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This quick & simple air fryer salmon is slathered in an orange honey glaze with hints of ginger. Perfect for weeknights or entertaining!
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This
- What to Serve With Air Fryer Salmon
- Quick Tips
- Ingredients
- How to Make Air Fryer Salmon With Orange Honey Glaze
- No Air Fryer? Here’s How to Cook It in a Skillet
- Roasted on a Baking Sheet
- Storage, Freezing, & Reheating
- Have You Made This Air Fryer Salmon?
- More Salmon Recipe You’ll Want to Try
- Air Fryer Salmon With Orange Honey Glaze Recipe
Why You’ll Love This
Not only does an air fryer salmon fillet come out perfectly every single time, but the flavors in this recipe are crave-worthy. I’ve steered clear from the usual chopped dill and lemon juice and and went with an orange ginger marinade that infuses the salmon fillets with tons of flavor. The orange honey glaze finishes them off with sweet and savory perfection!
Further to that, it’s incredibly quick. No more than 30 minutes of marinating time and about 10 minutes of cooking time.
What to Serve With Air Fryer Salmon
- As far as a veggies go, grilled asparagus, hot honey carrots, chopped roasted broccoli, or seared baby bok choy are great choices.
- Honey miso roasted sweet potatoes have the perfect flavor profile to pair with the orange honey glaze on these fillets. Another option would be these roasted mini potatoes!
- I love serving this salmon with my Instant Pot coconut ginger rice, but you could also opt for some plain and simple jasmine rice.
Quick Tips
- If you want to marinate the salmon throughout the day to keep things quick and easy at dinner time, keep the orange juice aside and stir it in only 30 minutes before you plan to cook the salmon. The acidity in citrus fruit can break down the protein in the fish resulting in a mushy texture.
- When you remove your salmon from the fridge and pop it into its marinade, let it sit on the counter to marinate for the 30 minutes. This lets the salmon come to room temp and helps you get a more even cook. If you’re marinating in advance, take the fish out of the fridge about 15-20 minutes prior to cooking to let it come to room temp.
- Exposing honey to high heat will result in rapid degradation, which is why we’re not brushing it on the salmon during the cooking process. Brushing it on the salmon before serving gives the fillets an incredible boost of flavor, anyway.
- Use a meat thermometer to gage the doneness of the salmon fillets. They’re at their best and flakiest around the 135-140º F mark. I keep away from over-medium and beyond—the flakier the better!
Ingredients
- Salmon fillets. I’m a big proponent of fatty Atlantic salmon fillets, like King or Chinook. These varieties are plump, flaky, and have the best flavor—not to mention they’re great for air fryer salmon. Wild salmon is always first choice, but Faroe Island salmon is a good alternative to your best choice fillets when it comes to sustainability.
- Sea salt & cracked pepper.
- Sesame oil. Toasted or regular are fine.
- Ginger. Fresh grated ginger is used in both the marinade and the orange honey glaze. The ginger in the squeeze bottle you find in the fresh herb section of the grocery store is also fine to use.
- Low-sodium soy sauce. Kikkoman is my go-to when it comes to low-sodium soy sauce. You’re not losing any flavor!
- Garlic. Thinly sliced or minced is fine.
- Orange. A large navel orange will do the trick, or you can use 4-5 clementines. You’ll be using the juice and the zest!
- Honey. A nice raw liquid honey. You could also use hot honey if you want it a little spicy.
- Sesame seeds. Optional, but great for a garnish. They really finish off the look of the salmon and add a nice little bit of nuttiness. You can lightly toast them or leave them as is.
How to Make Air Fryer Salmon With Orange Honey Glaze
Pat your salmon fillets dry with paper towels and set them aside.
In a small bowl, mix the honey, 1 TBSP of the orange juice, and half of the grated ginger, then set it aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk all of the marinade ingredients together until well blended.
Place your fillets into the mixing bowl, skin-side up (if you’re using skinless fillets, then it doesn’t matter), and let them marinate for 30 minutes. Leave them at room temp—this will result in a more even cook. (See my Quick Tips above if marinating for an entire day.)
When you’re ready to go, place the salmon fillets in the air fryer skin-side down. Air fry them for 10-12 minutes at 380ºF. Check on the doneness with a meat thermometer at 10 minutes. (If you’re cooking thinner salmon fillets, like Sockeye or Coho, check in at 6-8 minutes.)
