I never thought to air-fry salmon — until this recipe changed my mind

Salon - Apr 29th, 2025
Open on Salon

The air fryer, a versatile kitchen appliance known for its ability to cook a wide range of foods to crispy perfection, is now being hailed for its effectiveness in preparing salmon. In a recent exploration by food writer Michael La Corte, salmon filets are air-fried to achieve a crispy texture traditionally difficult to attain without high heat and oil. The recipe, which combines air-fried salmon with an Italian-inspired salmoriglio sauce and crispy leeks, offers a quick and flavorful meal option, perfect for sunny spring days.

The broader significance of this development lies in the air fryer's continued popularity and its potential to revolutionize how home cooks approach seafood, typically a challenging protein to prepare. Michael La Corte's exploration highlights the air fryer's capacity to deliver restaurant-quality results efficiently, reducing indoor air pollution compared to other cooking methods. This culinary innovation may encourage more people to experiment with air fryers, expanding their utility beyond reheating leftovers to creating gourmet dishes at home.

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RATING

6.4
Moderately Fair
Read with skepticism

The article provides an engaging and clear overview of using an air fryer to prepare salmon, offering a detailed recipe with a focus on achieving crispy textures. While it effectively communicates the steps involved, the article lacks comprehensive source support and transparency regarding certain claims, such as the air quality benefits and sauce characteristics. The narrative is heavily focused on the author's positive experiences, without presenting a balanced view that includes potential drawbacks or alternative perspectives. While the content is timely and relevant to current culinary trends, its impact is primarily limited to personal cooking practices rather than broader societal influence. Overall, the article serves as a useful guide for culinary enthusiasts but could benefit from more robust sourcing and balanced discussion.

RATING DETAILS

7
Accuracy

The article presents a generally accurate depiction of using an air fryer for cooking salmon, emphasizing its versatility and ability to produce crispy textures. However, the claim that the air fryer improves air quality lacks direct evidence in the text. While air fryers are known to reduce oil usage, the assertion about air quality improvement is not substantiated within the article. The cooking time and method for achieving crispy salmon align with common practices, but the article does not provide detailed evidence or sources to support this. Additionally, the description of salmoriglio as a mix of pesto, chimichurri, and salsa verde may be somewhat misleading without further clarification on its unique characteristics.

6
Balance

The article predominantly focuses on the benefits of using an air fryer, particularly for cooking salmon, without presenting alternative viewpoints or potential drawbacks. While it effectively highlights the air fryer's versatility and efficiency, it lacks a balanced discussion that includes possible disadvantages, such as the risk of overcooking or the need for careful monitoring to avoid burning. The narrative is heavily weighted towards the author's positive experiences, which may not fully represent a comprehensive range of perspectives on air frying.

8
Clarity

The article is well-structured and clearly communicates the steps for preparing air-fried salmon with salmoriglio and crispy leeks. The language is straightforward, making it easy for readers to follow the recipe. The tone is engaging and enthusiastic, which enhances readability. However, the article could improve clarity by providing more detailed explanations of certain claims, such as the air quality benefits and the unique aspects of the salmoriglio sauce.

5
Source quality

The article does not explicitly cite external sources or studies to back its claims about the air fryer's benefits or the characteristics of the salmoriglio sauce. The author, identified as a food writer and recipe editor, provides personal insights and experiences, which lend some credibility. However, the lack of diverse or authoritative sources limits the article's reliability. The narrative is based more on anecdotal evidence rather than empirical data or expert opinions, reducing the overall source quality.

6
Transparency

The article offers some transparency regarding the author's background and personal experiences with cooking. However, it does not disclose any specific methodologies for testing the air fryer's effectiveness or the sauce's flavor profile. There is a lack of transparency in terms of how conclusions were drawn about air quality improvements or the comparison of salmoriglio to other sauces. The article could benefit from more explicit explanations or references to support its assertions.

Sources

  1. https://feelgoodfoodie.net/recipe/air-fryer-salmon/
  2. https://www.wellplated.com/air-fryer-salmon/
  3. https://downshiftology.com/recipes/air-fryer-salmon/
  4. https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a28141940/air-fryer-salmon-recipe/
  5. https://therealfooddietitians.com/air-fryer-salmon/