How Long To Cook Salmon In An Air Fryer Oven? | Timing

Salmon and an air fryer oven are a handy match: quick, tidy, and ideal for flaky fish on a weeknight. The catch is that timing feels tricky, and nobody wants dry salmon or a plate of undercooked fish. This guide lays out clear cook times that work in real kitchens, plus simple tweaks for fillet size, style, and whether your salmon goes in fresh or frozen.

How Long To Cook Salmon In An Air Fryer Oven? Timing Basics

The sweet spot for most salmon fillets in an air fryer oven is 8–12 minutes at 375–400°F. A thinner tail piece sits near the low end of that range, while a thick center cut needs the full window. No matter which setting you choose, the real target is doneness inside the fish.

Food safety guidance from agencies such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends cooking fish like salmon until the internal temperature reaches 145°F, or until the flesh turns opaque and flakes easily with a fork. That number gives you a safety line; from there you can stop right at 145°F or pull the fish slightly earlier if you prefer a more moist texture.

Salmon Cut And Thickness	Air Fryer Oven Temperature	Typical Cook Time Range
Thin tail fillet, about 1/2 inch	375°F	6–8 minutes
Thin tail fillet, about 1/2 inch	400°F	5–7 minutes
Standard fillet, about 3/4 inch	375°F	8–10 minutes
Standard fillet, about 3/4 inch	400°F	7–9 minutes
Thick center cut, about 1 inch	375°F	10–12 minutes
Thick center cut, about 1 inch	400°F	8–11 minutes
Skin-on salmon steak, about 1 inch	390–400°F	9–12 minutes
Frozen fillet, about 3/4–1 inch	380–400°F	12–16 minutes

These time ranges give you a strong starting point. Air fryer ovens vary a little, so the first time you cook a new type of salmon in your model, check it a minute or two before the low end of the range. Once you find the time that gives you tender fish with a texture you like, you can repeat it without thinking.

Factors That Change Air Fryer Salmon Cook Time

Cook time is not only about the number on the display. Several small details add or shave off minutes, and once you know them, you can adjust on the fly instead of stressing over every batch.

Fillet Thickness And Size

Thickness has more influence than weight. Two fillets can both weigh 6 ounces, yet the one that is tall and narrow will need more time than a wide, flat piece. When you air fry salmon, think in terms of how tall the thickest part looks, not what the pack label says about weight.

Fresh Vs Frozen Salmon

Frozen salmon goes from rock solid to ready faster in an air fryer than in a regular oven, but it still needs extra time compared with fresh fish. Many cooks like to start frozen fillets wrapped in foil for a few minutes to thaw the surface, then open the foil so the top can dry and take on color.

Air Fryer Oven Style

Basket-style air fryers tend to cook slightly faster than rack-style toaster oven models, mostly because the heat wraps around the food in a tight space. If your salmon often looks dry even when you stay near the low end of a time range, drop the temperature by 10–15°F or shorten the next batch by a minute.

Marinades, Glazes, And Toppings

Thick glazes with sugar or honey can brown quickly in an air fryer. When you use a sweet sauce, cook the salmon plain for the first half of the time and brush on the glaze during the last few minutes. That way the surface caramelizes without burning before the inside cooks through.

Step By Step: Cooking Salmon In An Air Fryer Oven

Now that you know the ranges, here is a clear process you can follow any night of the week. This works for most boneless fillets, skin-on or skinless, fresh or frozen.

1. Prep The Salmon

Pat the salmon dry with paper towels. Surface moisture turns to steam and slows browning, so a quick pat makes the outside more likely to crisp and keeps seasoning from sliding off.

2. Preheat The Air Fryer Oven

Turn the air fryer oven to 375–400°F and let it heat for a few minutes. A preheated basket or tray helps the salmon start cooking right away and reduces the odds of dry edges with a cool center.

3. Arrange The Fillets

Place the salmon in a single layer, flesh side up if there is skin. Leave a little space between pieces so hot air can flow around each fillet. If your air fryer oven has a rack, leave a small gap between the fillets and the sides of the tray as well.

4. Set Time And Temperature

For most fresh fillets around 3/4 inch thick, set the air fryer oven to 400°F for 8 minutes. For thicker cuts near 1 inch, set 10–11 minutes. For thin pieces, 6–7 minutes is often plenty.

