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    Home » Recipes » Air Fryer

    Air Fryer Blackened Salmon

    Published: Apr 22, 2023 · Modified: Jun 6, 2023 by Mollie · 1 Comment

    Jump to Recipe

    This air fryer blackened salmon is fast, easy, and full of flavor. It comes together in less than 10 minutes, and we top it with an optional homemade corn and avocado salsa that balances perfectly with the spices in the blackening seasoning.

    Air fryer blackened salmon on top of a bowl of rice. It is topped with a corn and mango salsa.

    We love air fryer salmon because it always comes out perfectly cooked and takes less than ten minutes. This blackened air fryer salmon is one of our favorites. We make our own blackening seasoning out of spices we already have in our pantry, and top the salmon with a homemade corn avocado salsa that is so fast and easy and makes this salmon fresh and summery.

    Looking for other fish recipes? Try our air fryer marinated salmon bites, blackened mahi-mahi, Traeger grilled salmon, BBQ salmon bowls, and salmon in a creamy dijon sauce.

    Jump to:
    • Key Ingredients and Substitutions
    • How to Make Air Fryer Blackened Salmon: Step-by-Step
    • Serving Ideas
    • Frequently asked questions
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Key Ingredients and Substitutions

    Air fryer blackened salmon ingredients on a countertop with labels showing what each ingredient is.

    For the salmon:

    • Salmon- We love fresh wild-caught salmon, but use whatever you prefer. If you choose to use frozen salmon, make sure you fully defrost it before seasoning and cooking.
    • Blackening seasoning spices- ground cayenne, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, and cumin
    • Other- olive oil or other cooking oil

    For the optional corn avocado salsa:

    • Canned or cooked corn- More often than not, we use canned corn because it's fast and easy. If you're making this in the summer and you have some really good sweet corn on hand, feel free to use that. You can also use cooked frozen corn.
    • Cilantro
    • Bell pepper- We use red, orange, or yellow bell peppers. If you want something a tad spicy, you can use jalapeños instead.
    • Red onion
    • Avocado
    • Lime juice
    • Spices- Ground cayenne and salt

    See recipe card for amounts.

    How to Make Air Fryer Blackened Salmon: Step-by-Step

    Step 1: Add ground cayenne, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, and cumin to a small bowl and mix to combine.

    Blackening seasoning in a bowl.

    Step 2: Pat your salmon dry with a paper towel. Then drizzle with olive oil and top generously with the seasoning mixture. Rub it in with your hands, then air fry at 400°F for 8-9 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through and flaky.

    Salmon topped with oil and blackening seasoning on a plate.

    Step 3: While the salmon is cooking, combine the corn, cilantro, bell pepper, red onion, avocado, lime juice, ground cayenne, and salt in a mixing bowl.

    Corn and avocado salsa ingredients mixed together in a mixing bowl.

    Step 4: Top the cooked salmon with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and the corn salsa and enjoy!

    Salmon on a plate over rice, topped with corn and avocado salsa.

    Serving Ideas

    • Blackened salmon rice bowls: Add cooked rice (we love Trader Joe's frozen jasmine rice) to the bottom of a bowl, then add the salmon and the corn salsa. You could also add pickled red onions, chopped cilantro, or sliced avocado. For a grain free version try making "rice" bowls with our hearts of palm rice with cilantro and lime.
    • Blackened salmon tacos: Heat corn or flour tortillas, then add salmon, corn salsa, cabbage, pickled red onions, and fresh lime juice.
    • Blackened salmon with summer sides: Serve this with traditional summer BBQ sides like cole slaw, fresh fruit, grilled veggies, or potato salad. It's super summery and fresh, so it pairs well with everything.

    Frequently asked questions

    Can I line my air fryer basket with something to keep it clean?

    We line our air fryer basket with disposable paper liners, but it still gets a little bit dirty. You can also try silicone liners or aluminum foil (if your air fryer allows it). Just keep in mind that covering the bottom of your air fryer may affect the way your salmon cooks.

    My salmon isn't browning. What am I doing wrong?

    If your salmon isn't browning or doesn't seem done in the allotted cook time, then try cooking it longer or spacing your salmon out more in the basket. If you have a small air fryer basket, you may have to cook your salmon in batches. The salmon bites cook the best when they aren't crowded and touching each either.

    How do I store and reheat this salmon?

    Store the salmon in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, pop it in the air fryer at 400°F for 2-3 minutes. Store the corn avocado salsa in a separate air-tight container.

    Print

    📖 Recipe

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    Air fryer blackened salmon on top of a bowl of rice. It is topped with a corn and mango salsa.

    Air Fryer Blackened Salmon


    ★★★★★

    5 from 1 review

    • Author: Mollie
    • Total Time: 18 minutes
    • Yield: 4 servings 1x
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    This air fryer blackened salmon is fast, easy, and full of flavor. It comes together in less than 10 minutes, and we top it with an optional homemade corn and avocado salsa that balances perfectly with the spices in the blackening seasoning.


    Ingredients

    Scale

    For the Salmon:

    4 salmon filets

    drizzle of Olive oil

    ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne

    ½ teaspoon salt

    ¼ teaspoon black pepper

    ½ teaspoon garlic powder

    ½ teaspoon paprika

    ½ teaspoon chili powder

    ½ teaspoon cumin

    For the corn avocado salsa:

    1 can sweet corn

    ½ cup cilantro, chopped

    1 red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, diced

    ½ red onion, diced

    1 avocado, diced

    Juice of 2 limes

    ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne

    ½ teaspoon salt


    Instructions

    1. Add ground cayenne, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, and cumin to a small bowl and mix to combine.
    2. Pat your salmon dry with a paper towel. Then drizzle with olive oil and top generously with the seasoning mixture. Rub it in with your hands, then air fry at 400°F for 8-9 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through and flaky.
    3. While the salmon is cooking, combine the corn, cilantro, bell pepper, red onion, avocado, lime juice, ground cayenne, and salt in a mixing bowl.
    4. Top the cooked salmon with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and the corn salsa and enjoy!

    Notes

    Nutritional information is only an estimate. 

    Make sure your salmon is fully defrosted before cooking. 

    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 8 minutes
    • Category: Dinner
    • Cuisine: American

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 salmon filet
    • Calories: 361
    • Sugar: 7 g
    • Sodium: 696.3 mg
    • Fat: 18.6 g
    • Carbohydrates: 27 g
    • Protein: 29 g
    • Cholesterol: 57.9 mg

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share a photo and tag us @hangryeconomist — we can't wait to see what you've made!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Michael says

      June 02, 2023 at 10:00 am

      Love this recipe, the Salmon works perfect in the air fryer and the mango salsa on top is to die for!

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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    Recipe rating ★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

    Primary Sidebar

    hi, we're Michael and Mollie

    Welcome! We are Michael & Mollie, a hangry economics enthusiast and her husband. Our goal is to provide you with delicious, accessible, and healthy-ish recipes that are both time- and money-efficient.

    More about us →

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