Quick & Easy Frozen Salmon in the Air Fryer
How to make frozen salmon in the air fryer in just a few easy steps, simple ingredients, and 20 minutes! Coated in a mouth-watering honey garlic sauce recipe and served with your favorite side dish like rice or veggies. You will love this tasty, flaky fish!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What Makes This Recipe Great
We eat salmon a lot in my house. My kids love it, my husband loves, and I love it! Salmon is full of brain and heart-healthy Omega-3 fatty acids, it’s protein-packed, and it fits in with my gluten-free lifestyle. Plus, it’s easy. Salmon cooks quickly, so it’s easy to get a meal prepped and cooked in no time.
Making salmon in the air fryer is even easier. It’s so easy I even had time to whip up a delicious honey garlic sauce recipe that is the perfect complement to this delicious, flaky salmon.
All you need are 6 ingredients and 20 minutes and you have a healthy dinner on the table. Serve with veggies or white rice, or low-carb cauliflower rice. You really can’t go wrong, and everyone will love it. Yay!
If you love cooking with your air fryer, try my latest Blackened Mahi Mahi recipe!
Ingredient Notes
Air Fryer Salmon Recipe
- Frozen Salmon Fillets: I love Costco’s wild-caught salmon fillets. You can cook frozen salmon straight from the freezer, no need to thaw it! See expert tips below for fresh salmon instructions.
- Avocado Oil Spray: You can use this or olive oil spray, whichever you have on hand.
Honey Garlic Sauce Recipe
- Honey: You can also swap this for maple syrup if preferred. I don’t recommend swapping this for brown sugar, because it won’t give the same flavor.
- Minced Garlic: You can mince fresh garlic cloves or use a jar of minced garlic. You can use garlic powder in a pinch, but minced garlic adds much more flavor.
- Coconut Aminos: This is a gluten free alternative to soy sauce! It adds such great flavor to the honey garlic marinade.
- Salt
- Black Pepper: Optional
How to Make Frozen Salmon in the Air Fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 for 3 minutes.
- Spray the air fryer basket with oil and place the salmon fillets into the basket skin-side down in a single layer (you may need to cook 2 at a time depending on the size of your air fryer).
- Air fry for 6 minutes.
- Remove the basket and brush or pour some of the sauce over each of the salmon fillets to completely coat them (leaving half of the sauce for the remaining 2 fillets).
- Continue cooking salmon for an additional 5-6 minutes or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and is browned on top.
- Serve with rice or cauliflower rice and your favorite veggie and enjoy!
Honey Garlic Sauce Recipe
- Mix the coconut aminos, honey, minced garlic, and salt together in a small bowl.
Expert Tips
- Fresh salmon: Preheat to 400 for 3 minutes. Spray the air fryer basket and place the fresh salmon skin-side down in the basket. Brush with the sauce to coat. Air fry for 6-7 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve and enjoy!
- Cooking time: You may need to adjust the time if you have thicker salmon filets. I used 6oz filets. Most importantly, cook your salmon to an internal temperature of 145. The best way to check the temp is to use an instant-read meat thermometer.
- Honey Garlic Sauce Recipe: This honey garlic sauce is super easy to whip up and would pair perfectly as a marinade for chicken wings, chicken breasts, and other fish as well!
Serving Tips
- Serve your air fryer frozen salmon with a squeeze of lemon juice and side dishes like white rice, or if you’re keto, cauliflower rice. You can also serve this with your favorite veggies, potatoes, sweet potatoes, salads, and more!
Storage Tips
- Leftover Salmon: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in the air fryer at 350F for 3-4 minutes or over the stovetop for best results.
- Freezer: To freeze, store your cooked salmon in an airtight container or bag and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the air fryer.
Recipe FAQs
You’ll know your fish is done cooking when it’s opaque, flakes easily, and the internal temperature reads 145F.
Yes! I recommend thawing your fillets if you choose to bake instead of air fry the salmon. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, drizzled with a little oil, and bake at 400F for 10-12 minutes. Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer, then rub on the honey garlic sauce recipe and serve!
