Salmon en croûte is the kind of dish that looks far more complicated than it actually is. A salmon fillet wrapped in golden puff pastry with a layer of cream cheese and spinach — then straight into the airfryer, where the hot air does the rest. You get a crispy, flaky crust all the way round and salmon that stays glossy and juicy inside.
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It’s a perfect dish for the lunch table, for guests, or for a day when you want to impress without standing in the kitchen for hours. The whole thing takes 55 minutes from start to finish, and you don’t have to switch on the oven even once.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Why I love salmon en croûte in the airfryer
The airfryer does something to puff pastry that a regular oven struggles to match. The circulating heat hits the dough from all sides at once, so the layers puff up and turn crispy all the way round — including underneath, where fish en croûte can otherwise easily end up soft and damp. At the same time, 180 °C is mild enough for the salmon to cook through without drying out.
The combination of cream cheese and spinach isn’t just about flavour. The cream cheese creates a fat barrier between the fish and the pastry, and the spinach soaks up some of the moisture the salmon releases as it cooks. That’s the simple explanation for why the base stays crispy even when the fish is juicy.
The difference between the airfryer and the oven
In an oven, you typically need both more time and a higher temperature before the puff pastry rises properly, and the fish pays the price. In the airfryer, the heat sits closer, and the air is constantly moving, so the pastry sets quickly and seals the fish in with its own steam. In return, you need to keep an eye on it: the basket is smaller than an oven tray, and a parcel that touches the sides bakes unevenly.
My kitchen test with salmon en croûte
I’ve made this many times in my Philips XXL, and 180 °C for 20 minutes is where I land every single time. A shorter time gave a pale, slightly floury base, while after the full 20 minutes the pastry was deep golden and audibly crisp when I tapped it. The core temperature in the salmon hit 55 °C — exactly where I want it: firm enough for neat slices, but still glossy and lightly flaking in the middle.
Count on 55 minutes in total: 20 minutes of preparation, 20 minutes of cooking and 15 minutes of chilling time. The actual work is done long before the airfryer finishes, so you can calmly set the table in the meantime.
Insert the meat thermometer from the end of the parcel instead of from the top — that way you read the core temperature without piercing the crispy top.
Tips and tricks from the author: Morten Jensen
The typical mistakes and how to avoid them
The first and biggest mistake is wet salmon. If the fillet isn’t patted thoroughly dry with paper towel, the moisture seeps down into the pastry, and the base turns grey and soft instead of crispy. The same goes for the spinach, which needs to be pressed completely free of water if you’re using thawed frozen spinach. The next classic mistake is puff pastry that’s too warm: if you handle the dough for too long, the butter layers melt together, and then it never rises properly. Work quickly, and let the pastry come straight from the fridge. The third mistake is an overcrowded basket. The parcel needs air all the way round, otherwise the heat doesn’t reach the base, and you end up with one side golden and one raw. Better to bake in two batches than to cram it into one.
How to serve salmon en croûte
The dish is rich in itself, so the side dishes can lean fresh and tangy:
- Crisp salad with cucumber, fennel and fresh dill
- Boiled new potatoes tossed in butter and coarse salt
- Lemon mayo or a light dressing of crème fraîche, lemon and chives
- Steamed asparagus or sugar snap peas with a little grated lemon zest
- A glass of chilled white wine or sparkling water with lemon
Storage and reheating
Leftovers keep for a couple of days in the fridge in an airtight container. Avoid the microwave — it makes the pastry chewy and the fish dry. Instead, give them a few minutes in the airfryer at a low temperature, so the puff pastry wakes up and turns crispy again. If you want to prepare the dish in advance, assemble the parcel raw, keep it cold and bake it the same day; salmon en croûte doesn’t freeze well after baking.
Salmon en croûte has become a regular in my kitchen, precisely because it gives back so much for so little work. Get the dry salmon, the cold pastry and the airy basket right, and you’ll nail it on the very first try.
FAQ
Bake the parcel at 180 °C for 20 minutes. The salmon is done when the core temperature hits 55 °C and the puff pastry is deep golden and crispy all the way round.
Yes, but the salmon needs to be completely thawed and patted thoroughly dry before you wrap it. Moisture from frozen fish is the most common reason the pastry turns soft on the bottom.
It’s almost always down to moisture. Pat the salmon dry, squeeze all the water out of the spinach, and make sure the parcel has air all the way round in the basket, so the heat also reaches the base.
Recipe
Salmon en croûte in the airfryer
Cooking Guide
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Cost of the dish
Prices may vary depending on where you shop.
Our estimate is based on average food prices for the current year 2026.
Estimated price for the whole dish:
Airfryer size
All our recipes are tested in a Philips Airfryer 2000 Series NA230/00 – 6.2 L
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Recommended equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Pande
- 1 Sigte
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Rolling pin
- 1 Brush
- 1 Bagepapir (til airfryer)
- 1 Meat thermometer
Shopping list
Ingredients
Spinach filling
Salmon and puff pastry
- 600 g salmon fillet (Skinless, ideally the middle piece)
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper (Freshly ground)
- 270 g puff pastry (1 sheet, thawed)
- 1 pcs egg (Beaten, for brushing)
- 1 tsp sesame seeds (For sprinkling)
How to make it
Preparation
- Pat 600 g salmon fillet dry with paper towel, cut it into four equal pieces, and season them on all sides with 1 tsp salt and 0.5 tsp black pepper.
- Roll 270 g puff pastry out on a lightly floured surface, and roll it out with a rolling pin to about 2 cm larger on all sides. Then cut the pastry into four equal rectangles.
- Place the parcels on a plate in the fridge for 15 minutes. Cold puff pastry rises higher and holds its shape better in the airfryer.
Cooking in the airfryer
- Preheat the airfryer to 180 °C.
- Brush the parcels with 1 pcs egg, and sprinkle them with 1 tsp sesame seeds. Prick two small holes in the top of each parcel so the steam can escape.
- Place the parcels on baking paper in the basket with plenty of space between them, and bake them at 180 °C for 20 minutes. Turn the parcels a half turn after 12 minutes so they brown evenly.
- Check that the pastry is golden brown and cooked through all the way round. Insert a meat thermometer into the centre of a parcel — the salmon is juicy at a core temperature of 55 °C.
Serving
- Let the parcels rest for 3 minutes so the filling settles. If you like, cut them in half on the diagonal so the green spinach filling shows, and serve immediately.
Our notes for the recipe
Squeeze all the liquid out of the spinach before mixing it with the cream cheese — a wet filling makes the base soggy and stops the pastry from turning crisp. The 15-minute chilling time is non-negotiable: cold puff pastry rises higher and holds its shape better under the hot air. Extra crispy base:
Use a small piece of perforated baking paper, or place the parcels directly on a perforated baking tray, so the hot air also reaches the underside. If you like, give them the final 2 minutes at 190 °C for a darker, crispier finish. Variation:
Swap the salmon for trout or cod, or stir a teaspoon of Dijon mustard into the spinach cream for a sharper contrast to the rich fish. Serving:
Serve with boiled new potatoes, a light lemon vinaigrette or a fresh cucumber salad. Portion size:
If your airfryer is smaller, you can make the dish in two batches.
Your notes for the recipe
Nutrition per serving (Guideline)
Important about shelf life and nutrition
Nutrition per serving (guideline): Calculations are based on data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Shelf life (guideline): Shelf life data is provided, as far as possible, by public institutions, including national food authorities. Our information is therefore only indicative, and it is your responsibility to obtain and calculate accurate information about shelf life and nutrition for all recipes on airfryerkogebogen.dk
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