Salmon is a staple recipe for many as it pairs perfectly with so many different ingredients, from fresh vegetables to indulgent foods like cream cheese.
No matter how it is served, the texture of the fish makes all the difference to the dish which is why it’s so important to cook it right.
Instead of frying my salmon fillets or cooking them in the oven, as I would usually, I decided to follow Arman Liew’s, a two-time cooking author and food blogger, recipe for “best way to cook salmon”.
This involved cooking the salmon fillets in the air fryer. There’s nothing worse than over-cooked rubbery salmon, but the air fryer “guarantees the fish turns out crispy on the outside and perfectly flaky in the middle” claimed the cook.
Not only does this recipe cook in so little time, but only a handful of ingredients at needed – and I have all of them in my cupboard.
Ingredients
Two salmon fillets
Half a tablespoon olive oil
Half a teaspoon salt
Half a teaspoon pepper
Two teaspoons brown sugar
Half a teaspoon smoked paprika
Half a season garlic powder
Half a teaspoon onion powder
Method
I started by adding the salmon fillets to a plate and covering them in the olive oil.
Then I added the salt, pepper, and spices, and rubbed them onto the fish, ensuring all sides of the fish were seasoned.
I opted for fillets that are similar in size and weight as this will ensure the fish cooks evenly and completely at the same time.
The final step was just to add the salmon skin side down to the air fryer basket and air fry at 200 degrees for six minutes.
For those who have a meat thermometer, they can test if the fish is ready by seeing if it reaches an internal temperature of 63 degrees.
Depending on the make and model of your air fryer, you may need to cook it a little longer.
For those using frozen salmon, there is no need to thaw it. To compensate, increase the cooking time by two minutes.
What I love the most about cooking the salmon like this is that the fish does not need to be flipped, as the skin is still intact. Salmon can be quite delicate, and flipping it risks the fish breaking apart – not what you want.
The salmon was flaky and not dry at all like it often is in the oven while the seasonings paired so well with the fish.
This salmon can be served with so many different sides, but I went for creamy mash and tenderstem broccoli.
