Forgot to defrost your salmon? No problem! Learn how to cook it straight from frozen using your air fryer. It tastes just as good as cooked from fresh! With lemon & lemon pepper seasoning, it comes out delicious and perfectly cooked, for a quick & easy dinner packed with flavor.
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Salmon That Tastes Just as Good - Cooked From Frozen!
Salmon is a true staple in my house, and 9 times out of 10 I use it to make lemon pepper salmon. For this reason I always keep frozen salmon on hand, and that's great and all... unless I forget to defrost it!
Well, you know what? These days, it doesn't even matter! Because cooking it from frozen in the air fryer is JUST AS GOOD. Not sure how it's even possible, but this salmon comes out perfectly cooked and with so much flavor. If I didn't know it, I'd never believe it was cooked straight from frozen!
You gotta try it to believe it! So grab some frozen salmon, get cooking, and serve it up with your favorite potato side, some creamy rice, or a side of air fryer broccoli.
Salmon + Seasoning + a Little Bit of Oil
What Salmon to Use
For the most even cook, I recommend using individually frozen salmon fillets. The salmon can be with or without skin.
If you have fresh skin-on salmon, follow this recipe instead.
If your salmon is breaded - follow this recipe instead.
A Note on Seasonings
I'm a big fan of lemon with fish, so lemon pepper and lemon juice are my go-to's. The method for cooking frozen salmon in the air fryer stays the same, whichever seasoning you use.
If you can't find lemon pepper or another citrus pepper, you can swap it for a mix of black pepper, salt and a touch of onion powder. Or just use another seasoning you like for fish.
As for lemon juice, using fresh squeezed lemon really does make a difference. If you don't have it, you can use the bottled kind, but it's not as good.
Do I Have to Use Oil?
You don't have to use oil when air frying salmon, but it helps ensure the fish doesn't stick to the air fryer basket. This is especially important if your air fryer is older and the non stick coating might have seen better days.
If you salmon has skin on, oil is not as important, as long as you cook it with the skin side down and don't flip it while cooking. Please note that this adds a few minutes to the cook time.
You can use olive oil, or a neutral cooking oil, or a spritz of cooking spray. Whatever you have!
Visual Step-By-Step Recipe Walkthrough
- Place the frozen salmon fillet in a preheated air fryer basket
- Air fry 5 minutes at 360°F (180°C), until thawed
- Brush with olive oil on all sides
- Pour over lemon juice
- Season with lemon pepper
- Air fry 4 minutes at 390°F (200°C), then flip the salmon and air fry 4 minutes more, until cooked through. You might need to adjust the cook time depending on the size of the filets, and your specific air fryer.
Tips & Tricks for Best Results
- Don't overcrowd your air fryer basket - if cooking multiple fillets, make sure there is still room for the air to circulate
- Thaw in the air fryer before seasoning to allow for the flavors to actually stick to the fish.
How to Know if Salmon Is Done
The best way to know when the salmon is done, is by using a meat thermometer. The US FDA recommends cooking salmon to an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C), which will make it cooked all the way through, but some people prefer it to not be cooked fully in the middle.
If you do not have a thermometer, you need to cut into the salmon to check for doneness. It's done when it's flaky and opaque, and light pink in color.
Storing, Freezing & Reheating Instructions
Salmon is always best eaten straight away, but you can save leftovers for later. I prefer to enjoy leftovers cold, but you can also reheat them.
Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
I do not recommend freezing leftovers as the taste and texture will not be as good after thawing.
Reheat leftovers in the air fryer for a few minutes at 360°F (180°C), until heated through.
What to Serve With It
- Creamy Rice with Butter & Chicken Broth30 Minutes
- Garlic Roasted Broccoli25 Minutes
- 10-Minute Lemon Ricotta Pasta10 Minutes
- Whipped Feta with Garlic & Basil (Tyrosalata)5 Minutes
More Quick & Easy Salmon Recipes
- Air Fryer Salmon Patties30 Minutes
- Salmon Stew30 Minutes
- Lemon Pepper Air Fryer Salmon Bites10 Minutes
- Thai Salmon Curry30 Minutes
Recipe
Air Fryer Frozen Salmon
Print RateIngredients
- 1 frozen salmon fillet skin on or off
- 1 teaspoon olive oil or neutral cooking oil / cooking spray
- 2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice fresh squeezed is best
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper or other seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer by running it at 360°F (180°C) for 5 minutes.
- Place the frozen salmon fillet in the air fryer basket and air fry 5 minutes at 360°F (180°C) to thaw.1 frozen salmon fillet
- When thawed, brush the salmon fillet with olive oil on all sides. Then season one side with half the lemon juice and lemon pepper, before flipping it and seasoning the other side with the rest.1 tsp olive oil, 2 tsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp lemon pepper
- Air fry 4 minutes at 390°F (200°C), then flip the salmon and air fry 4 more minutes, until cooked through. You might need to adjust the cook time depending on the size of your filets.
Equipment (may contain affiliate links)
Video
Notes
- Don't overcrowd your air fryer basket - if cooking multiple fillets, make sure there is still room for the air to circulate around them
- Use a thermometer to check for doneness to avoid overcooking, salmon is fully cooked when the internal temp is at 145°F (63°C)
- If cooking skin-on salmon - season only the skin-less side and air fry skin-side down, without flipping it while cooking. This will add a few minutes to the cook time.
Storing, Freezing & Reheating
- Salmon is always best eaten straight away, but you can save leftovers for later
- I prefer to enjoy leftovers cold, but you can also reheat them
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- I do not recommend freezing leftovers as the taste and texture will not be as good after thawing.
- Reheat leftovers in the air fryer for a few minutes at 360°F (180°C), until heated through.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.
Ruben
So glad to find a recipe to cook frozen salmon in an air fryer for a last minute dinner! Turned out great: well cooked in the center and crispy on the outside plus super flavorful