Pompano Fish in Air Fryer

Whole Pompano fish made easy in the Air Fryer. This, my friend, is super easy to make, and delicious and you only need a very few ingredients that are always available in a home kitchen. You can easily customize the recipe with your preferred spices and herbs as well. 

Pompano fish can be made in many different ways due to its versatility. It's a fish that I buy all the time from the Asian store closer to my house. I even uploaded my Pan-fried Pompano recipe earlier for you to try. This is my even healthier version of it. So easy to make. Put a few gashes in your cleaned fish (I get it gutted and cleaned from the store) so the spices can penetrate the flesh. Marinate for a few minutes with my very easy, spicy, citrusy marinade (or you can use your favorite for it). And then air fry for 15 minutes. It'd take 30 minutes to prep, cook and serve. Doesn't that sound great to you?

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What does Pompano Fish taste like?

Pompano has a mild, slightly sweet flavor with a rich, buttery undertone. It tastes clean and delicate yet the flesh still has firmness to it. I love that this fish doesn’t smell or taste fishy. The scales are extremely thin and smooth you don’t even notice them that’s there. I honestly thought Pompano has no scales at first cause that’s how unnoticeable they are. And the skin is perfectly edible too.

Is Pompano Fish good for you?

Pompano is a healthy fish that's rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for heart health. It's also a good source of high-quality protein, essential vitamins like B12, and minerals such as selenium. Pompano has a mild, buttery flavor and a tender texture, making it a versatile choice for various dishes. Including pompano in your diet can support overall well-being while adding delicious flavor to your meals.

Seasonings and Air Fryer I use

You can make a really nice Pompano fish in the air fryer even if you used salt and pepper and some lime for acidity. That being said, I like to add some heat and I am also a huge garlic fan. So I use chili powder and granulated garlic in this recipe. If you don't like heat, cut down the amount of chili powder you use. I also add a little bit of turmeric powder for color and health reasons. This is totally optional.

I add avocado oil to the marinade so the fish doesn't dry out in the air fryer and it also helps with flavor and for the skin to crisp up.

I use Cosori 6.8Qt air fryer but this recipe works for any air fryer.

Air Fryer Temp and Time for Pompano Fish

Since I love the skin to crisp up, and the fish cooks very quickly in the air fryer, I air fry at 400F/ 204C. The cooking time however can differ from brand to brand, even from model to model. I use this COSORI 6.8Qt Air Fryer and it usually takes about 16 minutes for me without pre-heating. If I cook a second fish after frying the first one, it usually takes about 14 minutes since the air fryer is already heated up.

The cooking time can vary depending on the thickness of the fish too. The fish I’m using here is roughly about 1.1 lb / 500g. If the pompano fish you’re air frying is bigger than this, you may need to add a few minutes to the frying time. Or if the fish is smaller, or the air fryer is preheated, reduce the cooking time.

It’s always good to have an instant thermometer to check the doneness of the fish. The cooked temperature for fish is 145F/ 63C. 

Recipe Video

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Serving Ideas for Pompano Fish in Air Fryer

I like to serve this dish with some yellow rice, a citrusy salad, and some herbs like parsley chopped up on top.

Also goes well with mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables

A nice mango salsa is also a great choice to serve with this Air fried pompano fish

Or if you like it Asian style, serve it with some freshly cooked Jasmine rice, Sauteed broccoli, and ponzu sauce.