The salmon en papillote is the best way for me to prepare salmon fillets, as well as the lightest and easiest! For the upcoming Christmas and New Year holidays, it’s truly a great idea to make because it is simple, can be prepared in advance, and cooked at the last minute. With the air fryer, it’s done in a flash… 
Of course, it can also be cooked in a traditional oven, the process is the same, but I think it might take a bit longer in the oven… 
In the air fryer, it comes out very tender, we delighted ourselves at the table, and there’s also a sauce that… mmmm it’s so good! Let’s get started!
Some side dishes for this dish:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Air Frying
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients
- 10.6 oz fresh salmon (better to use single fillets of about 5.3 oz each)
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 organic lemon (juice and grated zest)
- to taste salt and pepper
- Points per serving = 8 WW points
Tools
- Air Fryer
Preparation
I should note that I initially tried this with just one salmon fillet, so you’ll see only one in the photos, but it’s possible to place multiple fillets in the same packet, depending on the size of your air fryer!
First, grate some lemon zest and set it aside to decorate the final dish. Prepare the salmon fillets by ensuring there are no bones left in the fillet. Brush the parchment paper with oil and place the salmon on top, then brush the fillets on and around. Squeeze a bit of lemon juice onto the fillets, lightly salt them, and cover the salmon with lemon slices. Seal the packet well so that the juice that forms inside cannot escape during cooking.
Place the packet in the air fryer tray or any other oven-safe container that fits into the fryer basket. Cook at 356°F (180°C) for 15 minutes. Then, open the packet carefully to avoid burns and remove the lemon slices. Be careful not to spill the cooking liquid, which is so full of flavor to pour over the salmon later!
We’re ready to bring our salmon en papillote to the table! What a delightful lemon aroma it has… I served it on a bed of fresh arugula, pouring the cooking sauce over the fillet, garnishing with grated lemon zest and a sprinkle of multicolored pepper, and accompanying with fresh lemon wedges!
It’s truly a delicious and rich dish. Yes, salmon is a fatty fish, but it provides a lot of Omega 3, so it’s okay to eat it occasionally. This way, it remains very tender and will definitely be on my holiday table!
I leave it to you to judge this recipe and look forward to seeing your photos!
Bon appétit to everyone!
by Giovanna Buono
Notes
Another Christmas classic, since I am Neapolitan, is this Light Octopus Salad. It’s infinitely delicious, try it!
