Our air fryer whole fish recipe with no breading is a healthy meal that is high protein, keto friendly and delicious. Cheaper than fillets but with the same great flavors. Now you can enjoy crispy skin and flaky insides.
This meal has been a fun new discovery we have enjoyed often this month. Experimenting with different small fish like this dorado and different seasonings makes dinner fun and tasty too. Just one of many easy air fryer recipes we have shared on our site recently.
Ok so you may not be used to seeing “someone” looking back at you on the dinner table. Don’t be scared they won’t judge you. 😉 No but really, if you haven’t cooked a fish whole yet it is easier than you might think!
If you have only eaten fillets of air fryer mahi mahi before you are in for a treat. Once you have cleaned and scaled it, you can simply season it and cook it which is way easier to prepare than if you were to slice it into fillets.
You actually can cook frozen fish to tender without defrosting too! In the oven 450 F works best but typical machines only go up to 400 degrees F so set it to that. Here are directions for that;
Ingredient Notes
With this I am showing you how to cook a small white whole fish, the size should fit into basket quite well. Other smaller varieties might fit just as well. You will want some olive oil to keep the outsides moist and allow the seasonings to stick well too.
What fish is small enough to fit in an air fryer?
There are three that I have found that I have used on a regular basis. Sea bream (seen here), small red snapper or tilapia fish usually work well. Look at your local grocery store to see what they have. If there isn’t much ask the butcher as they can typically order whatever you’d like.
Without Breading
Last week we shared how to fry a whole fish on the stove, or deep fryer. That was pretty delicious but we wondered if skipping the oil would make it just as tasty and it was.
Breaded Whole Fish (option)
Another would be to dredge whole in whisked egg and then press into Panko breadcrumbs. This will give you more of a coating like on our air fryer catfish. The cook time wouldn’t really change.
As far as seasonings go use what you normally would when making individual pieces of air fryer tilapia really. If you remove the scales and season well it is really delicious to enjoy the outsides in bite size pieces like chips!
How Long to Cook Whole Fish in Air Fryer
You will want to cook for about 15 minutes or until inside flesh is white, no longer translucent, the skin is as golden browned, and internal temperature is 145 degrees F. Allow fried fish to cool slightly, slice down center to fillet open and flat and enjoy flaky tender fish inside. Once you fall in love with this one we have a bunch of other air fryer fish recipes you should try too.
Ninja Air Fryer Whole Fish
For this option you will use the same timing. The only difference is you use the lid that is attached with the air crisp button on the front.
Frozen Whole Fish in Air Fryer
Remove frozen fish from the freezer, the bag or packaging around it. Under cool water rinse and remove ice crystals. Preheat air fryer to 400 for 5 minutes. Brush with olive oil on all sides. Lay frozen fish in air fryer (that fits into basket) Air fry for 5 minutes Flip over and continue cooking for about 10-12 more minutes until insides reach 145 F in thickest part.
How to Get Crispy Fish Skin
There are two options as far as this goes. You can make it as directed below without breading at all on the outside. If you love crispy fish skin chips then this is the one for you. Just filet open, enjoy the insides and if you want it crunchier you could dice it up and throw back in at 400 degrees, spray with oil for a few minutes tossing along the way until they almost become chip-like!
FAQ
It is best to remove the scales first. Many prefer to remove the fins and tail as well so it fits better (and won’t be eaten anyway). Slice it down the belly and remove the inners too. Leave the head on to achieve the ideal texture inside though, you can remove that easily when done.
Technically yes you can but leaving the guts inside a whole fish can make the meat taste bad. Especially in smaller fish you should remove the inners before baking, smoking or air frying to achieve the best tasting meat.
Best way to know when a whole fish is cooked through is to use a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should reach 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
Red snapper, bass, trout, sea bream and tilapia are the favored whole fish. Of course this depends on your preferences but these varieties have the best flavors eaten fresh right out of the water.
If you have a leftover cooked fish you can save it for later. You would need to store it wrapped tightly in saran wrap and in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You need to add some moisture when reheating so it doesn’t dry out. Open it up and slide a few pats of butter inside. Put it in a pan over medium heat with a lid on it and a few tbsp of water inside so it can steam to warmed in a few minutes.
Air Fryer Whole Fish Recipe
Equipment
- 1 air fryer
- 1 knife
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 375 for 5 minutes.
- Rinse fish, leave on head, use a knife to remove scales, trim fins, and slice open the belly to remove the guts and slide in slices of fresh lemon, fresh dill sprigs and any seasonings you'd like to sprinkle inside as well. Salt and pepper if nothing else is great.
- Pat outside of fish dry with paper towels and brush olive oil on both sides. Sprinkle seasonings on both sides.
- Lay on a piece of parchment paper and into basket (can add halved cherry tomatoes around it if you like).
- Cook for about 15 minutes (about 10 to 12 minutes per inch of thickness) or until inside flesh is white, no longer translucent, the skin is as golden browned, and internal temperature is 145 degrees F.
- Allow to cool slightly, slice down center to fillet open and flat and enjoy flaky tender fish inside.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Air frying fish will give you the same texture you love if you were deep frying it. Takes a little bit longer, depending on how thick it is. If you wanted to make this like air fryer fish and chips meal you could then cook fries in the machine and keep this warm or I would do the opposite. The fries will stay warm longer than this will and cold fish is kinda’ ek.
