Air Fryer Spicy Hasselback Salmon (2024)

FAQs

Does salmon need to be flipped in the air fryer? ›

"You don't have to flip the salmon, which you do in most other cooking techniques because it does cook so quickly." Depending on the thickness of your fillet, air fryer salmon only takes about 10 minutes to cook, landing itself a spot on the easy weeknight dinners list.

How to Reheat Salmon in an Air Fryer. Set your air fryer to 360 degrees F, placing your salmon skin-side down in the basket. Be sure to line the basket with parchment paper to prevent the salmon from sticking. Cook for five minutes until the salmon is nice and hot.

Place salmon in the air fryer basket, skin side up. Cook for 7-10 minutes until salmon is done and flakes easily. Remove from air fryer and serve. Season with additional salt and pepper as needed.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

I typically serve the salmon with the skin on, then let guests peel away their skin (the cooked salmon will flake off easily with a fork). Don't Wrap the Fish. It is not necessary to wrap salmon in foil in the air fryer—in fact, it will make it harder for it to crisp.

Placing some parchment paper under your fish keeps it from directly touching your air fryer's grid plate, and therefore stops it from adhering altogether. It will also catch some of the juices and white goo that can leak from the salmon, minimizing the cleanup you'll have to do afterwards.

Foil is safe to use in an air fryer so long as you follow three basic rules: never let foil touch the heating element; make sure the foil is weighted so it doesn't blow around the basket; and avoid contact with acidic ingredients, which can cause the foil to leach onto your food.

Salmon does not need much seasoning to be flavorful. You can season it with just salt and black pepper or with a combination of lemon juice, fresh herbs, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, butter, minced garlic, and any other flavors you desire. 3. Dry the salmon to ensure crispy skin.

The easiest way to see if your salmon has finished cooking is to gently press down on the top of the fillet with a fork or your finger. If the flesh of the salmon flakes—meaning, it separates easily along the white lines that run across the fillet (strips of fish fat)—it's finished cooking.

According to CookingLight, preheating your air fryer for several minutes is an incredibly important step when cooking salmon in the appliance. Preheating of course allows the cooking surface to heat up, causing the outside of the salmon to sear while the inside cooks — resulting in crispy skin and still-moist meat.

If you have one of the best air fryers, you're in luck — parchment paper is safe to use in the countertop appliance. Plus, there are several benefits when it comes to cooking with parchment paper. It saves you a messy cleanup by keeping food from sticking to the air fryer basket.

Can you eat raw salmon? ›

Raw Salmon Risks You Should Know

Raw or undercooked salmon can be contaminated with bacteria, parasites, and other disease-causing agents. For this reason, the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recommends cooking all seafood until it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.

The white stuff on salmon is called albumin.

As the meat cooks, the coagulated albumin gets squeezed out and appears in the form of the weird, slimy, white substance that you are probably familiar with (and weirded out by).

Usually, my go-to air fryer cleaning method is to soak the chamber in warm, soapy water for at least 30 minutes. Afterward, I tackle any residue (and there's always residue) by scrubbing it with a sponge. It's not the most glamorous household task, but it usually does the trick.

Coat all sides well. Once each fillet is coated, lightly dust it with cooking spray and then place it on the frying tray. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes. Be sure to flip it halfway through cooking it around 5 to 6 minutes.

Salmon fillets are best cooked starting with the skin-side down. This prevents over-browning the meat, which can make it dry and pretty unappealing to look at on the plate. "When pan-frying or grilling, cook salmon fillets skin-side down for 5-7 minutes, flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes," says Norton.

SHAKE OR FLIP FOOD

Most air fryers require you to shake the basket at least once during the air fry process to ensure every bit is crisped and browned to perfection. Some recipes call for flipping or shaking every 5 minutes, so don't stray too far from your air fryer while cooking.

Using indirect heat*, place foil packet skin side down on the grill. Cook fish for 12 to 18 minutes, thickness of the fish will determine cooking time. Do not flip the packet!