Looking for a healthy and easy dinner option? Try this Air Fryer Trout! The trout fillets are tender and flaky on the inside, and they're ready in just 10 minutes. Perfect for a quick & healthy midweek meal!
You may already know that I'm obsessed with my air fryer! From caramelised bananas to chicken skewers & crispy pork belly, there are so many air fryer recipes you can make, I've even made a tuna melt in it!
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Today, we are going to make this air fryer trout recipe in just 10 minutes!
Cooking trout in the air fryer is such an easy & tasty way to cook it. The air fryer seals in the moisture, leaving the inside flaky & moist. I love cooking sea bass in the air fryer too, in fact, it's the way I cook all my fish now.
If you love salmon fillets, why not try trout instead, as trout has a similar taste and texture that is equally as delicious! Also, salmon lovers, check out these salmon & sweet potato fishcakes too!
Aside from fish (which we can't really substitute in this recipe as it is the main ingredient!), this air fryer rainbow trout is free from all of the other top allergens, so you can safely enjoy it if you are following a dairy-free, gluten-free or nut-free diet.
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🥘 Ingredients You Will Need & Notes
Here's a quick photo showing you everything you'll need to make trout fillets in the air fryer. I've also added a few notes to highlight any extra info or tips for certain ingredients.
✋ Double check all packaging for allergens ✋
- Trout: Rainbow trout or steelhead trout fillets are both good options. These are available in most major supermarkets or from your fishmonger. You can substitute the trout for salmon with similar results.
- Spices: A mixture of garlic powder, oregano, salt & pepper is blended together to make the dry rub seasoning for the trout. Swap the oregano for parsley or coriander for a different herby flavour.
- Lemon: Fresh lemon is sliced and placed on top of the trout fillets before cooking for an extra zing. You can also squeeze a dash of lemon juice over the fillets if you prefer. Use fresh lemon juice, rather than the bottled stuff.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🤔 How Long Does Trout Take To Cook In The Air Fryer?
I have cooked my trout in my trusted Instant Pot Vortex Plus Clear Cook Air Fryer so the timings in this recipe are based on cooking the trout in this particular brand of air fryer.
I preheated the air fryer to 200˚C / 400˚ F and then once preheated I cooked the trout fillets for 8 minutes.
2025 update: I have also tested it in my Ninja dual air fryer. This doesn't have a preheat function & the trout fillets took 11 minutes to cook.
A few different things can affect the timing of cooking your trout, which I have outlined below.
- Brand Of Air Fryer - Different brands of air fryers may cook at a different rate than others so timings may vary a little. I would advise you to check your fish every couple of minutes after the first 5 minutes to see if it is ready.
- Temperature: If you don't preheat the air fryer, you will need to add a few more minutes of cooking time. If you decide to cook the trout fillets at a lower temperature than 200˚C, they will take longer.
- Thickness Of Trout Fillet: Thicker fillets may take a little bit longer, and thinner fillets will not take as long.
✏️ How To Make Air Fryer Trout
⬇️ Here you will find an overview of how to make the recipe. For full information on ingredients and quantities please see the recipe card at the bottom of the page ⬇️
Step 1: To prepare your fish fillets, start by preheating your air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
This will ensure that the air fryer is hot enough to properly cook the fish.
Step 2: Next, in a small bowl, mix together the garlic powder, oregano, salt, and black pepper.
Cut the lemon into thin slices.
Step 3: Pat dry the trout fillets with a kitchen towel.
Removing the excess moisture will help the skin crisp up a little.
Step 4: Using a pastry brush, brush the trout fillets with the olive oil.
This will help the spices stick to the fillets.
Step 5: With your hands, rub the spice mixture all over the trout fillets, making sure that the spice blend is evenly coated on both sides.
Place two slices of lemon on top of each fillet.
Step 6: If using, line the air fryer basket with baking parchment or an air fryer liner, and place the trout fillets in the basket, skin side down.
This will help the skin to get crispy while the flesh cooks evenly.
Step 7: Cook the trout fillets for 8-10 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 63˚C / 145˚F or the flesh is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
You can use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the fish.
