Air Fryer Salmon Tacos
Utilise the air fryer for a super speedy Salmon Taco Night. Serve with my easy Taco Slaw and foolproof Guacamole, or opt for pre-prepared sides for a bare minimum dinner.
I keep these salmon tacos in my back pocket for those nights I need a 15 minute dinner that still feels like I made an effort. My little one loves to DIY her own tacos, and I get to add as much hot sauce as I like. Leftovers are also excellent for lunch the next day.
| Keep reading for everything you need, plus a few swaps if you don’t have everything in or have fussy eaters at home. |
Quick Recipe Summary
🩷 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Full ingredients list with quantities is included in the recipe card below. These are some helpful notes about the main ingredients including some swaps and substitutes where applicable.
- Salmon Fillets – I use individual 110 gram skin-on fillets and find the skin peels off easily once cooked. Use skinless if you prefer. You could use one larger piece of salmon fillet but may need to adjust cooking time.
- Cajun Seasoning – I love this one but you can use your favourite or make your own.
- Brown Sugar – Optional but I find this helps to caramelise the seasoning and give the salmon a nice tasty crust. It’s not too sweet, the sugar helps to balance out the strong flavours from the Cajun seasoning. You can skip the sugar if you prefer but I promise it’s worth adding.
- To Serve – tortillas and your favourite toppings. In my house we always have guacamole and taco slaw.
Swaps and Substitutions
Like all of my recipes, these salmon tacos are easy to adapt to what you have to hand. I’ve included a few ideas below but feel free to make it your own, and leave a comment if you tried something different.
- Swap the Cajun seasoning for a Fajita spice blend, Peri Peri seasoning or your favourite taco seasoning.
- If guacamole is too much effort try simple smashed or sliced avocado. Or a dollop of sour cream or mayo.
- Use a shop bought coleslaw kit for an even speedier slaw.
- Swap the slaw for shredded lettuce or a bag of salad leaves simply dressed with olive oil, salt and a splash of lime juice or vinegar.
- Corn and bean salad also makes an excellent taco filling with salmon and a drizzle of sour cream.
How to Make
- Mix the Cajun seasoning and sugar then coat the salmon fillets.
- Place in the air fryer and cook at 180c for 10 minutes or until fully cooked.
- Assemble toppings and tortillas and serve.
Carrie’s Note
Baja style fish tacos are one of my all time favourite foods but crispy beer battered fish requires just a bit too much effort for me on a normal night! These easy salmon tacos were born from the fish taco craving and they have all of the flavour with zero faff.
Everything We Ate
If you want to see some realistic dinner inspiration then I share a regular recap of our family meals (what worked, what didn’t, and how I stretched the leftovers) for free over on Substack.
Serving Suggestions
My family loves these salmon tacos with some sweet potato fries on the side. Or try tortilla chips if you don’t want an extra item to cook (just make sure you have plenty guacamole for dipping).
Instead of tacos, try serving the salmon with guacamole and slaw plus some rice or quinoa for an easy dinner bowl.
Other Salmon Cooking Methods
| Oven: | 180C/350F on a baking tray, uncovered, for 10 to 12 minutes until cooked through. |
| Pan: | Heat a little oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the salmon skin side down. After 4 minutes, flip and cook a further 3-4 minutes or until cooked through. |
Leftover Salmon
| Fridge: | Up to 3 days in an airtight container. |
| Freezer: | Up to 3 months. Best freshly cooked (freezing cooked salmon can make it slightly dry) but still perfectly tasty reheated from frozen. Defrost fully before reheating. |
| Reheat: | Best option is low and slow in the oven. 135C/275F in an oven safe dish with a splash of water. Loosley cover with foil and bake 10-15 minutes. |
| Leftovers tip: | Make more tacos! Salmon can be tricky to reheat well but it is perfectly good eaten cold. |
More Easy Salmon Recipes:
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The Recipe
Air Fryer Salmon Tacos
Ingredients
Instructions
- Pat the salmon fillets dry with kitchen towels.
- Mix the Cajun seasoning and sugar together and spread on a plate. Press the salmon fillets into the spice mixture so all sides (except the skin) are covered.
- Place in the air fryer basket skin side down.
- Air fry at 180c/350f for 10 minutes or until cooked through (time can vary slightly depending on thickness of the fillets).
- Discard the skin and flake the salmon into large pieces.
- Divide between the tortillas and serve with chosen toppings.
Notes
- Salmon Fillets – I use individual 110 gram skin-on fillets and find the skin peels off easily once cooked. Use skinless if you prefer. You could use one larger piece of salmon fillet but may need to adjust cooking time.
- Cajun Seasoning – I love this one but you can use your favourite or make your own.
- Brown Sugar – Optional but I find this helps to caramelise the seasoning and give the salmon a nice tasty crust. It’s not too sweet, the sugar helps to balance out the strong flavours from the Cajun seasoning. You can skip the sugar if you prefer but I promise it’s worth adding.
- To Serve – tortillas, guacamole and taco slaw
