Stuffed Salmon in the Air Fryer is a delicious, healthy and FAST dinner you can make any night of the week! This delicious salmon is stuffed with cream cheese, cheese, crab, dijon mustard and my favorite seasonings!
What You Will ❤️ About Stuffed Salmon
- Flavor Pop! The stuffing really adds flavor to the dish. The addition of fresh parsley also adds freshness to the dish.
- Quick Dinner! With just 10 minutes of prep and 8 minutes of cooking – you’ve got dinner on the table in less than 20 minutes!
- Good for You! Salmon is a great source of omega-3s that reduce inflammation and support brain health! Plus there are 20 grams of protein in a 4 oz. fillet!
This recipe was made using the Paula Deen Air Fryer.
Stuffed Salmon Ingredients
I went for all my favorites in this stuffed salmon recipe – you’ll love how creamy the stuffing is and how well it pairs with the salmon!
- 1 lb Salmon – this provides 4 servings – feel free to use a larger piece of salmon. The ones I used were fairly small.
- 4 oz imitation Crab meat – you’ll want to finely dice so it blends well with the cream cheese. You can also use real crab meat, shrimp – or leave it out!
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 Lemon – juice & zest
- Seasonings: paprika, garlic powder, fresh parsley, olive oil, salt & pepper
Recipe Variations
There are lots of little tweaks you can make to this recipe based on what’s in your fridge or what you like! Here are some ideas:
- Seafood – I used imitation crab but you could totally swap with real crab or diced shrimp!
- Veggies – feel free to add more veggies to the filling like spinach, diced mushrooms, asparagus or broccoli.
- Cheese – Monterey Jack is a fairy mild cheese but get fancy with gruyere, mozzarella cheese or even goat cheese!
- Mayonnaise – leave out the cream cheese and use mayo which will help keep your salmon moist!
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How to make Stuffed Salmon in the Air Fryer
This is so easy!!!! Don’t let stuffing the salmon intimidate you – you just slice a pocket in the salmon as you can see in the image above! Here’s how to make this dish:
- In a mixing bowl, add crab meat, cream cheese, jack cheese, dijon mustard, lemon juice & zest, paprika, garlic powder and parsley. Mix ingredients well to create the crab stuffing.
- Turn salmon fillet to side and, with a sharp knife – preferably a boning knife, cut a slit into the center of each fillet to make a pocket for the stuffing. The slit should extend to about one inch from each end but not cut all the way through.
- Stuff each fillet with the crab stuffing mixture. You can use a tablespoon or just use your hands like I did.
- Line air fryer with parchment paper and place salmon filets in a single layer in air fryer basket.
- Drizzle with olive oil and season each fillet with salt and black pepper.
- Air fry at 370°F for 8 minutes, depending on thickness of the salmon.
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Tips, Tricks & FAQs
Check the thickest part of the salmon filet with your meat thermometer and it should be between 125-145º. Because you slice the salmon – they are even thinner and cook very quickly!
Yes – I froze one filet just to see how it would do. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then place in a freezer bag. To cook, remove from freezer and thaw in the fridge overnight then air fry per instructions.
Yes – bake at 350º for 20 minutes and check with a meat thermometer to ensure doneness.
Store leftovers in an airtight container (I like these glass ones) in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can freeze up to three months. Reheat in the air fryer at 250º for 5 minutes.
Best Air Fryer Accessories
Here’s my ultimate list of best air fryer accessories – whether you have a basket- or oven-style! I’ve also included a price guide as well as my favorite recipes for those accessories.
What to serve with Air Fryer Stuffed Salmon
More Salmon Recipes
Stuffed Salmon in the Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 lb salmon
- 4 oz imitation crab meat finely diced
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese grated
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 lemon juice & zest
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp Garlic powder
- 1 tsp fresh Italian parsley
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add crab meat, cream cheese, jack cheese, dijon mustard, lemon juice & zest, paprika, garlic powder and parsley. Mix ingredients well to create the crab stuffing.1 lb salmon, 4 oz imitation crab meat, 4 oz cream cheese, 1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1/2 lemon, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp Garlic powder, 1 tsp fresh Italian parsley
- Turn salmon fillet to side and, with a sharp knife – preferably a boning knife, cut a slit into the center of each fillet to make a pocket for the stuffing. The slit should extend to about one inch from each end but not cut all the way through.1 lb salmon
- Stuff each fillet with the crab stuffing mixture. You can use a tablespoon or just use your hands like I did.
- Line air fryer with parchment paper and place salmon filets in a single layer in air fryer basket.
- Drizzle with olive oil and season each fillet with salt and black pepper.1 tsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Air fry at 370°F for 8 minutes, depending on thickness of the salmon.
Jennifer says
I've been thinking about trying one of these. Hadn't thought of making salmon. Looks great!
Plain Chicken says
I just bought a second air fryer yesterday- I am obsessed!! The salmon looks amazing!!
Susan Brabham says
Looks good will definitely try this recipe
Sandy says
Does your air fryer have a teflon basket? Mine does and it started peeling about a month after I bought it. It’s so bad now that I’m looking for a new non-teflon that fits my budget.
FoodHussy says
I started with the Philips XL and I’m not sure if it’s Teflon or not but it’s difficult to clean. I got the Paula Deen 9.5 qt and am obsessed with it. It’s non-stick and stuff literally slides off of it – no peeling or scratches or anything! It’s also much easier to clean and HUGE! It’s ceramic nonstick – here’s the 9.5 qt – but they also have a 6 qt for $99 – https://amzn.to/2RNxoLC