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This deliciously juicy salmon is brushed with an easy low-carb glaze and cooked to perfection in the air fryer. Serve the Air Fryer Salmon over a bed of tasty cauliflower rice and you have a healthy and nutritious dinner in 30 minutes max!

Can You Cook Fish In The Air Fryer?

Ever since I got my air fryer, I’ve learned to cook almost anything in it! I love how easy the air fryer is to cook in and it doesn’t heat up my house in the warm summer months as the oven does

Of course, there is the bonus that you can get a friend or grilled texture without all the extra grease and oils. Everyone in my family uses it on a daily basis from baking to grilling or frying something, you name it we do it all in my air fryer!

So fish, or salmon, in this case, is no exception, right into the air fryer it goes, and out comes a perfectly juicy salmon filet that will melt in your mouth. Trust me, you’ll never bake your fish again!

I’ve done all kinds of fish in my air fryer but my top favorites are this salmon and some air-fried cod filets that I’ll be sharing with you guys in the future! So stay tuned to that.

For today’s thought, you are in for a treat with this Asian Inspired Salmon recipe. In this recipe, you’ll learn how to make moist, tender, and flakey salmon fillets in the air fryer with only a few ingredients but amazing flavor.

Oh, and did I mention, that you’ll not only get the salmon recipe but a side dish and have it all ready in 30 minutes? Yeah, pretty great right? I sure think so!

How to Shop For Fresh Salmon Fillets At The Grocery Store?

In this recipe, I highly recommend using salmon filets that have already been cleaned and deboned for us. A fillet is what you’re most likely to find in most groceries store anyway unless you have a fresh fishmonger in your area (lucky you if you do!)

It’s typically a smaller portion that has been cut from a larger side of salmon. I’ve learned a lot lately about salmon while researching for this post.

Did you know that a side of salmon has five parts? Me either! But I’ve learned they are called top loin, loin, belly, second cut, and tail.

Each has a different shape and fat content that makes them suited for different recipes. I recommend doing some research on these if you are a big salmon eater or lover of food facts like I am.

When you are in the market or grocery store there are a few things to keep in mind that will help you buy the freshest and best quality salmon fillets for your recipe. Let’s talk about each of those!

Color – Salmon has natural and beautiful pink flesh. The fillets in the store should be a light pink to red, depending on which type of salmon species you’re looking at. But one thing is for sure, the pinky or red color should be very vibrant, not browning or any discoloration at all.

Smell – Salmon should smell like the beautiful salty ocean, not stinky, or extra fishy. If you come across some that have a strong putting other than run the other way, my friend.

Packaging – When you are buying the fresh or previously frozen salmon from the refrigerator case, make sure it is tightly sealed, wrapped or vacuum packed. If the packaging is loose or has air in it that could be an indication that it is an older fillet and has not been kept properly.

What Salmon is Best: Farmed or Wild Caught?

If you’re wondering whether to buy farmed or wild-caught salmon for this recipe, then you might be considering things like sustainability or the difference in nutrition.

Well, I don’t know a ton about farming fish, but in my recent research, I’ve learned that both the farmed salmon and the wild-caught variety can be produced sustainably or unsustainably.

So if you are concerned about certain brands I suggest doing some research on that farm or the fishing company that caught the wild salmon and base your decision on what you find out.

As for the nutrition, I think there are different things that you’d need to consider on both. For example, wild and farmed salmon eat different diets that give them different nutritional profiles.

Farmed Atlantic salmon tend to be much higher in fat while the salmon that is wild-caught feed on natural sources of protein like other fish, crustaceans, and plankton.

This means they will be higher in calcium, iron, potassium, and zinc. Both seem to have good amounts of omega 3s though. I tend to stick with wild-caught salmon because I know then it is never produced with antibiotics and I’ve noticed I enjoy the flavor more.

So if you can afford to go with wild-caught fresh salmon and you enjoy the flavor, then that is the way to go for this recipe but if you are more of a fan of farm-raised then that is perfectly fine as well.

Can I Use Frozen Salmon?

Yes, you can use frozen, but I always try to buy fresh fish fillets because they taste the best to me. Now we are in Arkansas so nowhere near any salmon waters, so when I say fresh I mean I go to Aldi or Kroger and get some of the fresh filets they sell there.

When you are buying them in the fresh meat deli or packaged just make sure to look for the freshness signs we talked about in the previous section of this post.

