Either way, this air fryer salmon and green bean recipe checks all the boxes. It’ll give you a warm, comforting meal while requiring very little effort (and very little cleanup) on your part.
Your Air Fryer Is a Kitchen Workhorse
Air fryers are all the rage these days, but beyond their immense popularity, they’re also true workhorses in the kitchen — especially for busy cooks. Since they’re much smaller than conventional ovens, the vast majority of air fryers don’t require pre-heating, and the ones that do require some pre-heating do so much more quickly than a standard oven would. Due to their “super convection” capabilities—A.K.A. their fans that evenly distribute heat all around whatever you’re air frying—they also cook food incredibly evenly and leave that signature, air-fried “crisp” at the end. No, your food won’t get as crispy as it would through conventional frying, but it’ll get your veggies and proteins beautifully crisp without a whole lot of work required on your part. And trust me: the air fryer works exceptionally well when it comes to fish. In the air fryer, it’s much more difficult to overcook fish, which means it’ll come out moist and juicy every single time.
Green Beans Get a Quick Char
Green beans are a vegetable that can easily be prepared in “boring” ways, but this air-fried method is anything but. When you’re shopping for green beans, opt for the unpackaged, fresh variety at your grocery store—usually found in a bin with all the refrigerated vegetables. Look for green beans that are firm and free of any brown spots, then give them a quick trim at home by snapping off the tough ends. If you can’t find the unpackaged green beans, the packaged green beans will work nicely, too. You could even use tender haricot verts here—just reduce the cook time by 3 minutes to make up for the difference in size. Since the green beans will air fry before the salmon, the solution to making sure they stay warm is simple: A simple, garlicky butter sauce that’s prepared in the air fryer, alongside the salmon, warms them up beautifully when it’s time to serve. The butter adds a nutty richness to the charred green beans, and a splash of rice vinegar helps to keep the dish nice and bright, too.
Use Nearly Any Salmon
The beauty of this recipe is that you can use whatever type of salmon works for you, whether it’s frozen, fresh, skin-on, or skin-off. If you’re using frozen fish, keep in mind that the salmon filets must be defrosted ahead of time. Since the air fryer cooks the salmon relatively quickly, it’s the only way to make sure the salmon will cook all the way through before the outside burns. I usually cook the fish with skin-on (and just flake the tender salmon from the skin when it’s time to serve), but using salmon with the skins removed will yield results that are just as tasty. When shopping for salmon, look for the thickest salmon filets you can find and make sure both filets are around the same thickness. If you can’t find salmon, this recipe will even work with other types of fish as well. Tilapia, cod, flounder, or even halibut will also work using this same preparation—just make sure to lower the cook time as needed if you’re cooking thin pieces of fish.
A Tip for Air Frying Salmon
Air fryers are magical tools, but they vary greatly from brand to brand. As such, make sure to keep an eye on your salmon as it cooks to make sure it doesn’t burn. If you do notice the mustardy coating become more brown than you’d like, turn the temperature down and loosely cover the salmon with aluminum foil. To be 100% sure your salmon is cooked all the way through, I like to use an instant-read thermometer—your salmon is cooked-through once the center of the thickest part registers at 145°F.
Cooking for More Than Two
This recipe makes dinner for two, but if your air fryer can fit more than two filets of salmon, you can easily double this recipe. The salmon filets should cook in the same amount of time as the recipe calls for here—just make sure to leave as much room between the filets as possible so each piece of salmon can crisp up at the same rate. When air frying the green beans, cook for 2-3 additional minutes and toss them twice instead of once, just to make sure each and every green bean is getting perfectly cooked.
Quick and Easy Salmon Recipes for Dinner
Salmon Patties Easy Baked Salmon Quick and Easy Jerk Salmon Salmon Fried Rice Honey Mustard Baked Salmon
Depending on your air fryer model, the highest setting might be 400°F. You can cook the salmon at 400°F, just add an additional 5 minutes to the cook time.
10 ounces green beans, trimmed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
For the garlic butter
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar
For the salmon
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 (6-ounce) salmon filets, skin on or off
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Cracked black pepper, to taste
For serving
2 lemon wedges
1 tablespoon chopped chives
Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. To reheat, air fry the salmon and green beans in the air fryer basket for 6-7 minutes at 400°F, or microwave for 2-3 minutes. Did you love the recipe? Leave us stars below!
