Want to air fry fish but scared of it becoming dry? Or wondering for how long you need to cook frozen fish in the air fryer? You’ve come to the right place! Welcome to our comprehensive guide to cooking fish in an air fryer.

Kerry Kilpin is the executive chef at Steenberg – which includes the restaurants Tryn and Bistro Sixteen82 – and cooking fish is one of her specialities. (We highly recommend the hand-chopped fish tartare with a lick-your-fingers good lemongrass vinaigrette on Tryn’s winter menu, by the way.)

Why you should choose sustainable seafood

Sustainable seafood is also something that’s close to Kerry’s heart. She and her team at Steenberg were the pilot restaurant that Abalobi launched with, back in 2017.

Abalobi, for the uninitiated, is an app that connects chefs to small-scale fishermen, making sustainably caught fish accessible to buyers and giving fisherman access to a larger, and more profitable, client-base. It’s been an incredible process for Kerry, from seeing her restaurant receive a wide range of excellent line-caught fish to witnessing the impact on the fishermen.

Whole braaied fish recipe

“Just after we had started receiving fish from Abalobi, I got a message from David, one of the fishers, thanking me. He said it was the start of the new school year, and for the first time, he was able to buy a brand-new school uniform for his child. That moment really stayed with me. It was such a simple thing, but it meant so much. It reminded me that by choosing to work with Abalobi, we weren’t just buying fish – we were directly supporting families and helping make a real difference in people’s lives.”

Woolworths also work with Abalobi as their preferred supplier for fish, as part of their Fishing for the Future programme.

But in addition to being a hardcore chef, Kerry is a mom – to Alex (6) and Daniel (3) – and thus knows her way around an air fryer.

Can raw fish be air fried?

In a word: yes. But it can become dry and it’s much easier to overcook it than when pan-frying. You can also cook frozen fish. But don’t defrost it first as this keeps crumbed products crispier.

Fish schnitzel recipe

So, should you air fry your fish?

Yes, the air fryer is a great tool for cooking fish – especially if you’re trying to avoid the mess, expense and calories of deep-frying. It’s particularly good for getting crumbed fish crispy and is faster and more electricity efficient than switching on an oven. (Which is handy if you live in South Africa and have some loadshedding coming up soon!). But you can also cook un-crumbed fish fillets in the air fryer, by following the how-to steps below.

1. The type of fish you choose to air fry is important. A firm flaky fish works well, or a nice thick fatty fish such as salmon. I personally really like Cape bream, which is a rather small fish with a thin fillet so sandwiching two fillets together works well to not overcook it and to keep it nice and moist inside. Check out Kerry’s recipe for air-fried fish with sundried tomato filling here.
2. Know for how long you need to cook fish in the air fryer. For frozen fish products, follow the instructions on the packaging. These vary but usually take around 15–20 minutes for crumbed hake portions or 22–25 minutes for thicker fishcakes. For fresh, unfrozen fish, it really depends on the thickness of your fillet and your air fryer. “I always think it’s best to undercook and add more time if need be,” says Kerry. Start with 6 minutes at 180°C for a 1–1½ cm-thick fish fillet. Thicker cuts or sandwiched or stuffed pieces of fish might take as long as 12 minutes. In general, fish cooks fast and is very easy to overcook, so check it a few minutes before the end of the cooking time.

   3. To cook fresh fish in an air fryer with no breading, use a light brush or spray of olive oil. You can also use a simple butter-lemon marinade to help retain moisture and enhance the flavour. Watch it like a hawk though as it will cook fast!

   4. To tell when fish is cooked through, it should be opaque and flake easily. Of course, if you’re cooking sushi grade tuna or salmon, it's fine to eat these in a rarer form.

How to cook fish fillets in an air fryer

Air-fried fish with sundried tomato filling recipe

Follow the step-by-step guide below for foolproof air-fried fish every time:

1. Choose a thick-ish fillet of fish. Opt for firm, flaky fish or a fatty fish such as salmon.
2. Brush with olive oil or lemon butter sauce and season with salt and pepper.
3. To retain even more moisture, mix together breadcrumbs, herbs, mozzarella and a little melted butter and top the fillets with this.
4. Arrange on air-fryer parchment paper. Don’t overcrowd the basket. Air needs to circulate evenly for consistent cooking.
5. Cook in an air fryer for 6 minutes at 180°C. Check if the fish is done to your liking. If not, cook for a couple more minutes and check again.
6. Let the fish rest for a minute or two before serving. This allows juices to settle before serving, keeping it juicy.

How can you prevent fish from going dry in the air fryer?

Kerry recommends the following:

•  Start at a lower temperature. You can always increase the heat later to crisp the top without drying it out.
• Use a herb crust layer to create a barrier that locks in moisture. Stuffing two fillets together also protects delicate pieces.
• Cook on parchment paper. This reduces sticking and helps catch juices, keeping the fish tender.
• Choose thicker cuts if possible: thicker fillets are more forgiving and stay moist longer.
• Don’t overcrowd the basket. Air needs to circulate evenly for consistent cooking.
• Let the fish rest for a minute or two before serving, this allows juices to settle before serving, keeping it juicy.

Angelfish wrap recipe

Here are three air-fried fish recipes to try:

1. Air-fryer Tuscan salmon

This recipe from air-fryer goddess Lelia Castello comes together with just six ingredients and in under 30 minutes.

Air-fryer Tuscan salmon recipe

2. Air-fryer roast chicken

Succulent, juicy and citrusy, this air-fryer roast chicken might even be better than Abigail’s oven version. And that is saying something!

Air-fryer roast chicken recipe

3. Air-fryer falafel

Love falafel but don’t feel like deep-frying? The air fryer is your friend! These flavourful falafel are great stuffed into pitas with hummus and tzatziki.

Air-fryer falafel recipe