It has been too hot (again) to turn on the oven, so I've been relying on my air fryer to make dinner, and this Spinach-Casserole-Topped Salmon turned out just as good--maybe better--when cooked in the air fryer rather than the oven. I used thin salmon fillets that I thawed from frozen. Fresh would have been better, but the frozen were available and less expensive. The salmon got a topping of chopped fresh spinach held together with plenty of cheese and some seasoned Panko bread crumbs. The spinach-topped salmon cooked in about 30 minutes and came out of the air fryer moist, with plenty of flavor from the spinach topping, and slightly crispy on top. The recipe makes plenty of topping--enough for four salmon fillets--which I piled high atop the two fish fillets I had thawed out. If you want to make the recipe for four people, double the quantity of fish but keep the spinach topping amount the same and spread it among the four fillets. You can also decrease the cooking time a little (about 20 minutes should be plenty). The salmon goes well with rice and a salad. Enjoy!
Air Fryer Spinach-Casserole-Topped Salmon -- Serves 2
2 small salmon fillets, each about 1/4 - 1/2-inch thick (or use 4 for 4 people)
1/4 teaspoon of salt (optional)
1/4 teaspoon of pepper (optional)
2 cups of chopped fresh spinach (about 4 handfuls before chopping)
1 tablespoon of minced dried onion (the dried onion will absorb moisture from the
spinach)
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/4 cup of plain yogurt (non-fat or light is fine)
1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup of shredded Italian-style cheese
1/4 cup of seasoned Panko bread crumbs, plus a little extra to sprinkle
Line the bottom and about 2 inches up the sides your air fryer basket with aluminum foil and spritz the foil with non-stick cooking spray. Pat the fillets dry with a paper towel and place them, not touching, on the foil. Sprinkle the fillets with salt and pepper, if you'd like. In a medium bowl or measure combine the spinach, dried onion, garlic powder, yogurt, Parmesan cheese, and Italian shredded cheese until well combined. Stir in the Panko bread crumbs until the mixture blends and becomes cohesive. Mound about half the mixture on top of each salmon fillet, flattening the mixture out a bit with your hand to fit and stick to the fillet. Sprinkle a teaspoon or two of additional Panko on top of each spinach-topped fillet and spritz the crumbs with a little non-stick cooking spray. Put the filled basket in your air fryer and air fry the spinach-topped salmon at 320 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown on top. Remove the salmon from the air fryer basket using the aluminum foil to lift the fillets out and onto a plate. Let the salmon cool a few minutes before serving it.
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