in the air fryer rather than the oven. I like to cook the salmon in a parcel of aluminium foil (tin foil). This lets the fish steam beautifully, retaining its succulence and flavour perfectly. I pull back the aluminium foil for the final few minutes of cooking time. This ensures everything is cooked through and gives a slightly crisp texture to the outer edge of the salmon.
How to bake frozen salmon in air fryer
This is how I prepare and cook my easy Ninja air fryer salmon recipe (for guidance, the salmon fillets I use are normally around 120g (4oz).
Prepare the fillets: Take the frozen salmon out of its packaging and place onto a sheet of aluminium foil/tin foil. Add a slice of lemon and a small knob of butter, season with salt and ground black pepper.
Make a foil parcel: Wrap and seal the foil to create a parcel (I usually cook two fillets at a time, each in its own parcel). Place the parcels into the air fryer basket (I leave the rack in to let the hot air circulate). Air fry at 200C (390F) for 15 minutes, for a 120g (4oz) salmon fillet.
Open the parcel: After 15 minutes of cooking, unwrap the foil slightly to expose the top of the salmon. I move the lemon slice at this point (to ensure that the fish underneath the lemon is as thoroughly cooked). Air fry for a further 3-5 minutes at 200C (390F) until the salmon is cooked all the way through and flakes easily.
Variations and substitutions
For a dairy-free diet, you can swap the knob of butter in my air fryer frozen salmon recipe for a drizzle of olive oil or avocado oil.
Spice it up by sprinkling the salmon fillets with chilli flakes, Cajun seasoning or paprika during the last few minutes of cooking time.
For extra flavour, add some fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme and oregano work well) to your foil parcel while the salmon air fries.
No lemons? Give the fillets a dusting of your favourite dried herbs or spice mix instead.
You need to cook frozen salmon at a high temperature. I set my air fryer to 200C (390F). If you’re using a thermometer probe, the USDA recommends an internal temperature of 145F for salmon.
I find wrapping frozen salmon in foil for the first stage of the cooking process works well as it allows the fish to cook through without overcooking. I then peel back the foil from the top of the fish for the final few minutes of cooking.
I use the air fry setting for air fryer frozen salmon and cook at 200C (390F). When using a thermometer probe, the USDA recommends an internal temperature of 145F for salmon.
When a salmon fillet is cooked properly, it should be opaque (not shiny or translucent) and it should flake easily when you cut into it.
Yes, providing you cook it at the right temperature for the right amount of time. Check that the salmon is thoroughly cooked all the way through before serving.
No, as long as you cook it thoroughly at a high temperature, you can cook frozen salmon in an air fryer without defrosting it first.
If you enjoy the skin on salmon, you can eat it. It’s a source of minerals, omega-3 fatty acids and more nutrients. If you prefer to discard the skin, that’s fine too. It will peel away easily once the fish is cooked.
No. When cooked properly salmon won’t dry out in the air fryer. I like to cook my Ninja air fryer salmon in a parcel of aluminium foil to lock in the moisture. I also add a drizzle of oil or a pat of butter for extra moisture.
With this method for baking frozen salmon in an air fryer, there’s no need to thaw the fish first.
I allow 21-23 minutes for a 120g (4oz) salmon fillet when air frying at 200C (390F). Thicker fillets take longer than thinner ones so always check your salmon carefully before serving to ensure it is cooked all the way through.
No. I never rinse frozen salmon before cooking and have never had any issues.
You can add a drizzle or spritz of unrefined olive oil or avocado oil to frozen salmon before air frying it to add flavour and help the fish stay moist. I like to use a knob of butter alongside a slice of lemon as this creates an instant buttery sauce once the salmon is cooked.
How to Cook Frozen Salmon in the Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 2 Frozen salmon fillets
- 1 Knob of butter (or a drizzle of oil)
- 2 Lemon slices
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Take the frozen salmon out of its packaging and place onto a sheet of aluminium foil/tin foil.
- Add a slice of lemon and a small pat of butter, season with salt and ground black pepper.
- Wrap and seal the foil to create a parcel (I usually cook two fillets at a time, each in its own parcel).
- Place the foil packages into the air fryer basket (I leave the rack in to let the hot air circulate all around the salmon parcels).
- Use the air fry setting and cook at [200C 390F] for 15 minutes (for a 120g (4oz) salmon steak)
- After 15 minutes of cooking, I unwrap the foil from the top to expose the top of the salmon, I also remove the lemon slice (to ensure that the fish that was sat underneath the lemon is as thoroughly cooked as the rest).
- Air fry for a further 3-5 minutes at [200C 390F], depending on how thick your fillet is and how well you prefer your fish. Check that the salmon is cooked all the way through and flakes easily before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
More Air fryer recipes: How to serve frozen salmon
I cook frozen salmon in the air fryer on a weekly basis. Here are some of my favourite ways to serve salmon (by the way, if you do have fresh salmon to hand, these options are all delicious with fresh salmon, or indeed most types of fish):
Lemon butter sauce
One of the simplest ways to serve air fryer salmon is with a lemon butter sauce. I like to add a pat of butter and a lemon slice to the salmon parcel while it’s cooking and this creates an instant sauce. You can go a step further and add chopped fresh herbs like parsley or dill or add capers for extra tang.
Pesto drizzle
This dressing is so simple but packed full of flavour. Simply combine a tablespoon of pesto from a jar with glug of extra-virgin olive oil. Stir to combine and then drizzle over the fish just before serving. This dressing is also delicious over vegetables.
Salmon and cream cheese pasta
While your air fryer salmon is cooking, prepare your pasta as per the packet instructions. Add a handful of frozen peas for the final 30 seconds of cooking time. Once the pasta is cooked, drain (reserving a ladle of the cooking water. Then stir a heaped tablespoon of cream cheese (one tablespoon per portion of pasta) and the reserved cooking water to loosen the sauce slightly.
Once the salmon is cooked, flake it into bitesize pieces and stir these through the pasta. You can add fresh herbs, a squeeze of lemon for extra freshness. Finish with lots of ground black pepper and serve.
Caper dressing
Here’s a caper dressing idea that you can use with salmon:
Asian flavours
Asian-inspired flavours are wonderful with salmon. Try out this recipe for teriyaki salmon:
Have you tried this method for cooking salmon from frozen in air fryer? If so, I'd love to hear what you thought. You can leave a ⭐star rating and a comment below. Thanks for visiting!
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