Top News

Salmon is a quick, easy, and healthy dinner option. While there are many ways to cook this fish, from baking salmon and grilling it to simply searing it in a pan, the air fryer is a fantastic option, especially if you are trying to make four servings or less. However, the worry with cooking salmon in an air fryer is that you might overcook it.

To prevent this as much as possible and improve the taste and texture, cooking enthusiast Emily from the food blog Nerds with Knives recommends using a "secret ingredient" in her recipe. She said: "We have a secret ingredient that makes these air fryer salmon bites the most delicious and healthy dinner you can make in about 15 minutes. Seasoned with soy, honey and chilli flakes, the salmon comes out tender, buttery and golden brown."

With the salmon taking just five minutes to cook in the air fryer, Emily said that she hadn't even finished slicing up some cucumbers to go with them, and the fish was already done.

The cook revealed that the "secret to making the best air fryer salmon" is to use mayonnaise. Rather than use oil, she recommends coating the salmon pieces with a teaspoon or two of mayonnaise.

Emily explained: "Mayo, with its oil and egg emulsion, is beneficial in several ways: it acts as a non-stick coating, a marinade, and a binder, while also helping the salmon retain moisture and develop a golden-brown crust. And a little goes a long way."

She pointed out that she prefers to use Japanese-style mayonnaise (like KEWPIE), which is "thicker and richer" than regular mayonnaise. However, you can just use whatever you have in your fridge.

Along with mayonnaise, season the salmon with soy sauce, honey, garlic powder and chilli flakes.

A teaspoon of cornstarch also helps the seasonings adhere and aids in forming the crust (though it's fine to leave it out). The honey adds a bit of sweetness and helps the salmon brown very quickly.

• 455g of salmon, skinless and cut into one-and-a-half inch chunks
• Two teaspoons of mayonnaise
• One tablespoon of soy sauce
• Two teaspoons of honey
• Half a teaspoon of garlic powder
• One to two teaspoons of chilli powder
• One teaspoon of cornstarch

Start by preheating your air fryer to 190 degrees before making a start on drying your salmon.

Once dried with a kitchen towel, add the salmon to a medium bowl and mix with mayonnaise, cornstarch, soy sauce, honey, garlic powder and chilli powder. Make sure each piece is coated in the seasonings.

Add the salmon in a single layer and air fry until just cooked through, about four to six minutes. There's no need to flip.

If you don't want to use an air fryer, preheat your oven to 220C/200C Fan/ Gas Mark 7. Place salmon on a parchment-lined baking sheet, with a little space in between each piece. Bake for about seven to eight minutes, flipping halfway through.

Alternatively, you can heat a little vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. When hot, add salmon and cook until golden brown and medium-rare, turning once, about two to three minutes per side.