Air Fryer Frozen Salmon

With just six simple ingredients, you can’t go wrong with this easy Air Fryer Frozen Salmon recipe. Ready in under 15 minutes, talk about a great way to have a healthy meal on the table fast!

Salmon is something that I always have in our freezer. Not only is it a healthy dinner, but cooking salmon is fast. Air fryer salmon is probably the easiest seafood to make. It is in regular rotation in our house. The short cooking time makes it perfect for busy weeknights.

I like to buy my salmon in bulk at some of the bigger box stores and then just have it handy, ready to go when I need it. This is a simple way for me to grab a couple of salmon fillets and toss them in the air fryer for dinner.

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If you’re a fan of fish, make sure to check out my Keto Salmon Recipe as well as my Pan-Seared Cod with Cilantro-Lime Butter. Both are simple but have amazing flavors. For another air fryer recipe, this Air Fryer Cod is the best.

Ingredients

The teriyaki sauce is optional for the air fryer frozen salmon recipe. You can use your favorite seasoning, pesto, or just a little salt and black pepper on your salmon.

• Soy sauce – I like to use a low sodium soy sauce for mine but feel free to use whatever you have in your fridge or pantry. 
• Brown sugar sweetener – This adds a light sweetness to make a bit of a glaze on the top of the fried salmon. 
• Garlic – Fresh garlic adds so much delicious flavor. Just make sure to chop it up or buy it already minced. 
• Fresh ginger – A little bit of fresh ginger goes a long way! 
• Apple cider vinegar – This creates the perfect balance for the sweetness and flavor of the cooked salmon. 

See quantities in the recipe card.

How To Make Air Fryer Frozen Salmon

Step One: Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees. For the best results, spray the basket well with olive oil cooking spray or use a silicone liner or parchment paper liner.

Step Two: Add in the frozen salmon filets skin side down in a single layer and cook for 8 minutes.

Step Three: Mix the ingredients for the sauce (if using) in a small bowl. Once the timer goes off, drizzle on top of the salmon and cook the salmon for a couple extra minutes.

Make sure that the salmon has an internal temperature of 125-140 degrees before removing and serving. You can drizzle or brush more of the sauce on if desired.

Variations

• Lemon pepper salmon – Skip the sauce and just squeeze some fresh lemon juice and crack some pepper on the cooked salmon.
• Garlic powder – If you don’t have fresh garlic, the powder can work in a pinch. (But the fresh garlic really is so much better!)
• Spicy salmon – If you’re a fan of heat, add some cayenne pepper to the sauce mixture. Just be sure that everyone who’s eating the cooked salmon likes spicy, too.
• Mayo – Leave off the teriyaki and add the mayo topping that I use in my Baked Salmon with Mayo. It works on air-fried salmon, too!

Common Questions

How do you know when salmon is cooked all the way?

The easiest way to know that the air fryer frozen salmon is fully cooked is to check the internal temperature. Use a meat thermometer to check. The internal temperature should be between 125 and 140 degrees. Make sure that you’re checking the temperature in the thickest part of the salmon.

The other method is to make sure that the salmon is flaky. Once it’s done cooking, use a fork and try to flake off a few pieces. This will show you if it’s a bit tough and needs to cook a bit longer or not.

How do you store leftover salmon?

Salmon that is cooked and being saved as leftovers needs to be stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge. This holds in the flavors and will keep it having the best taste possible. You can also use it to make salmon patties.

What can you do with leftover salmon?

I love leftovers, but I do like to try to make different dishes with them if possible. Leftover salmon can be used as a topping for salad, in salmon tacos, rice bowls, or on a low-carb cracker or bread for a snack. I really love eating salmon salad the next day! Or try it on this salmon quinoa bowl.

Can you use fresh salmon for this recipe?

If you have fresh salmon, it will work just fine for this recipe! You will need to alter the times since it’s not frozen. Just be sure to spray your air fryer basket with cooking spray so that the fillets don’t stick. You can also line with aluminum foil, too.

What side dishes go well with air fryer frozen salmon?

This is really up to you and your eating habits, but there are a lot of foods that will pair well with cooked frozen salmon fillets. Rice is always a popular option, but that does tend to be higher in carbs. You can also cook up quinoa, sweet potatoes, asparagus, or other steamed veggies, or other small proteins to pair with this simple dish.

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Air Fryer Frozen Salmon

Taryn Scarfone

With just six simple ingredients, you will want this Air Fryer Frozen Salmon recipe. Ready in 12 minutes, & no thawing or prep required!

5 from 13 votes

Print Recipe

Prep Time 0 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 12 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 2

Calories 194.6

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 8 oz frozen salmon (two 4-oz fillets)

Teriyaki Sauce (optional)

• 1/4 cup coconut aminos or soy sauce
• 1 tbsp brown sugar substitute such as Golden Lakanto
• 1 tsp garlic chopped
• 1 tsp fresh ginger peeled and chopped
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions

 

• Preheat the air fryer to 400. Spray the basket or rack with cooking spray.
• Add the frozen salmon and cook for 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mix together the sauce ingredients. Drizzle half the sauce on the salmon and cook for an additional 4 minutes. The internal temp of the salmon should be 125-140.
• Serve immediately with the remaining sauce.

Notes

Nutrition: There are 6.6 net carbs per serving when using the teriyaki sauce. If you omit the sauce and just use salt and pepper there are 0 net carbs. The nutrition facts are calculated using coconut aminos for the sauce. For whole30, you can omit the sweetener in the sauce. For paleo, sub in coconut sugar.

Notes on Sweeteners: 

I use my own blend of xylitol, erythritol, and stevia in my recipes. This is twice as sweet as sugar. It is comparable to Trim Healthy Mama Gentle Sweet and Truvia.

To sub in Swerve or Lakanto Monk Fruit use 1.5 times the amount of sweetener called for. 

 

To sub in Pyure or Trim Healthy Mama Super Sweet use half the amount of sweetener called for.

 

Substitutions will work in most recipes. They may not work in candies, such as caramel.

Nutrition

Calories: 194.6Carbohydrates: 6.7gProtein: 22.6gFat: 7.2gSaturated Fat: 1.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2.9gMonounsaturated Fat: 2.4gCholesterol: 62.4mgSodium: 728.4mgPotassium: 567.6mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 0.1gVitamin A: 45.5IUVitamin C: 0.5mgCalcium: 16.7mgIron: 0.9mg

Love this recipe?Please leave a 5 star rating!

Originally Published January 5, 2022. Revised and Republished September 25, 2025.