---
title: "AirFryday: How to cook frozen fish fillets in an air fryer"
description: "When we introduced our weekly AirFryday feature early in 2023, this was one of our first recipes. We’ve picked up a lot of AirFryday devotees since then, so here’s a reprise of it while Food Editor Tony Jackman is away for a week."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "WHAT’S COOKING"
author: "Tony Jackman"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/tony/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-05-17-whats-cooking-today-how-to-cook-frozen-fish-fillets-in-an-air-fryer/"
published: "2024-05-17T12:30:10"
updated: "2024-05-08T11:11:33"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 346
---

# AirFryday: How to cook frozen fish fillets in an air fryer

> When we introduced our weekly AirFryday feature early in 2023, this was one of our first recipes. We’ve picked up a lot of AirFryday devotees since then, so here’s a reprise of it while Food Editor Tony Jackman is away for a week.

By Tony Jackman · Published 17 May 2024, 14:30 SAST · Updated 8 May 2024, 13:11 SAST

## Key points
- Frozen crumbed hake fillets can be tricky to cook, so I try to air fry them instead. Air fryers need to be preheated to 190 degrees Celsius and the fillets should be coated in cooking oil before being placed in the oven-like appliance. I cook them for 10 minutes at 190 degrees Celsius and then turn them over and cook for another 3-4 minutes. They come out perfectly every time and are a big hit with my family.
- Ready solution for a quick weeknight supper: Frozen hake fillets
- Cooking them in an air fryer is the most successful way to cook frozen fish fillets
- Fillets should go straight from the freezer into the preheated air fryer, with space between them for hot air to circulate
- Serve with chips adapted for an air fryer and lemon wedges, season with salt before eating

## Content

Let’s be honest. There isn’t always time (or budget) to source fresh fish, and families need a ready solution on hand for a quick weeknight supper. Personally, I do love to buy fresh fish from the fish shop in the docks at Gqeberha, but that’s a half-day drive from h0me. So you will find frozen hake fillets in the Jackman freezer.

I find them tricky to cook in a frying pan. The heat veers in an instant from too hot to not hot enough, or vice versa. One side catches almost every time. I don’t like doing them in the oven, since it’s far from economical. I’m also allergic to my microwave oven, which leads us to the air fryer which I’m liking more and more every day.

A quick Google told me that, as with frying them, fish fillets need to go straight from the freezer into the air fryer, after preheating it. I tried it and they came out perfectly the first time. They’re undoubtedly the most successful frozen fish fillets I’ve cooked. It’s a big win.

Here’s how I did it…

**Ingredients**

Frozen crumbed hake fillets (however many you want to cook)

Cooking oil spray

Lemon wedges

[Granny Betty’s air fryer chips](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-11-28-whats-cooking-today-granny-bettys-air-fryer-chips/) (as many as you want)

Salt to taste

**Method**

Don’t defrost the fillets. They need to come straight out of the freezer and into the preheated air fryer.

Preheat the air fryer drawer at 190℃ for 5 minutes.

Coat the base with cooking oil spray. Place the fillets in, with space between them for the hot air to circulate, and cook for 10 minutes at 190℃.

Turn them over carefully and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes.

Serve with my mom’s [family-favourite chips](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-11-28-whats-cooking-today-granny-bettys-air-fryer-chips/), the recipe for which I’ve adapted for an air fryer, and lemon wedges. Season with salt before eating. **DM**

*Tony Jackman is Galliova Food Writer 2023, jointly with TGIFood columnist Anna Trapido. Order his book, foodSTUFF,*[*here*](mailto:tony@dailymaverick.co.za)

*Follow Tony Jackman on Instagram*[*@tony\_jackman\_cooks*](https://www.instagram.com/tony_jackman_cooks/)*.*

*This dish is photographed on a plate by*[*Mervyn Gers Ceramics*](https://www.mervyngers.com/)*.*