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Air Fryer Cedar Plank Salmon is a healthy and delicious seafood dish to easily make in your air fryer. You’ll get restaurant quality perfectly cooked salmon that’s tender on the inside with some lovely browning and crispy bits on the outside, and a nice smoky flavor.
This recipe is simple to follow, and with a little prep work, the salmon comes out moist and flavorful. The cedar planks give the fish a full-flavored smokiness that you just can’t get with any other cooking method (besides cooking the cedar plank salmon on the grill of course).
I also love how easy the cedar plank makes clean up. Take the cedar plank with the fish out of the air fryer basket, and that’s pretty much it. There’s no fishy smell in the house, no pan to scrub out. Just rinse the air fryer basket, and throw the cedar plank away.
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Please let me know if you have any questions about this recipe. I read all the comments myself and I try to help as soon as I can. I have readers from all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen on my site, and I’ve tried to answer some of your questions already in the post. But if I’ve missed anything, please feel free to leave a comment and ask.
Can you put a cedar plank in the air fryer?
Safety first. Please check your user’s manual to ensure it’s safe to use in your model of air fryer.
I cook on the cedar plank in my model of {affiliate link} air fryer and have no trouble. I also take the air fryer outside to the cement patio, and stay with it the whole time to make sure it doesn’t have any problems.
Please use caution.
Also, please be sure to always unplug your air fryer when not in use.
Yes! You can absolutely cook cedar plank salmon in an air fryer, and with great results!
Cedar planks can often be found at the grocery store in the seasonal section during the summer grilling months. And they can be found on Amazon.
Try to get a good quality cedar plank, not a thin flimsy one. Thin ones will be more likely to overheat and be a danger.
Why do you cook salmon on a cedar plank?
As the cedar plank heats up and cooks the fish, the moisture from the soaked plank infuses the fish with the flavor of cedar. It’s like smoking your fish, but a really easy way to do so.
The heat from the plank also helps the fish to gently steam inside, resulting in a moist flaky salmon.
No cedar plank? No problem, here are the instructions for air fryer salmon.
Pro Tips for the best Cedar Plank Air Fryer Salmon
This air fryer cedar plank salmon recipe is so simple; just be sure to follow the important steps.
Don’t forget to scroll down to the printable recipe card for full ingredient amounts.
Soak the planks
Plan the prep time to include soaking the cedar plank for one to two hours. Oh, and be sure the plank fits in the basket of your air fryer. If it doesn’t fit, you may have to cut it down to size.
The basket of the air fryer makes a great place to soak the plank. Just be sure that there are no electrical parts in the basket. You can also soak the plank in a large bowl or the sink. Weigh the plank down with a small bowl or plate to keep it fully submerged
Soaking will help ensure the plank does not catch fire.
Pat the plank dry with a clean towel.
Defrost the salmon
While the plank is soaking, defrost the salmon.
Keep the salmon in the sealed plastic bag so it doesn’t get waterlogged.
Place the wrapped frozen salmon in a large bowl and cover with cool tap water. Place a small heavy plate on top of the fish to keep it submerged so that all parts defrost at the same rate.
Change out the water every 20 or 30 minutes until the fish is fully thawed, so that the water stays cool.
Preheat the air fryer and the plank
Place the cedar plank in the basket of the air fryer. If you used the basket to soak the plank, take the plank out, drain the water out, and wipe it dry.
Preheat the air fryer with the cedar plank inside to 380° F.
While the air fryer preheats, prep the salmon. Pat it dry with paper towels, and oil and season the salmon.
Can I change up the seasoning?
Absolutely, change the seasonings to your taste.
For the salmon you see in the pictures here I went with a Blackened Cajun Salmon. I’ll be sharing the simple recipe for the Cajun seasoning later this week.
It’s also amazing with Homemade Chili Powder.
Potlatch, Old Bay, Paprika, garlic powder, any bottled salmon seasoning will all work. Check around in your cupboard too – you may have a jem of forgotten about spice mix in there.
Cook the salmon
Place the salmon, skin side down, on top of the preheated cedar plank, and cook for 10-12 minutes at 380° F.
Salmon skin
I get lots of questions about the air fryer salmon with skin.
First, I leave the skin on the raw fish and cook with it on.
The skin provides a nice layer to help protect the delicate fish. It holds the fish together, and the skin is actually edible if you want to eat it. I never have, but some people like it.
The skin slips off easily once the fish is cooked. I love these {affiliate link} fish spatulas for getting the fish off the skin and out of the air fryer.
Yes, place salmon fillets skin-side-down in air fryer basket, whether you’re cooking on a cedar plank or on a piece of parchment paper.
The skin acts as a nice barrier to prevent the fish from sticking. You can also oil the skin as well to help it not to stick to the plank.
Do you flip salmon in air fryer or on cedar plank?
The answer to both of those questions is no. No flipping required to cook salmon in the air fryer or on a cedar plank.
How do you know when salmon is done in air fryer?
As you cook salmon more often, you’ll feel more comfortable checking it with a couple of forks.
Gently press open a thick part of the salmon and look between the two pieces. It should be a consistent even light pink color and should flake apart easily. Don’t overcook the salmon.
You can also use an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature. According to the FDA, it should be 145° F.
Serving suggestions
I think a fun serving presentation is to serve the fish directly on the cedar plank. We did a cedar plank fish once as an appetizer for Thanksgiving.
Serve the cedar plank fish with a simple veggie like air fryer green beans (like I’ve done for the pictures), Wild rice salad, potatoes fondants, or with oven roasted vegetables.
It’s also delicious served with a nice sauce like Chimichurri.
How to store leftovers
Store any leftover cedar plank salmon in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
I like to serve leftover salmon cold on a salad, like in my Salmon Caesar salad. Leftover salmon can also be added to an omelet the next morning for breakfast.
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Recipe
Air Fryer Cedar Plank Salmon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 salmon fillets 6 to 8 ounces each, defrosted
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Cajun Seasoning
Instructions
- Place the cedar plank in a large bowl or sink filled with cool water, and soak for 1-2 hours. If your salmon is frozen, place the frozen salmon, still in the plastic bag, in the sink along with the cedar planks and soak the frozen fish for up to 1 hour.
- Place the soaked cedar plank in the basket of the air fryer, and preheat the air fryer to 380° F.
- Pat the salmon dry with paper towels.
- Rub each fillet with olive oil and season with spices, rubbing the spices in.
- Place the seasoned salmon, skin side down, on top of the preheated cedar plank in the air fryer and cook for 10-12 minutes. Cooking time may vary slightly depending on this thickness of the salmon and the brand of air fryer.
- Open the air fryer, and check for desired doneness with a fork. You can return the salmon for another 1 or 2 minutes as necessary.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations, and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
Mindy
We love this salmon recipe so much we are going to make it again next week! This is a keeper!
Eva
Mmmmm, that came out great!