If you can’t find the fresh salmon fillets in your stores or you want to buy frozen, then you can totally go that route. But try to use a high-quality frozen salmon if you can, and follow the safe food practices while making sure that the fish is completely defrosted before you get ready to make this recipe.

What Side Dishes Can I Serve With Air Fryer Salmon?

My favorite way to service this Air Fryer Salmon is over a bed of cauliflower rice. After all, it has a little bit of an Asian theme in the glaze that coats the salmon so what better to pair it with than a form of rice.

You can make real rice if you don’t like the cauliflower rice and you don’t mind the carbs that come with it, but we enjoy the freshness of the cauliflower rice and it is like a protein and veggie side all in one!

I know not everyone is a fan of cauliflower so I’ve gathered a few side dish recipes for you that I think would go perfectly with this salmon meal also.

Asian Sesame Green Beans
Greek Salad (fresh veggies with Salmon, yum!)
10-Minute Garlic Bok-Choy Recipe, by The Forked Spoo
Asian Salad, leave the shrimp out and lay the salmon fillet over the salad.

I hope to try this air fryer salmon soon and if you do please be sure to tell me what you think about it!

2 servings

Air Fryer Salmon

Name: Air Fryer Salmon
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Asian Inspired
Ingredients: 10 ounces of cauliflower rice; 1 tablespoon of sesame oil; 1 teaspoon minced garlic; 1 teaspoon parsley; 1 teaspoon, onion powder; salt and pepper to taste; 1 tablespoon no sugar added ketchup; 1 teaspoon of Trim Healthy Mama Super Sweet; 1 1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar; 1 teaspoon fish sauce; 1 teaspoon soy sauce; 1 teaspoon of Sesame Garlic Seasoning (optional)*; 12-14 ounce Salmon Filet, cut into two equal portions

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

A flavorful glazed salmon filet cooked to perfection in the air fryer then served over a bed of herbed cauliflower rice.

Ingredients

Salmon

12-14 ounce Salmon Filet, cut into two equal portions

For the glaze

1 tablespoon no sugar added ketchup
1 teaspoon of Trim Healthy Mama Super Sweet
1 1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon of Sesame Garlic Seasoning (optional)*

For the Cauliflower Rice

10 ounces of cauliflower rice
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon, onion powder
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Clean and prepare the fresh salmon. Divide the fish into two equal fillet portions. Set the fish aside to mix the glaze.
In a small bowl mix all the glaze ingredients together and taste it to see if you need to adjust per your tastes. If you feel it needs more acid or sweetness you can add it now as you would like.
Brush the glaze over the tops of both salmon fillets and place them onto the air fryer tray.
Cook the salmon in the air fryer at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes depending on how thick your salmon is. You don't want to overcook the salmon as it will become dry and flavorless.
As the salmon cooks prepare the cauliflower rice by adding the sesame oil to a skillet over medium heat and add the cauliflower rice and the seasonings. Cook until the cauliflower rice is tender but not mushy. Cook to your desired texture is achieved, but keep in mind it cooks pretty fast.
When the salmon and cauliflower rice are cooked you are ready to serve. Place half the cauliflower rice on a plate or in a bowl and top with one portion of the salmon and serve hot.
For additional flavors, you can use some of the optional toppings on this meal. Like an extra small drizzle of sesame oil, chopped green onions, or sesame seeds. For some added spice you can sprinkle it with chili or a fermented chili sauce.

Notes

If you do not have or want to purchase the Garlic Ginger seasoning, simply use 1/4 teaspoon of minced garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger in the glaze.

Nutrition Information

Yield

Serving Size

1/2 the recipe
Amount Per ServingCalories 465Total Fat 29.6gTrans Fat 0gCholesterol 91.1mgSodium 498mgCarbohydrates 8.2gNet Carbohydrates 4.6gFiber 3.4gSugar 4gSugar Alcohols .2gProtein 38.5g

I am not a nutritionist. If you have strict dietary needs I always recommend using an online nutrition calculator to calculate your totals using your exact brands you're using in this recipe as values may vary per brand.

Keri Bucci

I am a southern girl through and through that loves to laugh, cook, read and spend time with family. My passions outside of home schooling my son are ministering to those in need and creating art in the kitchen! Every day is an adventure in our little house and I wouldn’t trade it or the chance to share here with you for anything!