This air fryer salmon is roasted on a bed of lemon slices and finished with fresh dill for a bright, simple dish. With just five ingredients and about 10 minutes of hands-on time, it’s an easy weeknight or date-night option. The exterior develops a light crisp while the inside remains tender and flaky. It’s naturally keto, paleo, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
Whether you’re feeding guests or making a cozy dinner for two, this method yields consistent, satisfying results—juicy salmon with minimal fuss.
If you want a slightly different flavor profile, you can squeeze some charred lemon juice over the fillets right before serving for extra brightness.
Ingredients
- Lemons, sliced
- Center-cut salmon fillets
- Olive oil
- Fresh dill, chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
How to make Air Fryer Salmon
- Arrange lemon slices in the air fryer basket to create a bed for the salmon.
- Place salmon skin-side down on the lemon slices and drizzle with olive oil.
- Season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle chopped dill over the fillets.
- Cook at 375°F (190°C) for 8–10 minutes, or until the salmon is bright pink and flakes easily with a fork.
- Serve immediately, optionally squeezing roasted lemon over the fish for extra flavor.
Tips
- Avoid overcrowding the basket so each fillet cooks evenly and gets a light crisp on the edges.
- No need to flip the salmon; cooking skin-side down on the lemon bed protects the flesh and helps prevent sticking.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Leftover salmon works well in patties, salads, or bowls.
- If you buy fresh salmon ahead of time, remove store wrapping and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for no more than two days before cooking.
- The salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork. Remove it promptly to avoid overcooking and drying the fish.
- Check for pin bones in fresh fillets and remove them before cooking.
How to choose the best salmon fillets
Choose fillets of similar size and thickness so they cook uniformly. For fresh salmon, press gently: the flesh should spring back. An indented surface indicates less freshness. Avoid fish with any off or fishy odor. Look for a healthy pink color—bright, even tones indicate quality.
Why use the air fryer?
The air fryer is efficient and convenient: it browns and crisps food with very little oil, doesn’t heat up the kitchen like an oven or grill, and makes cleanup quick. It’s a great tool for cooking fish reliably without constant monitoring.
If you prefer other cooking methods, baked or grilled salmon also produce excellent results and are good alternatives depending on your equipment and taste.
Other air fryer recipes
- Air Fryer BBQ Chicken
- Sesame Chicken
- Air Fryer Ham
- Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
- Air Fryer Fish Tacos
If you make this air fryer salmon, I’d love to see photos—share your results on social media with the appropriate tag or hashtag so others can find your version.
Air Fryer Salmon
Ingredients
- 2 lemons sliced into ⅛” thick slices
- 4 center-cut salmon fillets
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons dill chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
-
Put sliced lemons in the air fryer basket to make a bed for the salmon.
-
Place the salmon skin-side down on top of the lemon slices and drizzle with olive oil.
-
Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle dill over the fillets.
-
Cook the salmon at 375 °F (190 °C) for 8–10 minutes or until the fish is bright pink and flakes easily.
-
Serve immediately.
-
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.