Salmon in foil is the kind of dish that looks like it takes far more effort than it actually does. The fish is wrapped up with a splash of white wine, thin lemon slices and whole peppercorns, and then the airfryer takes over. Inside the pack, the liquid turns to steam, and the steam keeps the salmon moist all the way through — no dry edge and no white protein film on the surface.
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At 180°C the cooking itself takes 14 minutes, and with the prep you’re done in 29 minutes total. It’s everyday food with a restaurant feel, where the washing-up is basically just a cutting board and a knife.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Table of Contents:
Why I love salmon in foil in the airfryer
The airfryer’s strength is the fast, dry air — and that’s exactly why foil is such a good partner for fish. The pack shuts the hot air out and keeps the moisture in, so the salmon steam-bakes instead of frying. The result is a fillet that’s glossy and juicy all the way through, even the thin end that normally dries out first.
At the same time, the small ingredients in the pack do all the work on flavor. The white wine evaporates and carries its acidity up into the fish, the lemon slices add freshness without making it sour, and the whole peppercorns give a round warmth instead of the sharp bite ground pepper can bring. If you want to stretch the dish, you can tuck thin slices of fennel, spring onion or squash under the salmon so they steam along with it.
The difference between the foil pack and a regular baking sheet
On an open baking sheet, the liquid evaporates up into the oven cavity, and the fish loses moisture from the moment it hits the heat. In a sealed foil pack, that same liquid becomes a small steam chamber around the salmon, and the juices end up on the plate instead of disappearing. That’s also why the pack forgives an extra minute far better than a fish left in the open air.
My kitchen test of salmon in foil
I’ve run the packs in my Cosori Dual Blaze at 180°C, and 14 minutes is exactly the point where the center loses its glassy core without the fish turning flaky and dry. When I pushed the meat thermometer through the foil into the thickest part of the fillet, it read 58°C — the salmon is glossy, just barely holding together, and firms up a touch more while the pack rests.
Two things surprised me along the way. The first was the aroma: when the foil is opened at the table, you get white wine, lemon and pepper right in your face in a way that’s completely different from a roasting pan. The second was the pace. The same pack in the oven typically takes 20-30 percent longer, because the large oven cavity has to heat up first, while the airfryer’s small chamber is ready right away.
Fold the foil into a small dome over the salmon instead of pressing it flat. That air pocket is what turns the pack into a steam oven instead of a pancake.
Tips and tricks from the author: Morten Jensen
The common mistakes and how to avoid them
The first mistake is a pack folded too tight. Without an air pocket above the fish, the steam can’t circulate, and the salmon ends up frying against the foil instead of steaming — so fold a dome and seal the edges with double folds, so the pack is tight along the top and sides. The second mistake is too much liquid. A splash of white wine is plenty to create steam, but pour in a whole glass and the salmon boils instead of steams, leaving the juices thin and without concentration. The third mistake is forgetting the carryover heat. The fish keeps cooking inside the sealed pack, so take it out when the thermometer reads 58°C, and let it rest briefly in the foil before opening. Cut it open right away and you lose both the steam and the juices.
How to serve salmon in foil
Salmon in foil makes its own juices, and that’s what the sides should be able to soak up:
- New potatoes tossed in butter and chopped dill
- Boiled rice or pearl barley to soak up the juices from the pack
- Steamed green beans or small broccoli florets
- A dollop of sour cream stirred with grated lemon zest and salt
- A piece of good bread for the last of the juices in the foil
Storage and reheating
The salmon is best straight from the pack, but it keeps fine in the fridge for a day or two if you leave it sitting in the foil — that way it won’t dry out. Honestly, I prefer the leftovers cold: flake the fish and toss it through a salad with cucumber, fennel and a little of the juices as dressing. If you do want to reheat it, do it at low heat for a short time in the sealed foil pack, so the steam gets to work one more time. High heat makes salmon dry and flaky in no time.
Salmon in foil has become my go-to when something decent needs to land on the table without a plan. The pack does the hard work, and you decide whether the vegetables go in under the foil too. You’ll find the measurements and method in the recipe below.
FAQ
Yes, but let it thaw completely in the fridge first, and pat it dry with paper towels. Frozen salmon releases extra water into the pack, which makes the fish boil instead of steam, and the center also finishes later than the thin edges.
Yes, as long as the foil is folded snugly around the food and sits down in the basket. Avoid lining the whole basket or leaving loose flaps sticking up, since the air needs to circulate freely around the pack for the temperature to hold.
Push a meat thermometer through the foil into the thickest part of the fillet: at 58°C the salmon is juicy and just barely holding together. If you don’t have a thermometer, check that the flesh flakes apart when you press it gently.
Recipe
Salmon in Foil in the Air Fryer
Cooking Guide
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Cost of the dish
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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 - Large sheets, approx. 30 x 40 cm
- 4 Aluminum foil - Store ark, ca. 30 x 40 cm
- 1 Meat thermometer
Shopping list
Ingredients
Salmon Parcels
- 4 pcs salmon fillet (Skinless, approx. 150 g each)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp whole peppercorns (Black)
- 1 pcs lemon (Thinly sliced)
- 1 dl white wine (Dry)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 25 g butter (In small knobs)
Vegetables
- 1 pcs courgette (Small, thinly sliced)
- 2 pcs carrots (Cut into thin sticks)
- 2 pcs spring onions (Cut into diagonal slices)
- 1 clove garlic (Finely chopped)
How to make it
Preparation
- Cut 1 pcs lemon into thin slices. Slice 1 pcs courgette thinly, cut 2 pcs carrots into thin sticks, and cut 2 pcs spring onions into diagonal slices.
- Pat 4 salmon fillets dry with paper towels and season on both sides with 1 tsp salt.
- Tear off four large sheets of aluminium foil. Spread the vegetables and 1 clove garlic in a small bed in the centre of each sheet, then place a salmon fillet on top.
- Drizzle 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 dl white wine evenly over the four parcels. Lay the lemon slices and 1 tsp whole peppercorns on top of the salmon, top with 25 g butter, and seal the foil into tight parcels with air around the fish.
Cooking in the Air Fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 180 °C fan.
- Place the foil parcels in the basket in a single layer without overlapping, and steam them at 180 °C for 14 minutes. Swap the parcels around after 7 minutes so they cook evenly.
- Carefully open one parcel and check the core temperature with a meat thermometer. The salmon is done at 58 °C in the centre and should just flake apart. Give thicker fillets 2-3 minutes more at 180 °C.
Serving
- Let the parcels rest closed for 2 minutes so the juices settle. Then open them and sprinkle 15 g fresh dill over the salmon.
- Serve the salmon straight from the foil parcels, or lift it onto plates with the juices poured over, garnished with fresh slices of 1 pcs lemon.
Our notes for the recipe
Seal the foil parcels so there’s air around the salmon. It’s the steam from the white wine and vegetables that keeps the fish juicy, and a flat parcel with no air pocket will fry instead of steam. Variation:
Swap the white wine for fish stock or apple juice if you want to avoid alcohol. Courgette and carrots can be replaced with asparagus, fennel or leek, depending on the season. Serving:
Serve with new potatoes, cooked pearl barley or a hearty bread that can soak up the juices from the parcels. Whole peppercorns:
The whole peppercorns give the steam a mild, rounded pepper flavour without becoming sharp. Push them aside on the plate, or swap for freshly ground pepper if you’d rather eat them too. Serving size:
If your air fryer is smaller, you can make the dish in two batches. The parcels should lie in a single layer without overlapping.
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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