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BBQ Salmon in the Air Fryer

Have you ever made BBQ salmon in the air fryer? It’s easy and efficient, cooks in under 15 minutes, and pairs beautifully with rice, grains, garlic bread or your favorite starch.

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I try to make salmon once a week. We know that seafood is a great option for us on so many levels and is so nutritious!

But, have you ever made BBQ salmon in an air fryer? Magical.

I always have salmon on hand, thanks to my Butcher Box orders. Plus, I want my kids to be familiar with it and like it, so I often make it with different flavors and textures every time.

For example, we love these zucchini salmon fritters and sheet pan salmon with veggies. Both are tried and true options for the kids!

BBQ salmon on white plate with lemon on top

Recently, I tested out salmon in the air fryer. It turned out to be a quite a delicious meal and my 3.5-year-old LOVED it.

She asked for more, which as any parent knows, is an extra pat on the back – especially for a weeknight dinner.

The 18-month-old eats pretty much everything, and the 6 year old is a pretty good eater in general. So I was thrilled that the middle child (my usually “selective eater” picky toddler) asked for more.

Why We Love BBQ Salmon in the Air Fryer

There are so many reasons to make this BBQ salmon air fryer recipe.

  • Cooks perfectly every time – No more feeling underwhelmed about the taste and texture of salmon. I love it on the grill, but it’s not always grilling season. Sometimes on the stove it burns too easily. But in the air fryer, this flaky salmon shines and comes out perfectly.
  • Full of nutrients – Salmon is full of nutrients and healthy omega-3 fatty acids, like EPA and DHA, and micronutrients like iron, zinc, selenium and B-Vitamins.
  • No stove or oven required – That’s why I love this air fryer honey bbq glazed salmon for the hot summer months. No reason to heat up your kitchen more! A great option for when you don’t know what to cook.
  • 15 minute recipe – Say no more – we thrive on quick family recipes for those busy weeknights. While you can marinate the salmon for up to 30 minutes ahead of time, it takes less than 15 minutes of cooking salmon in the air fryer. Salmon cooks quickly!
  • Family friendly – You can make this sweeter or less sweet, and pair with sweetpotatoes, or serve with mashed potatoes, pasta, rice, etc. We also love to serve with a quinoa fruit salad for a healthy dinner! So many flavorful options!
BBQ salmon filets in air fryer

If you want to prep this air fryer BBQ salmon recipe ahead of time, you can pre-make make the marinade.

Before cooking, place the salmon in the marinade for 30-60 minutes.

Ingredients

ingredients for air fryer salmon

You just need these few simple ingredients.

  • salmon fillets – Salmon is a pantry staple ingredient that we always have in the freezer! I use Butcher Box and love how they are individually wrapped so I can keep some fresh and some frozen when they arrive. Make sure the salmon is thawed.
  • BBQ sauce – storebought or you can make your own
  • honey – This is optional, but the store-bought BBQ sauce I used was a bit bitter. If you make your own BBQ sauce, this may already be included in your recipe.
  • spices – garlic powder, onion powder, minced garlic, paprika. I also like salt and black pepper, to taste.
Pack of Butcher Box salmon
Butcher Box has individually wrapped wild-caught salmon.

If you have leftover salmon fillets that are already cooked, just add this tasty BBQ sauce to spice up the flavor.

How to Make Air Fryer BBQ Salmon

To make this bbq salmon in the air fryer, you’ll first want to pre-heat your air fryer to 380 degrees F.

Next, combine the ingredients for the honey barbecue sauce. Note that you can add more honey to sweeten it or more water to thin it out as needed.

This recipe is lower in sugar than you’d think, considering we’re using BBQ sauce. We’ve watered down the sauce slightly since BBQ sauce can have a lot of sugar.

salmon fillets on white plate with BBQ sauce marinade

Then, coat your salmon filets with the BBQ marinade and add the salmon filets to the air fryer basket, making sure to add them skin side down.

Save any reserved sauce for topping the filets after cooking!

It’s best to thaw the salmon before cooking. If using frozen salmon, you will need to add a few more minutes on to the cooking time.

HOT TIP

If you have time, marinating the salmon for 20-30 minutes before placing in the air fryer will be more flavorful.


salmon filets in air fryer
salmon filets in air fryer with BBQ sauce

Cook for 10-12 minutes, or until salmon reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.

BBQ salmon filets in air fryer

DID YOU KNOW?

Make sure to cook salmon until it reaches 145 degrees F. I love this food thermometer for checking temperature.


How to Store BBQ Glazed Salmon

Store salmon in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It’s best if eaten the day of cooking.

TRY some of these other AIR FRYER recipes!

Yield: 2 servings

The Best BBQ Salmon Air Fryer Recipe

BBQ salmon on white plate with lemon on top

This BBQ salmon air fryer recipe is easy, quick and healthy. A family staple, this recipe pairs well with rice, potatoes, salads, grains and more!

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Total Time 34 minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Combine ingredients for sauce in bowl. Add more honey to sweeten or more water to thin it out as needed.
  2. Coat salmon with marinade. If you have time, allow salmon to marinate for 20-30 minutes before cooking for optimal flavor.*
  3. Add salmon skin side down to basket of air fryer. Cook at 380 for 10-12 minutes or until salmon reaches 145
    deg F using a food thermometer.

Notes

*While marinating the salmon is not completely necessary, it will add more flavor. You can also marinate the salmon filets the night before.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 565Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 143mgSodium: 503mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 1gSugar: 20gProtein: 51g

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