When done, carefully transfer the fillets from the air fryer to a platter or cutting board preferably with a fish spatula, but a regular spatula will do. Two is sometimes better for a smoother transfer.
With a pastry brush, slather or drizzle the beautifully cooked salmon fillets with the honey mixture, garnish with sesame seeds, and serve. You could also sprinkle on a fresh herb, like chopped cilantro or parsley, for a refreshing touch of green!
No Air Fryer? Here’s How to Cook It in a Skillet
- Heat a cast iron skillet or pan over medium-high heat. Let the pan get really hot. Then add the oil to the pan—enough to cover the bottom of the pan.
- When the oil starts to shimmer, place one or two (don’t overcrowd) marinated fillets into it, skin-side down. Press down on the salmon with a spatula for about 5 seconds. This prevents your fillet from seizing and curling upward.
- Reduce the heat to medium and let the fillet cook until the edge of the skin starts to look golden and crisp. When you see that crust forming, carefully flip the fillets. NOTE: If the fillet is sticking to the pan, wait another 30 seconds before trying to move it again. Do not force it. Salmon will let you know it’s ready to be flipped once it easily releases from the pan.
- Cook until the salmon is opaque and reaches an internal temperature of 135-140ºF. (Amount of time depends on the thickness of the salmon, but aim for about 4-6 minutes.)
- Remove the salmon from the pan and brush with the orange honey glaze.
Roasted on a Baking Sheet
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF with the rack in the middle position.
- Place the marinated fillets onto a baking sheet (or into a baking dish).
- Bake the fillets for 8-12 minutes (this will depend on the thickness of the fillets), or until they reach an internal temperature of 135-140ºF.
- Remove them from the oven and slather them with the glaze.
Storage, Freezing, & Reheating
- You can store glazed salmon leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To freeze, pop the fillets into a freezer-friendly container or airtight freezer bag and store in the freezer for 4-6 months. When you want to thaw the salmon, transfer it to the fridge to sit overnight.
- You can reheat these salmon fillets in the microwave in 25-second increments, or enjoy them cold. Use them in a recipe in place of tuna, or flake them onto toast with tomatoes and avocado for a high protein Omega 3-rich breakfast!
Have You Made This Air Fryer Salmon?
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More Salmon Recipe You’ll Want to Try
- Sweet Thai Chili Air Fryer Salmon
- Curry Salmon With Coconut Milk
- Easy Poached Salmon In Tomato Wine Sauce
- Smoked Salmon Avocado Toast With Poached Egg
- Easy Miso Salmon
- Teriyaki Sheet Pan Salmon With Veggies
Air Fryer Salmon With Orange Honey Glaze
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 6 oz fillets of salmon, Choose a fattier version, like King or Chinook
- Sea salt and cracked pepper
- 3 cloves of garlic, grated to a paste
- 1/4 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice (1 TBSP will go into the glaze with the honey)
- 2 TBSP soy sauce
- 1 TBSP sesame oil
- 1 TBSP freshly grated ginger, divided
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 2 TBSP raw liquid honey
- Sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- Gently pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels; set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk 2 TBSP of honey, 1 TBSP of the orange juice, and half of the grated ginger until well combined; set aside.
- Now, whisk all of the marinade ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
- Place the fillets into the mixing bowl, skin-side up, and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes. (Leaving them at room temp after being in the fridge results in a more even cook. See the Quick Tips section if marinating for an entire day.)
- When it's time to cook, transfer the salmon fillets into the air fryer basket skin-side down. Air fry them at 380º F for 10-12 minutes, depending on their thickness. Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer at the 10 minute mark to be sure. (If you’re cooking thinner salmon fillets, like Sockeye or Coho, check in at 6-8 minutes.)
- When the salmon is ready, carefully transfer the fillets to a platter or cutting board.
- Brush the fillets generously with the orange honey glaze, sprinkle sesame seeds on top, and serve!
This was everything a gourmet meal should be, and then some! Turned out light, juicy and delicious easily, a new favorite recipe!
Air fryer salmon is the best and that glaze is the truth! Such a great way to switch it up. Everyone loved it.
That glaze is so tasty. I can’t wait to make it again.
The salmon came out perfectly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The glaze added a sweet and tangy flavor that was irresistible.
I love salmon and air frying makes it so convenient. This was delicious. Thanks!