How to Cook Fish in an Air Fryer
Frying fish at home is easier than ever with an air fryer. You can fry frozen or fresh seafood in an air fryer that tastes like it’s straight from your favorite seafood restaurant’s kitchen. You don’t have to worry about getting minor burns from hot oil splashes or added calories from cooking it in fat. Just follow this guide to learn how to cook fish in your air fryer.
How to Air Fry Seafood
1. Preheat the Fryer
Whenever you use your air fryer, be sure to preheat it for at least 5 minutes. If you are using a recipe that wasn’t written for an air fryer, knock 25° F off of the temperature. For example, if a recipe says to preheat the oven to 400° F, set your air fryer to 375° F.
2. Lightly Coat with Oil
Spray your fish fillets or shellfish with a light dust of oil before placing them in the fryer. Adding a little bit of oil will ensure that your seafood turns out delectably crispy and golden brown.
3. Never Stack your Seafood
Only lay down one-layer of seafood in the frying basket. This will help it to get crisp. If you stack fish or shellfish on top of each other in the basket, the hot air won’t be able to circulate correctly. Parts of your fish won’t be able to turn golden brown.
4. Flip it Halfway Through
You should always flip seafood once when it is halfway done. Flipping it at the halfway point is the best way to prevent it from burning or overcooking.
Cooking Times for Seafood
How long it takes to cook seafood in an air fryer varies. It depends on the type of seafood, how big it is, and how thick it is. As a general rule:
White Fish 400°F 10-12 minutes
Shrimp & Scallops 375°F 8 minutes
Salmon 400°F 5-7 minutes
These times are based on fresh seafood. If you are air frying frozen seafood, you may need to cook it for 2 to 5 minutes longer.
Check out one of our favorite air-fried seafood recipes below!
Air Fried Tilapia
Ingredients
- 4 Tilapia filets
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp garlic salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 /2 cup all-purpose unbleached flour
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons cold water, a splash
- Cooking Spray
Directions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Pat fish fillets dry with a paper towel and dust with salt and pepper.
- Pour the seasoning and breadcrumbs into a large ziplock bag. Shake until well combined.
- Pour the flour into a shallow dish such as a pie pan.
- Crack the eggs into another shallow dish and add a splash of cold water. Then whisk together.
- Coat each fillet in flour, then egg mix, and then toss in the breadcrumb bag. Coat all sides well.
- Once each fillet is coated, lightly dust it with cooking spray and then place it on the frying tray.
- Cook for 10 to 12 minutes. Be sure to flip it halfway through cooking it around 5 to 6 minutes. When it is done, the fish meat with be white and flaky.
Are you tempted to try your hand at air frying seafood at home? Swing by City Fish Market to find the freshest seafood in Central Connecticut for your fish fry.