This gochujang salmon air fryer recipe features a simple yet deliciously spicy marinade that's easy to make with fiery chili pepper paste, soy sauce, garlic and ginger. Air fry the marinated skin-on fillets for less than 10 minutes and serve with your favorite Asian-inspired side dishes!
Old bay salmon cooked in air fryer is another great way to prepare salmon quick and easy way.
I am a big fan of seafood of all kinds, from shellfish to shark and everything in between! But hands-down one of my top go-to proteins is salmon. I love the thick and meaty flakes, and how it's pleasant light flavor goes well with any number of seasonings. This gochujang salmon air fryer recipe is perfect to bring some seriously delicious heat to an otherwise mild fish.
The main feature of this recipe is a simple but bold marinade that's easy to make with a combination of Asian food staples. It includes thick and spicy Korean gochujang paste, plus soy sauce, tangy vinegar, and a handful of earthy aromatics. Together they marinate the sweet salmon meat with an irresistible blend of spicy, sour and savory flavors, in as little as 30 minutes.
The fish is quick and easy to air fry in under 10 minutes. And because the air fryer evenly circulates air all around the fillets, your salmon is practically guaranteed to be moist and fork-tender with perfectly crispy skin, every time! I also made another recipe using gochujang paste- gochujang chicken thighs in air fryer. So good and juicy!
Recipe ingredients
Salmon fillets. Fresh or frozen fillets, skin-on and pin bones removed. Thaw frozen salmon in the fridge overnight with a bowl underneath to catch any moisture. Pat the fillets dry with a clean and lint-free towel before marinating.
Salt and pepper. Using a bit of both highlights the savory ingredients.
Gochujang. A thick, red paste that's popular in Korean cuisine. It is made with a potent combination of fermented rice, soybeans, and chili powder. The result is an almost-sauce like condiment that's spicy, sour, and SO delicious!
Soy sauce and rice vinegar. The umami flavor of soy compliments rice vinegar's strong tangy taste. Together they balance the spiciness of the gochujang.
Garlic and ginger. These pungent roots are earthy and spicy, and are practically must-have ingredients in Asian-inspired recipes.
Sesame oil. Or olive oil. Either options are high-heat oils that are good to coat the air fryer basket so the gochujang salmon does not stick.
How to cook gochujang salmon
First, take a bowl and put all the ingredients you need for the sauce into it. Stir everything together until it's well mixed. Next, sprinkle some salt and pepper on both sides of your salmon to give it some flavor. After seasoning, use a brush or spoon to spread the sauce you just made all over the salmon.
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It's important to let the salmon sit with the sauce on it for at least 30 minutes. If you have time, you can also put it in the refrigerator for a longer time to soak up more flavor. You can also just dip salmon fillets in to the bowl instead of bushing.
When you're ready to cook, turn on your air fryer and set the temperature to 380 degrees Fahrenheit. Before you put the salmon in, take a little bit of olive oil and brush it onto the basket of the air fryer. This helps prevent the salmon from sticking. Place your salmon in the basket with the skin side facing down.
Now, it's time to cook the salmon. Close the air fryer and let it cook for about 8 minutes. You don't need to flip it or do anything else during this time. Just wait patiently, and soon you'll have a deliciously cooked piece of salmon ready to enjoy!
Leftovers and reheating
Store gochujang salmon leftovers in the air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute. If reheating in the air fryer, set the temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and reheat for 2-3 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
I recommend marinating the fillets for at least 30 minutes, but no longer than 24 hours. The gochujang and soy sauce marinade does a wonderful job of tenderizing the salmon. But keep in mind that fish meat is fairly delicate and can over-tenderize easily. So I usually prefer to marinate my fillets for only up to 12 hours, max.
Gochujang paste is spicy with an intense taste that's unlike any other condiment! The combination of fermented ingredients with vinegar and soy sauce creates an irresistibly sour/tangy/funky flavor that is delicious with the fiery chili powder.
The spiciness is mellowed a bit in the marinade, which includes more soy sauce and rice vinegar... Nonetheless, this air fryer salmon recipe with gochujang has some serious kick!
No, you do not flip the skin-on fillets in this recipe. To get the salmon skin crispy it needs to cook skin-side down in the air fryer basket.
Brushing the air fryer basket with oil will help keep the salmon fillets from sticking. Or you can line the basket with a square of parchment paper, which also helps cut down on mess.
Place the parchment paper in the basket after it has preheated, right as you are ready to cook the salmon.
I recommend thawing the salmon fillets. Frozen fish does not absorb a marinade as well. And if you marinate it in the fridge for several hours, the frozen fish will begin to thaw and release excess moisture. Instead, use fresh fillets or defrost frozen salmon in the fridge overnight prior to marinating. I actually have a recipe for Ninja Foodi frozen salmon in case you need it, any air fryer will work!
More salmon recipes
- Salmon collar air fryer. Cooking the area around the salmon's neck in an air fryer until it's crispy and flavorful.
- Salmon fries. Strips of salmon coated and cooked until they're crispy, resembling french fries.
- Air fryer salmon belly. The fatty part of the salmon cooked in an air fryer, known for its tender and rich flavor.
- Salmon head soup. A soup made by simmering the head of a salmon, often with vegetables and seasonings, to extract a rich broth.
- Air fryer jerk salmon. Salmon seasoned with spicy and flavorful jerk seasoning, then cooked in an air fryer for a quick and flavorful dish.
Hope you will like this gochujang salmon in air fryer recipe as much as we do. Rate the recipe if you made it and leave a comment below if you have any questions or suggestions.
Recipe
Gochujang Salmon in Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 2 salmon fillets
- ¼ teaspoon Salt and pepper, each
- 2 tablespoon gochujang paste
- 1 tablespoon each of soy sauce and rice vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
Instructions
- Mix all sauce ingredients in a bowl.
- Season salmon with salt and pepper, then coat with the sauce. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes (or longer in the fridge).
- Set air fryer to 380°F.
- Lightly brush the air fryer basket with olive oil. Place marinated salmon skin-side down.
- Air fry for 8 minutes
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