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This air fryer salmon recipe is sure to be a favorite! This delicious salmon with spinach salad recipe has been my go-to for Friday nights. In my opinion, an air fryer is the best way to cook salmon or your favorite fish. 

We used to order takeout on Fridays, but recently I’ve found it even easier to whip up this air fryer salmon! It takes 15 minutes from start to finish (even less time than it takes to order and pick-up takeout)! Using your air fryer is a quick way to get a delicious and easy weeknight meal on the table without much effort at all.

The Ingredients

You can follow my recipe exactly, or use whatever you have on hand. I absolutely love the combination of red onion and small tomatoes, but bell pepper, cucumber, and carrots would also work well. I added some leftover roasted butternut squash to my salad when I took these photos and it was delicious!

Salmon - I prefer picking up fresh salmon filets at the grocery store, but you could also use frozen. Make sure they are boneless. The thickness of the salmon will create a variation of cooking times. If you choose a thinner salmon piece, then it will cook quicker. My recipe cooking times works best for a salmon piece that is at least an inch in thickness at the thickest part of the salmon.

Baby Spinach - if you don’t have fresh baby spinach on hand, you could substitute mixed greens or any lettuce you like, but I love how the spinach wilts a little when you place the hot salmon on top for serving.

Red Onion - I definitely prefer red onion in this recipe, but use whatever you have on hand. Some thinly sliced shallots or yellow onion would work perfectly fine, as well. 

Grape tomatoes - use any chopped tomatoes you like, but I feel the grape tomatoes and cherry tomatoes hold up best with the dressing.

Balsamic Glaze - you can find balsamic glaze in the condiment or vinegar section of your grocery store. If you don’t have glaze, then just drizzle some good quality balsamic vinegar, honey, salt and pepper over the salad instead.

Lemon Juice - in this recipe you will add lemon juice to the salmon glaze and to the salad dressing. You may wonder why I use the lemon juice in addition to the balsamic glaze! Adding a squirt of lemon juice to any salad dressing brightens the flavor. I definitely recommend using fresh lemon juice both for the salmon and the salad. It makes a HUGE difference compared to bottled lemon juice!

Maple Syrup - there is NO substitute for REAL maple syrup and this is a hill I will die on. As a New Englander, we are very proud of our maple syrup around here and I never buy the fake stuff. Please do not try to use the corn syrup based syrup in this recipe! I keep a bottle of real maple syrup in my fridge at all times and use it for so much more than pancakes.

Garlic - make sure to press or mince the garlic as small as possible. If you do not have fresh garlic on hand, you can use ½ teaspoon of garlic powder.

Whole Grain Mustard - the whole grain mustard is so incredible in this recipe. The glaze gives the top of the salmon a delicious crunch and the whole grain mustard creates a delicious texture. You could substitute dijon mustard, but the whole grain elevates the dish to a whole other level.

Parmesan Cheese - the Parmesan is optional, but it adds extra depth of flavor and saltiness to the final dish. You could substitute with feta if needed and it would still be delicious. Or leave out entirely if you are dairy-free.

How to make the salmon recipe

Air Fryer - for best results, I prefer the toaster style air fryer basket. With this type of air fryerI am able to cook all salmon portions at once. If you have a circular basket, you may need to cook your pieces two at a time. I personally own a Ninja Foodi and the Cuisinart Toaster Style and prefer to make this recipe in the Cuisinart. You may want to spray the bottom of your air fryer basket with cooking spray to make removing the cooked salmon easier. 

Prepare the salmon fillets - I like to pat the salmon dry with paper towels, leave the skin on and place it skin side down in the air fryer. I do not pre-heat the air fryer, but I cook it at a high temperature which gives the salmon a nice crunch. Make sure to season the salmon generously with salt and pepper for the first portion of the cooking time. I use about ¾ - 1 teaspoon salt and slightly less pepper. You will not put the glaze on until the final few minutes of cooking.

Mix the maple syrup glaze - combine the salmon glaze ingredients (garlic, lemon juice, maple syrup) and set aside.

Make the salad - while your seasoned salmon cooks, assemble your salad. Place the baby spinach over the bottom of your plate. Then place your tomatoes and onions off to one side, leaving room for the cooked salmon on top of the spinach. 

I like to put the balsamic glaze over the onion and tomatoes and let it marinate for at least 5 minutes. This allows the veggies to soak up the flavor. 

Finish off the salmon - once the salmon has cooked for about 8 minutes, open your air fryer and using a spoon or marinade brush cover the top and sides of the salmon with the glaze. Then return the salmon to the air fryer for an additional 4-5 minutes until it it is crispy on the edges and cooked to your liking. I prefer my salmon a little rare on the inside, but cook to your personal preference. 

Plate the dish - place the salmon on top of your spinach, drizzle with lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil , sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and you’re ready to serve!

How to meal prep this recipe

For the best flavor, I recommend serving this meal immediately. However, you can make it for meal prep with just a few adjustments.

You can simply save your leftover salmon in an airtight container, then reheat it when ready to serve. Keep the salmon, salad, and dressing/balsamic glaze in separate containers and assemble when ready to eat.

I hope you enjoy this simple and delicious salmon recipe!