Overhead view of two pieces of salmon on a plate, covered in sauce, parsley, and lemon slices, next to a bowl of sauce

5 from 135 votes

Air Fryer Frozen Salmon

Cook frozen salmon straight from the freezer in the air fryer, then finish it with Cajun garlic butter for tender, flaky salmon with no thawing first.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Resting Time5

Total Time25

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 378kcal

Author: Davinah

Equipment

1 Ninja Foodi

Ingredients

12 ounces frozen salmon fillets with the skin on, I got two that were 5-6 ounces each
2 tsp Olive Oil
2 tbsp cajun garlic butter sauce melted, click for my recipe
¼ tsp Natural Ancient Sea Salt
⅛ tsp black pepper optional

Instructions

Prep the salmon: Brush the frozen salmon fillets with olive oil. Season with the salt and black pepper.
Add to the air fryer: Place a parchment liner in the air fryer basket, then add the salmon skin-side down.
Start at 375°F: Air fry for 7 minutes. This gives the frozen center time to begin cooking before you add the garlic butter.
Add the garlic butter: Brush half of the Cajun garlic butter over the tops of the salmon fillets.
Finish at 400°F: Increase the air fryer temperature to 400°F and cook for another 7–9 minutes, or until the salmon flakes easily and reaches 145°F in the thickest part.
Finish and rest: Spoon the remaining Cajun garlic butter over the salmon. Rest for 5 minutes, then add fresh lemon juice and parsley, if desired.

Video

Notes

Salmon size: I use 5–6 oz frozen salmon fillets. Thickness can vary even when the fillets weigh about the same, so start checking at 7 minutes during the second cook. Thicker pieces may need another minute or two.
Salmon seasoning: You can replace the salt and black pepper with my salmon seasoning.
Garlic butter: For a different flavor, replace the Cajun garlic butter with my lemon garlic butter. The cooking method stays the same.
Parchment: I like using an 8-inch parchment cake round to help prevent sticking and make cleanup easier. Make sure the salmon is weighing down the parchment before running the air fryer.
Rest: Let the salmon rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Air fryers vary: Use the cooking time as a guide and check the thickest part of the salmon for doneness.

Nutrition