By cooking frozen fish fillets in air fryer, you can have a delicious main dish ready in just 15-20 minutes. Great meal idea for busy weeknights or when you're looking for a simple dinner with minimal cleanup.
And while the fish is cooking, you can easily prepare our homemade tartar sauce for serving.
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The convenience of air frying frozen fish
I always keep a pack of frozen fish fillets in my freezer. While fresh fish is much better in taste and texture, it usually needs to be cooked on the day of purchase.
Frozen fish offers the convenience of being ready to cook at any moment without even thawing.
Just like you can easily cook frozen chicken breasts in your air fryer, frozen steaks, or frozen shrimp without thawing, you can also prepare fish from frozen, achieving a tender and flavorful meal with minimal effort.
Next time you're thinking about making chicken nuggets (which, let's be honest, are pretty awesome) again on a busy weeknight, why not try frozen fish fillets in your air fryer instead? You do not even have to thaw them.
This recipe is versatile and works with any type of fish. The most common types of fish sold frozen and boneless include sockeye salmon, cod, tilapia, and haddock.
Additionally, you can also prepare breaded frozen fillets, which are often made from Pollock.
Ingredients
Below is an overview of the ingredients you will need for this recipe.
Please, see the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the ingredients quantities.
- Frozen white fish fillet: for this recipe, I used frozen wild cod fillets. You can use other types of white fish fillets.
- Lemon: for cooking add a few lemon wedges for serving. Lemon adds a fresh and bright taste to the dish.
- Olive oil: Olive oil works best for fish as it adds a nice flavor. But you can also use avocado oil or vegetable oil.
- Herbs: you can use dried or fresh herbs. I used dried oregano this time.
- Spices and salt: I used salt, garlic powder, and black pepper.
Step-by-step directions
Follow these simple steps, accompanied by illustrative images, to learn how to prepare air fryer frozen fish fillets without breading.
Preheat your air fryer for about 5 minutes at 400 degrees F. Remove the frozen fish fillet from the packaging, place it on a plate, and gently pat it dry with a paper towel.
In a small bowl add olive oil, lemon juice, salt, dried oregano, garlic powder, and black pepper. Stir everything to combine.
Brush the olive oil mixture generously all over the frozen fish.
Place the fish in the preheated air fryer basket in a single layer and cook for about 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees F degrees.
Take it out and check if it is cooked through. The internal temperature of the fish should reach at least 145 degrees F.
The cooking time may vary depending on how thick and large the fillets are.
Recipe tips
- If there's ice or frost on the fillets, pat them dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
- Mix the seasonings with oil so the seasoning sticks better to the frozen fish.
- If you cook more than one fillet, ensure they are approximately the same size and avoid overcrowding the basket.
- Start checking the fish after 15 minutes of cooking and use a meat thermometer to ensure it is fully cooked and to prevent it from overcooking.
Side ideas and serving
Fish pairs well with vegetables, salads, pasta, and grains. This variety of side dishes can help you with creating a variety of family-friendly meals. You can also turn it into fish sandwiches, fish tacos, or wraps.
Below are a few ideas on how you can complete the meal:
- Salads: arugula, goat cheese, and beet salad, creamy carrot with raising salad, purple cabbage coleslaw, grated raw beet salad.
- Vegetables: roasted green beans and potatoes, air fryer carrots and potatoes, air fryer zucchini fries, purple mashed potatoes, sweet potato french fries, sweet potato rounds, air fryer crispy potato wedges.
- Pasta and grains: buckwheat groats, beetroot pasta, fennel risotto, millet.
How to store
When cooking fish from frozen, it is best to enjoy it right away. That's why I always prepare the amount needed for one serving.
If you have any leftover fish fillets, place them in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for 1-2 days.
To reheat, pop the cooked fish in the microwave and reheat it for about 1 minute or until hot. You can also reheat it in the air fryer at low heat (about 350°F).
I do not recommend freezing cooked fish, as the texture and flavor will change.
Recipe FAQ
Yes, you can air fry frozen fish without thawing. The air fryer method is the best way to cook frozen foods. The air fryer cooks the fish from frozen evenly, with less oil, less time, and minimal cleanup. The fish comes out flaky and juicy on the inside and golden brown with crispy edges on the outside.
When making frozen fish in an air fryer that has no breading, I do not recommend flipping it because you can risk the fillet falling apart. I never flip mine, and it always comes out perfectly cooked with crispy edges. As for breaded fish fillets, flip it halfway through cooking time.
To check, if your air-fried dish is done, use a meat thermometer to ensure it reaches the safe internal temperature, which is 145°F (63°C). Additionally, fish should flake easily with a fork.
Yes, you can cook breaded frozen fish fillets using this recipe. Spray the basket with an oil cooking spray, skip the seasoning mix. Air fry breaded frozen fish fillets at 400°F for about 15 minutes or until white and flaky inside.
More air fryer main dishes
- Air fryer chicken patties
- Air fryer frozen chicken wings
- Air fryer chicken thighs
- Air fryer chicken meatballs
- Air fryer muffin meatloaves
- Air fryer fajitas
- Air fryer ground turkey
- Air fryer steak tips
📖 Recipe
Frozen Fish Fillets in Air Fryer (No Breading)
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer Ninja was used for making this recipe
Ingredients
- 1 frozen fish fillet, raw and without breading cod or other white fish
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano or other herbs
- ¼ teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, adjust to taste
- 1 lemon wedges, for serving optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste), ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Remove the frozen fish fillet from any packaging and place it on a plate. Pat it dry with a paper towel. With a brush or your hands, evenly apply the olive oil and lemon juice mix to sides of the frozen fish.
- Place the seasoned fish in the preheated air fryer basket. Cook for about 15-20 minutes at 400°F (204°C), until the internal temperature reaches 145°F (63°C).
Notes
- The cooking time may vary, as all air fryers are different and also it depends on the thickness of the fish.
- If you cook more than 1 fillet at a time, do not forget to adjust the amount of seasoning and oil.
- Experiment with different seasoning and herbs.
Penny says
Tried this tonight and , what a hit! Will definitely pass this on to my friends and family with air fryers💜
Nataliia says
Thank you for your feedback, I am very happy the recipe turned out great.
John says
Frozen fish sucks!
Not your fault.
Nataliia says
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I totally get it—fresh fish can make a big difference in flavor. But, in some places, frozen fish is more accessible, especially if you’re looking for wild-caught options since many 'fresh' fish are previously frozen anyway. This recipe works well with either, so feel free to use what you have.
Sharon says
Why did you rate at all when you don't even like the main ingredient?