This air fryer flounder recipe is a favorite for both busy weeknights and relaxing weekend dinners. It features tender flounder fillets with fresh lemon and bright spices, plus butter and salty capers for a truly decadent dish. Flounder cooked in the air fryer with no breading is quick and easy to prep, and is ready to serve in under 10 minutes.
If you aren't very familiar with flounder yet, prepare to become a fan! Tender, buttery flounder fillets are delicate yet slightly fatty (they're rich in lean protein and healthy omega-3 fats), and are wonderful to cook in the air fryer!
Place fillets directly on fresh lemon slices, season with vibrant yet simple spices, and top with butter and capers. The flounder is air fried to light and crisp perfection with no breading in just 7 minutes! So although this dish tastes deliciously decadent and impressive, it is surprisingly quick and easy to prepare.
Cleanup is also a breeze, which is always a bonus... Because this basically effortless air fryer flounder recipe is made without breading there are no multiple prep dishes needed.
How to cook air fryer flounder
If your fish is frozen you will need to thaw it first. Don't worry it doesn't take long since flounder fillets are very thin. Leave the fish on the counter for an hour and it will be completely thawed. For even faster thawing process you can submerge fish in a bowl of cold water.
Rinse fillets with cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Now cover them in the mix of spices. I used black pepper, paprika, oregano and garlic powder. Also add salt if you are not planning to add capers, otherwise it will be too salty.
Slice lemon and place in the air fryer, add seasoned fillets right on top. Add a little piece of unsalted butter on top of each fillet along with capers, if using. Butter will keep flounders juicy, even if slightly overcooked.
Cook as recommended in the recipe card below and enjoy with your favorite side dish.
Recipe ingredients
Flounder fillets. Fresh is preferable but frozen, or previously frozen, also work well. Rinse the fillets clean and pat dry before cooking.
Garlic powder. For a bit of lovely garlic flavor to elevate the dish.
Salt. To balance out the mild natural sweetness of the flounder.
Paprika. Adds a delightfully smoky, deep flavor to the fillets.
Oregano. For some herbaceous goodness to round out the other seasonings.
Capers. These briny wonders are simply delicious to pair with saltwater flounder.
Lemon. Sliced thin to line the bottom of the air fryer basket. The lemon brightens the air fryer flounder with tangy fresh citrus.
Butter. Makes the fillets taste that much more delectable!
Oil spray. Just a bit makes the air fryer flounder crispy with no breading necessary.
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What do flounder fish taste like
Flounder is a saltwater white fish and is therefore not very "fishy." Rather, it has a slightly sweet and fairly mild taste.
The texture is comparable to tilapia, but flounder is a bit fattier (with good omega-3 fats - yay!) and more rich in flavor.
Air fryer flounder fillets are moist and flaky, with a light bit of caramelization. The addition of lemon, butter, and capers elevates the dish with deliciously vibrant, tangy and salty flavors!
Where to buy
Fresh flounder is easiest to find at coastal fish markets. However, frozen fillets are often available at popular grocery stores.
How to keep fish from sticking
Using a quality high-heat spray oil is key to keep fish from sticking in the air fryer basket. The slices of lemon also help to make sure the fillets do not stick and stay moist.
Additionally, a piece of parchment paper can be laid at the bottom of the basket to prevent sticking. But note that you still want to use spray oil to get the flounder lightly crisp without breading.
Frequently asked questions
Air fryer flounder with no breading does not have the same deep crunch as a breaded fish, but yes these fillets do get slightly crisp.
The spray oil and high heat from the fryer create a golden, lightly crispy flounder without using a batter or coating.
You can, and it is wonderfully easy to do so! Cook flounder fillets from frozen right in the air fryer, no thawing needed. Simply increase the cooking time to 10-11 minutes for frozen fish.
The internal temperature of properly cooked fish is 145 degrees. Flounder fillets prepared in the air fryer with no breading should be opaque and easily flake with a fork.
