Southwest Air Fryer salmon is just 3 simple ingredients and comes out perfectly tender and flaky in less than 15 minutes. This makes a delicious easy healthy salmon dinner any night of the week.

And it's Monday again.

Despite the wackiness that is 2020, we did have a pretty fun weekend at least! There were movie nights, card games, fort building, playhouse painting, reading and of course, plenty of cooking and kitchen fun. Nothing exciting, maybe, but I do really love lazy weekends at home with my crew.

But let's move on to the food.

Today I’m excited to share with you this super quick and easy southwest Air Fryer salmon.

Cause I love salmon — it’s my favorite fish for both the flavor and how healthy it is — and I love super easy fish recipes that I can make with on-hand ingredients.

I’ve shared my easy BBQ salmon, bourbon salmon, honey lime salmon and honey Dijon salmon.

And recently, I’ve been using my Air Fryer a lot more (thanks to the ongoing broken oven saga in my house) so this has become a new favorite way to cook salmon.

And it’s also some of our favorite flavors.

I’ve shared southwest baked salmon and earlier this month, southwest Air Fryer shrimp. Yup, there’s a pattern here.

Today, salmon is taking center stage and it gets coated with a flavorful mix of southwestern style spices and cooked to tender, flaky perfection in the Air Fryer.

No need to heat up the oven or the grill, just fire up the Air Fryer and let it do the work.

And with just a couple minutes to prep and 10 minutes to cook, we are ready to eat in record time. Love that!

Now, I’ve got some notes and substitutions coming up on how to make Air Fryer salmon. Just tryin’ to be helpful.

If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.

Notes on making southwest Air Fryer salmon:

• I prefer wild salmon because it has more flavor and is a tad healthier than farmed salmon, but either will work. Just make sure your salmon is completely thawed if it’s been frozen.
• This recipe calls for ½ pound of salmon and makes enough for 2 people. That’s about the size that will fit in the Air Fryer at once. If you are looking to cook more, work in batches and then add all of the salmon to the Air Fryer at the end (stacked up) for an additional 1 minute of cook time, to get it warmed through.
• Also, while we are using a homemade southwest seasoning mix, you could certainly substitute a store-bought mix if you prefer.

And honestly, you can use this basic recipe - and timing - and substitute any of your favorite seasoning mixes to make other types of Air Fryer salmon.

Also, because I know this is your main question…

How long do you cook salmon in an Air Fryer?

- A fresh salmon filet with an average thickness of 1-inch will take about 10 minutes in the Air Fryer at 400 degrees F.

- If you have an especially thick piece, you may need to add an extra couple of minutes of cook time.

- Alternatively, if your piece is on the thin side, such as ½ inch thick or so, you can reduce the cook time to 8 minutes.

No Air Fryer? You can also roast this salmon in the oven. Cook it at 400 for about 10 minutes per inch of thickness.

I do love mine though. I have this Air Fryer model and it’s been fantastic. (It’s really easy to clean too, which is a nice bonus.)

OK, let’s get ready to eat!

Serving ideas for Air Fryer salmon:

- This salmon goes great with steamed brown or white rice and a steamed vegetable. You can even make it into a rice bowl and add your favorite toppings.

- Other grains like farro or quinoa would be great pairings too. Or use cauliflower rice to keep this a low-carb recipe.

- Or serve this with roasted potatoes and a big salad.

- You can use this roasted salmon for tacos! After it rests for a few minutes, flake it with a fork and pile it into some soft tacos or tortillas, add some coleslaw and dig in!

And depending on how you serve it, you may want to add some flavor-boosting toppings to your salmon.

Here are a few ideas to get you thinking.

Topping ideas for southwestern salmon:

• Pico de gallo or fresh salsa
• Sliced avocado or a dollop of guacamole
• Dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream
• Sliced green onions
• Fresh chopped cilantro
• Hot sauce, sriracha or pickled jalapeños for a spicy kick
• Squeeze of fresh lime juice

I hope this will be a new easy way to enjoy salmon any night of the week.

Happy cooking!

XO,

Kathryn