Quick & Easy Frozen Salmon In The Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 4 6-oz frozen salmon fillets
- ¼ cup coconut aminos
- 3 tbsp honey
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- ¼ tsp salt
- Avocado oil spray, for the basket
Equipment
- Air Fryer This is the 4 qt Ninja!
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 for 3 minutes.
- Spray the air fryer basket with oil and place the salmon fillets into the basket skin-side down (you may need to cook 2 at a time depending on the size of your air fryer).
- Air fry for 6 minutes.
- Remove the basket and brush or pour some of the sauce over each of the salmon fillets to completely coat them (leaving half of the sauce for the remaining 2 fillets).
- Continue to air fry for an additional 5-6 minutes or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and is browned on top.
- Serve with rice or cauliflower rice and your favorite veggie and enjoy!
Honey Garlic Sauce
- Mix the coconut aminos, honey, minced garlic, and salt together in a bowl and set aside.
Notes
Expert Tips
- Fresh salmon: Preheat to 400 for 3 minutes. Spray the air fryer basket and place the fresh salmon skin-side down in the basket. Brush with the sauce to coat. Air fry for 6-7 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve and enjoy!
- Cooking time: You may need to adjust the time if you have thicker salmon filets. I used 6oz filets. Most importantly, cook your salmon to an internal temperature of 145. The best way to check the temp is to use an instant-read meat thermometer.
- Honey Garlic Sauce Recipe: This honey garlic sauce is super easy to whip up and would pair perfectly as a marinade for chicken wings, chicken breasts, and other fish as well!
Serving Tips
- Serve with a squeeze of lemon juice and side dishes like white rice, or if you’re keto, cauliflower rice. You can also serve this with your favorite veggies, potatoes, sweet potatoes, salads, and more!
Storage Tips
- Leftover Salmon: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in the air fryer at 350F for 3-4 minutes or over the stovetop for best results.
- Freezer: To freeze, store your cooked salmon in an airtight container or bag and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the air fryer.
17 Comments on “Quick & Easy Frozen Salmon in the Air Fryer ”
Hi Mary, we’re so excited to try this. Quick Question: We have an air fryer as part of our oven (vs. a separate air fryer). Would you expect the cooking time to be about the same? Curious if you have a perspective or experience with this!
Hi Laurie! Unfortunately I do not have experience with this, but I would assume it would be similar, if not the same!
Super easy and great flavor! Easy dinner for after work, I added quinoa and broccoli.
Thank you Melody!
Just made this one tonight and it did not disappoint! Everyone loved this and it was easy in the air fryer. I have the Instant Pot air fryer so mine took just a couple extra minutes for cook time.
Good to know! Thanks Emily!
So easy and good! Was looking for a recipe for the air fryer since it’s become a staple in my house and this recipe turned out great!
Thanks Cara! I’m glad you enjoyed it 🙂
I’ve always been a bit intimidated when it comes to cooking any type of fish. This salmon recipe has cured me. It’s so fast and delicious. A must try.
Woo hoo!
This is such a time saver for me. As someone who has salmon in my freezer often and looking for fast meals this was great. I always think about it close to dinner and it’s frozen so when I tried this and it came out perfect I was so excited. The sauce was so good and we drizzled it on some roasted veggies!! This is a recipe you keep in the back pocket for school nights.
Thanks Lauren! Means a lot!
You’ve done it again with a quick and easy weeknight meal! Hubby and toddler approved!!
Made this tonight and it was delicious! The sauce is soooo good. I had extra so I mixed it with my broccoli and rice. I did have to cook mine a little longer than the recipe called for but won’t deter me from making again. Was a great quick and healthy meal!
Thanks Sarah! The cooking time definitely depends on how thick your salmon filets are! Glad you enjoyed it!
Super quick to get dinner on the table with this delicious recipe. Although not sure why you included storing directions, there wasn’t a speck left on any plates, lol
Kiddo and husband approved. Thank you!
Hi Angie! So glad it was enjoyed by all! 🙂