The Air Fryer Mishap That Tends To Leave Salmon A Greasy Mess

It's safe to say that air fryers totally changed the salmon cooking game. In less time than a traditional oven and with less mess than a stovetop, the air fryer can give you crispy, flakey fish that makes for the perfect no-stress dinner. Cooking salmon this way is remarkably simple — all you really need is a fillet, air fryer, parchment paper, and your favorite seasoning — but there are still some easy mistakes that need to be avoided.

One major potential error would be adding too much fat to your salmon fillet before cooking. First of all, salmon doesn't need much oil no matter how you cook it. It's classified as an oily fish, so the fats in its soft tissue will prevent the meat from drying out without any need for additional oil (as long as you don't keep salmon in the air fryer too long for moist yet crisp results). Plus, despite its name, air frying has little in common with deep frying, which requires submerging foods in hot oil, or even pan frying, where oil is needed to lubricate the pan. Because an air fryer makes your food so crisp by instead using rapidly circulating hot air, you don't need to use extra oil to make a beautifully browned piece of salmon. In fact, oiling up your fillet is more likely to cause a greasy disappointment than a satisfying texture.

Instead of pouring a bottle of oil directly on your fish or into your air fryer basket, consider taking a lighter approach. Using just a spritz of olive oil or another cooking oil with a high smoke point is a good way to give your fish the extra fat it needs for flavor without over-greasing. You can also use cooking spray instead, but make sure to use only a little bit to lightly grease your salmon. Just be careful picking one to use, because certain cooking sprays can ruin air fryers by leaving behind a sticky residue. Make sure to use a product that doesn't list lecithin as an ingredient.

Another way to add fat and flavor to your salmon without making it greasy is to use a marinade. Unlike oil alone, marinades incorporate a balance of fat, acid, and flavoring agents to not only keep salmon moist, but also take the flavor in a whole new direction. An easy marinade made with soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and honey is perfect for air-fried salmon. Since the salmon sits in the marinade before cooking and absorbs the mixture, the flavor and fat also permeate throughout rather than sitting on top and turning greasy.