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Air fryer salmon on a plate next to a small green salad

Air Fryer Salmon

Perfectly-cooked, tender salmon with a brown sugar-Dijon mustard crust that's super easy but loaded with flavor.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Yield:2 servings

Equipment

  • air fryer
  • Large plate
  • Small bowl
  • Spoon
  • Paper towels
  • Basting Brush
  • neutral cooking spray safe for air fryers
  • internal meat thermometer

Ingredients

For the Salmon

  • 2 6-ounce salmon fillets

For the Crust

  • 1 packed tablespoon brown sugar see Notes
  • ½ teaspoon salt more or less to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard divided

Instructions

  • Preheat air fryer to 400° Fahrenheit. Place 2 6-ounce salmon fillets skin-side down on large plate and set aside.
  • Add 1 packed tablespoon brown sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, and freshly ground black pepper to small bowl. Stir ingredients together until thoroughly blended. Set aside.
  • Pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Brush ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard on top of each salmon fillet, then liberally coat top each fillet with brown sugar mixture.
  • Remove basket from air fryer and spray basket with neutral cooking spray. Place salmon fillets skin-side down in basket, making sure not to stack or overlap fillets, and return basket to air fryer.
  • Cook salmon 5 to 8 minutes. See Notes below for suggested cook times and salmon temperatures.
  • Once desired temperature is achieved, remove basket from air fryer and transfer salmon fillets to plate. Set aside to rest 5 minutes.
  • Serve salmon warm with desired sides.

Notes

  • Make it Keto: Use Brown Swerve in place of the brown sugar.
  • Make it Paleo: Use coconut sugar and an organic, paleo-friendly Dijon mustard.

 

Suggested Cook Times Based on Doneness

  • Medium-Rare: Remove from air fryer when salmon reaches 110° Fahrenheit internally. Let fillets rest 5 minutes. Serve between 115° to 120° Fahrenheit.
  • Medium: Remove from air fryer when salmon reaches 115° Fahrenheit internally. Let fillets rest 5 minutes. Serve between 120° to 125° Fahrenheit.
  • Medium-Well: Remove from air fryer when salmon reaches 120° Fahrenheit internally. Let fillets rest 5 minutes. Serve between 125° to 140° Fahrenheit.
  • Well-Done: Remove from air fryer when salmon reaches 130° Fahrenheit internally. Let fillets rest 5 minutes. Serve between 140° to 150° Fahrenheit.
Note: The food-safe internal temperature recommended for salmon by the USDA is 145° Fahrenheit. This is to ensure any potentially harmful bacteria are destroyed before consuming. If you prefer your salmon cooked to a lower temperature, use sushi-grade salmon or flash-frozen salmon. Consuming raw or undercooked seafood may increase your risk of foodborne illness.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1salmon fillet | Calories: 248kcal | Protein: 34g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 739mg | Potassium: 846mg | Total Carbs: 1g | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 1g | Net Carbs: 1g | Vitamin A: 73IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg
Recipe By:Cheryl Malik