If your air fryer doesn't have a preheat function, add a couple of minutes of cooking time.
Step 8: Once the trout fillets are fully cooked, serve them warm from the air fryer. Enjoy!
🤔 Can I Cook Frozen Trout In The Air Fryer?
Absolutely! The great thing about the air fryer is that lots of things can be cooked in it straight from frozen.
While it's better to thaw the trout first for more even cooking, you can cook it from frozen if you're short on time.
Follow the recipe instructions and increase the cooking time to 11-13 minutes.
To be sure it's done, I recommend using a meat thermometer to check that the fish hits an internal temperature of 145˚F.
💡 Lauren's Top Tips
- 🌟 Timings: Depending on whether your air fryer has a preheat function, the cooking timings may vary by a few minutes.
- 🌟 Use A Meat Thermometer: With so many things affecting cook time, a meat thermometer is your best friend. Once the fish hits 63°C (145°F), it's done! I honestly wouldn't be without mine.
- 🌟 No Need To Flip: Place the fish fillets skin side down in the air fryer basket - you don't need to flip them halfway through as the air will circulate and crisp up the trout skin underneath.
- 🌟 Line The Basket: To minimise mess, line the air fryer with some baking parchment or an air fryer liner. (Don't put this into the air fryer basket until the food is in there; otherwise, the paper will blow around)
- 🌟 Vary The Topping: For something a bit different, top the trout with shop-bought or homemade nut free basil pesto before cooking and top with breadcrumbs for extra crunch. You can also sprinkle this Chermoula seasoning or Chinese salt & pepper rub on the trout instead before cooking.
🔨 The Meal Planning Toolbox
🗒️ Make Ahead
Prep the spice rub and slice your lemon in advance. You can even season the fillets in the morning and keep them in the fridge ready to go at dinner time.
🗒️ Batch Cooking
This trout is fab for batch cooking if you're planning to eat it cold - think salads, wraps or sandwich fillings. It's best eaten fresh and hot straight from the air fryer, as reheating can sometimes dry it out.
🗒️ Leftovers/Storage/Reheating
Use any leftover trout in a wrap, flake it into a salad, or mix with a spoonful of mayo for a quick sandwich filling.
Store cooked trout in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
The fish will taste better freshly cooked, but to reheat, warm gently in the microwave or air fryer - just be careful not to overdo it, as the fish can dry out quickly.
🗒️ Freezing
You can safely freeze any cooked fish for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating. I wouldn't recommend this for the best flavour, though, as the fish tends to dry out.
🍴 How To Serve
Air fryer trout tastes fabulous with some rice and roasted Mediterranean vegetables like courgette (zucchini), red onion and cherry tomatoes.
Trout tastes great with potatoes, so why not try these parmentier potatoes, baby hasselback potatoes with garlic & rosemary or air fryer smashed potatoes with some roasted carrots and green beans?
💬 Recipe FAQs
Always place the fish skin side down in the air fryer. The circulating air will still crisp up the skin.
Yes, it's recommended to use parchment paper or an air fryer liner like this when cooking trout in an air fryer. This will prevent the fish from sticking to the basket and make cleanup easier.
📖 More Air Fryer Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you loved this recipe, please leave me a 5🌟 rating or comment below. I really do appreciate it. 😊
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Trout
Equipment
- Air fryer liner or baking parchment
Ingredients
- 2 medium trout fillets
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic granules or 1 x fresh garlic clove
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 medium lemon sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
- In a small bowl, mix together the garlic powder, oregano, salt, and black pepper.
- Cut 4 slices of lemon.
- Pat the trout fillets dry with kitchen towel.
- Brush the trout fillets with olive oil using a pastry brush.
- Rub the spice mixture all over the trout fillets with your hands, making sure to coat the sides.
- Place two slices of lemon on the top of each trout fillet.
- Place the fillets on some baking parchment or an air fryer liner in the air fryer basket, skin side down.
- Cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 63˚C / 145˚F or the flesh is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. (The exact cooking time will depend on the thickness of the fillets and the power of your air fryer.) You can use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the fish.
- Serve the trout fillets warm from the air fryer.
Notes
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