5. Check Doneness With A Thermometer

Near the end of the time window, slide a thin food thermometer into the thickest part of one fillet. Food safety resources such as the seafood temperature chart on FoodSafety.gov advise cooking fish to an internal temperature of 145°F to reduce the risk of harmful bacteria.

If you enjoy salmon that is more tender in the center, you can stop the cook at 125–130°F for a medium result, as long as you accept the trade-off between texture and the strict safety guideline. Many cooks split the difference by aiming for 135–140°F, which still lands close to the official target once carryover heat finishes the job on the plate.

6. Rest And Serve

Let the salmon sit for 3–5 minutes after it leaves the air fryer oven. During this short rest, juices settle back into the flesh, and the internal temperature climbs by a couple of degrees. This small pause helps you keep the inside moist without changing your cook time.

Time Adjustments For Different Salmon Types

Not every piece of salmon looks the same. Farmed and wild fish behave differently in an air fryer oven, and that changes how long they take to reach your preferred internal temperature.

Farmed Vs Wild Salmon

Farmed salmon usually has more fat, which keeps it moist during a slightly longer cook. Wild salmon tends to be lean and firm, so it can dry more quickly, especially in a hot, fast air fryer.

For farmed salmon, you can stay near 400°F and use the full time range from the earlier table. For wild salmon, try 375–385°F instead and start checking the internal temperature on the early side of the range.

Skin-On Vs Skinless Fillets

Skin-on fillets have a built-in shield between the heating element and the more delicate flesh. Cook them skin side down so the skin takes the direct heat while the top surface browns gently.

Skinless fillets sit directly on the basket or rack, so they lose moisture faster. A sheet of parchment or a light layer of oil under the fish helps protect the bottom. Link the cook time to thickness as usual, then lower the temperature slightly if the edges seem dry while the center is still cool.

Fresh, Thawed, And Frozen Portions

Fresh salmon and salmon thawed overnight in the fridge behave almost the same in an air fryer oven. Use the standard time ranges and rely on a thermometer to confirm doneness.

For frozen salmon, keep the temperature around 380–400°F and add a few minutes. Many cooks like a two-stage approach: start with foil on top to thaw and steam the fish, then remove the foil for the last half of the cook so the surface can dry and brown.

Salmon Type	Suggested Temperature	Starting Time Range
Farmed fillet, 3/4 inch	400°F	8–10 minutes
Farmed fillet, 1 inch	400°F	9–11 minutes
Wild fillet, 3/4 inch	375–385°F	7–9 minutes
Wild fillet, 1 inch	375–390°F	9–11 minutes
Skinless fillet, 3/4 inch	380–390°F	7–9 minutes
Frozen skin-on fillet, 3/4 inch	380–400°F	12–15 minutes
Frozen skinless fillet, 3/4 inch	380–400°F	13–16 minutes

Tips To Keep Air Fryer Salmon Moist

Timing alone can still leave salmon a bit dry if the air fryer runs hot or the fillets are extra lean. A few small habits protect the texture without adding extra steps to your routine.

Use Enough Fat, But Not Too Much

Salmon has its own natural fat, yet a light coat of oil on the surface goes a long way. Brush or spray both sides with a neutral oil before seasoning. This helps with browning and creates a thin barrier against direct heat.

Keep An Eye On Thin Ends

On a long fillet, the tail end is thin while the center is thick. Tuck the tail under slightly or cut the piece into two sections. Cook the thick part in one batch and the thin part in another, or pull the thin pieces out a minute earlier.

This small tweak keeps the delicate tail from drying out while you wait for the center to reach a safe internal temperature for salmon.

Lean On Reliable Sources For Safety

When in doubt about doneness, always side with safety. Public health sites such as the seafood section of FoodSafety.gov or guidance from the U.S. FDA list 145°F as the safe internal temperature for most fish. Reading those charts makes the numbers stick in your head.

Once you know those baseline temperatures and match them with the time ranges in this guide, you get a clear answer any time someone asks how long to cook salmon in an air fryer oven. Then you can adjust by a minute or two to match your personal taste, without guessing from scratch every single time.