Air Fryer Salmon with Garlic and Spices

A smoky garlic-and-lemon rub gives this air fryer salmon plenty of flavor, with lightly crisped edges, tender centers, and practical tips for cooking fillets of different thicknesses.

My Air Fryer Salmon Starts with a Simple Spice Rub

A year-long in-home product test with four air fryers taught me how differently they can cook at the same temperature. For this air fryer salmon, I pair a smoky garlic rub with cooking guidance for thick and thin fillets, so you know when to start checking your fish.

For this recipe, I coat the fillets in olive oil mixed with finely grated garlic, lemon zest, smoked paprika, cumin, and dried thyme or za’atar—a Middle Eastern blend of herbs, sumac, and sesame seeds. The seasoning is smoky, fragrant, and mildly spiced, with enough lemon to brighten the rich fish.

You could sprinkle the spices directly onto the salmon, but I prefer mixing them into a wet rub first. It coats each fillet more evenly, and the oil helps the seasonings stay on the fish instead of blowing around the air fryer.

Serve the salmon with Greek lemon rice and roasted broccoli for a warm dinner, or flake it over a salad. The garlic and spices give it plenty of flavor without overwhelming the salmon.

What You Need to Make Air Fryer Salmon

The wet rub comes together with a little olive oil, fresh garlic and lemon, and a few spices. Here’s what each ingredient contributes:

• Skin-on salmon fillets: Use four 6-ounce fillets, or cut a 1 1/2-pound piece of salmon into four equal portions. Look for fillets of similar thickness so they cook more evenly. Thin tail pieces cook faster than thicker center-cut portions.
• Extra virgin olive oil: Carries the garlic, lemon, and spice flavors and helps the rub coat the fish evenly.
• Lemon zest: Adds fragrant lemon flavor without the extra moisture of lemon juice. I use the same approach in my air fryer shrimp.
• Garlic: Two finely grated cloves give the rub savory depth. Grating is useful here: larger pieces of garlic can burn in the air fryer, while finely grated garlic blends into the oil and coats the salmon.
• Smoked paprika: Gives the salmon its smoky flavor and reddish color.
• Dried thyme or za’atar: Thyme brings an herbal note; za’atar adds tartness and nuttiness as well. Both are options in this recipe.
• Ground cumin: Adds a warm, earthy background to the garlic and smoked paprika.
• Kosher salt and black pepper: A pinch of each brings the flavors together. The pepper adds gentle warmth rather than making the fish hot or spicy.

Ingredient Spotlight: Za’atar

Za’atar is a savory, tart, nutty Middle Eastern spice blend made with herbs, sumac, and sesame seeds. The herbs vary by producer, so blends can taste a little different from one another.

Here, it adds another layer of flavor to the smoky garlic rub. If you don’t have it, use the dried thyme listed in the recipe. Thyme won’t reproduce all of za’atar’s flavors, but it works nicely with the lemon, garlic, and cumin.

For more ways to cook with this blend, see our guide to za’atar and how to use it.

How to Cook Salmon in an Air Fryer

Start by preheating your air fryer to 400°F. Have the salmon ready to coat once you’ve mixed the rub.

• Mix the spice rub. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, 2 grated garlic cloves, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or za’atar, 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, and a pinch each of kosher salt and black pepper.
• Dry and coat the salmon. Pat four 6-ounce skin-on salmon fillets dry on all sides. Add them to the bowl and turn each piece in the olive oil mixture until completely coated.
• Air fry. Transfer the fillets to the air fryer basket, skin side down, leaving space between each piece. Air fry until the edges are beginning to brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of each fillet registers 145°F. Start checking within the 8-to-10-minute range for thicker cuts or the 5-to-7-minute range for thinner fillets. If needed, continue cooking until they reach 145°F.
• Rest. Set the salmon aside to rest for a few minutes before serving.

How Long to Cook Salmon in an Air Fryer

At 400°F, salmon fillets generally take 5 to 10 minutes, depending on their thickness and your air fryer:

• Thinner fillets, less than 1 inch thick: About 5 to 7 minutes.
• Thicker fillets, about 1 inch thick or more: About 8 to 10 minutes.

Check the temperature with an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of each fillet. The salmon should reach 145°F before you remove it from the air fryer. If it hasn’t reached that temperature, continue cooking and check again.

A thin tail piece can finish before a thick center-cut portion, even when both weigh 6 ounces. Choose similarly thick fillets when possible, and check thinner pieces sooner.

Let the cooked salmon rest for a few minutes before serving.

Why Cooking Time Varies Between Air Fryers

During a year-long in-home air fryer product test, I had four different air fryers in my kitchen. My biggest takeaway was that the temperature setting didn’t tell the whole story: the appliances cooked quite differently at the same setting.

• The large basket-style air fryer ran considerably hotter than the air fryer function on our toaster oven.
• The smaller basket-style model fell somewhere between the two.
• The mini oven with two trays exposed the top tray to more heat than the bottom. When using both trays, I had to switch their positions halfway through cooking for even browning.

I ended up keeping the Typhur Dome because I liked its large cooking footprint and crisp results, even though it took up plenty of counter space.

Whatever model you use, pay attention to how it cooks. If yours tends to run hot, check the salmon toward the beginning of its cooking range. The recipe starts at 400°F, but your appliance’s performance helps explain why one fillet may finish sooner than another.

Tips for Tender Air Fryer Salmon

A few small details make this quick recipe easier to get right:

• Choose fillets of similar thickness. Weight alone doesn’t tell you how long a piece of salmon needs to cook. Look at the thickest part of each fillet when deciding which cooking range to use.
• Grate the garlic finely. Larger pieces can burn at high heat. Finely grated garlic blends into the olive oil so you can spread it evenly over the fish.
• Mix the seasonings into the oil first. I find this gives the salmon a more even coating than sprinkling dry spices over the top. It also helps keep the seasonings on the fish as hot air circulates.
• Leave space for the hot air to circulate. Arrange the fillets skin side down with gaps between them. If they won’t fit without touching or overlapping, cook in batches.
• Check each fillet before removing it. Pieces can finish at different times, especially if their thickness varies. Check the thickest part of each with an instant-read thermometer and remove it when it reaches 145°F.
• Give the fish its short rest. The recipe includes a few minutes of resting after air frying, so allow for that before bringing the salmon to the table.

What to Serve with Air-Fried Salmon

The smoky garlic rub works with both warm sides and fresh salads. Since the salmon cooks quickly, have your sides nearly ready before it goes into the air fryer.

For a warm dinner, serve it with Greek lemon rice and roasted broccoli. Or try roasted Mediterranean vegetables and barley for a combination of tender vegetables and chewy grains.

For something fresh, pair the fish with Mediterranean quinoa salad, whose lemony dressing complements the spice rub. Fattoush adds crisp vegetables and toasted pita, while tabbouleh brings plenty of parsley, mint, and lemon.

When summer produce is plentiful, try sautéed summer squash with olives alongside the salmon, or serve it over a juicy peach salad.

How to Store Leftover Air Fryer Salmon

Store leftover salmon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Refrigerate it within 2 hours of cooking, or within 1 hour if the surrounding temperature is above 90°F.

Flake the chilled salmon over a salad for lunch, or use it in place of the chicken in our gyro bowls, with feta and tzatziki sauce.

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