Side dishes
Enjoy air fryer flounder by itself or with a side dish. I like to have it with a simple garden salad that contains cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, spinach and whatever other fresh vegetable you like.
For a more filling dish make some white rice or potatoes or sweet potato mash. Roasted or grilled vegetables will be amazing too ! Steamed broccoli or asparagus is a great choice for a light low carb dinner.
Leftovers
If you have any flounder leftovers, you can store them in the air tight glass or plastic container for up to 4 days. Don't keep fish in the fridge for too long though, the quicker you eat it the better. Reheat in the air fryer or in the microwave.
Recipe notes
- Do not overcrowded the air fryer basket.
- If unsure that the fish is cooked all the way, check its internal temperature. It should be at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part.
- Again, do not use salt if adding capers. Capers are very salty and fillets will be too salty if added BOTH capers and salt.
- To prevent fish from sticking lay the air fryer basket with sliced lemon. Additionally it will infuse fish with some lemon flavor. Or you can use air fryer liners.
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Hope you will like this air fryer flounder recipe as much as we do. Please rate the recipe if you made it and leave a comment below if you have any questions or suggestions. Or just want to talk!
Air Fryer Flounder Recipe
This air fryer flounder recipe is a favorite for both busy weeknights and relaxing weekend dinners. It features tender flounder fillets with fresh lemon and bright spices, plus butter and salty capers for a truly decadent dish. Flounder cooked in the air fryer with no breading is quick and easy to prep, and is ready to serve in under 10 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 flounder fillets
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt ( do not use if adding capers)
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon capers (optionally)
- lemon
- oil spray
- 1 teaspoon butter (optionally)
Instructions
- Clean fish fillets. Season with salt (only if not using capers, otherwise it will be too salty), black pepper, garlic and onion powder. Add paprika and oregano.
- Spray air fryer basket with oil. Lay sliced lemon in the basket. Place seasoned flounder fillets on top of lemon. Place capers on top along with butter (if using)
- Cook at 375 degrees for 7 minutes.
Notes
- Do not overcrowded the air fryer basket.
- If unsure that the fish is cooked all the way,check its internal temperature. It should be at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part.
- Again, do not use salt if adding capers. Capers are very salty and fillets will be too salty if added both capers and salt.
- To prevent fish from sticking lay the air fryer basket with sliced lemon. Additionally it will infuse fish with some lemon flavor. Or you can use air fryer liners.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 204Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 843mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 20g
Vickie L
We did 2 frozen but thawed Flounder filets; used the exact amounts of spices, put them on lemon slices, and cooked exactly as instructed. They were undercooked and soggy from the lemon slices.
The taste wasn't that bad but the capers did not contribute enough salt to make it appetizing. Sorry, not a fan/
Tatiana
Sorry you didn't like the recipe, have a great day!
Mike D
Vickie is spot on, this recipe is remarkably tasteless. If you've got flounder filets, I strong recommend a pan seared parmesan based recipe, search for one and you won't be disappointed.
Sharon Caetano
I thought it came out pretty good! I did preheat my airfryer, and I seasoned both sides of the fish (neither of those details is mentioned in the recipe). I also didn't actually measure how much seasoning I used. Just made it look right according to me. I'm trying to eat healthier while minimizing energy use, so Tatiana I appreciate you for putting this recipe out there!
Kay Ann
I tried this recipe and loved it. I also seasoned both sides and my fillets were frozen! Also added rosemary! Trying to eat healthier and love using my air fryer!
Kris Marie
I used the same brand of flounder as you have pictured, I was making fish tacos. I brushed avocado oil on both sides of the fish and seasoned both sides too. I cooked the filets for six minutes and flipped them over and cooked for another six minutes. They were absolutely delicious! I had made some homemade coleslaw up in the morning to put in the corn tortillas. Thank you for a great recipe! I also tripled the recipe.
Tatiana
Thanks for sharing!
Deb.G
I tried the recipe last night and both my husband and I loved it. I didn't have a lemon so thinly sliced an orange instead and it worked out fine. I also did it without capers.