Maple Glazed Salmon

Each bite of this Maple Glazed Salmon is sweet, perfectly seasoned and bursting with melt in your mouth flavor!  This is the ultimate healthy weeknight dinner that takes mere minutes to make!  

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A close up of Maple Salmon being eaten with a fork for dinner

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The Heart and Soul of the Best Maple Glazed Salmon Recipe

I’m a believer in eating good all the time. Food is a source of comfort and joy for me. I look forward to having breakfast with my daughter or going out to the occasional date night dinner with my husband. Time with my family is spent laughing over a table filled with delectable bites. 

Unfortunately, I can’t always justify meals that consist of fried chicken and bundt cakes. But that doesn’t mean I’ve got to sacrifice flavor! Maple Glazed Salmon recipe is a decadent, yet healthy alternative for your weeknight dinner. Let me tell you how it’s done. 

Cuisine Inspiration: North American Fusion
A delightful mix of American flavors with a touch of Canadian maple sweetness.

Primary Cooking Method: Pan-Seared & Glazed
Crisp outside, tender inside, beautifully coated with a maple glaze.

Dietary Info: Pescatarian & Gluten-Free
Omega-3 packed salmon goodness, without the gluten.

Key Flavor: Sweet & Smoky Maple
A tantalizing sweet maple syrup with a hint of smoky depth.

Skill Level: Intermediate
Delicious sophistication without the chef training.

Sweet Highlights:

  • Sweet & Savory Blend: Maple’s lusciousness meets salmon’s savor.
  • Quick Gourmet: Fancy taste, without the long prep time.
  • Health Meets Taste: Packed with heart-healthy omega-3s.
  • Dinner Star: Great for everyday meals or special occasions.
  • Pairs Beautifully: Best with white wine or a light salad.
Maple glaze being spooned over salmon fillets before roasting for dinner

Ingredients

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Maple glazed salmon prepped to bake for dinner

Ingredients

For the Maple Glaze:

  • Pure Maple Syrup: Liquid gold from the trees, baby!
  • Brown Sugar: Sweet depth like your fave R&B tune.
  • Fresh Lime Juice: A zesty punch to keep things lively.
  • Minced Garlic: Because everything’s better with a hint o’ garlic.
  • Paprika: That smoky undertone that’ll make your taste buds dance.
  • Black Pepper: A lil’ kick to spice things up.

For the Seasoning:

  • Wild Salmon Filets: Only the best from Mother Nature’s waters.
  • Salt and Pepper: The OGs of flavor elevation, am I right?
  • Garlic Powder: Doubling down on that garlic love.
  • Onion Powder: Bringing in its savory sidekick.
  • Paprika: A touch more of that smoky charm.
  • Creole Seasoning: A nod to the bayou vibes.
  • Cayenne Pepper (optional): Turn up the heat if you dare!
Maple Glazed Salmon removed from oven after baking and broiling on foil

How to Make Maple Glazed Salmon

For that Lip-Smacking Maple Glaze:

  1. Fire up that oven and set it to a toasty 375°F.
  2. In a bowl, whisk together all those glaze ingredients until they’re besties. Set aside for the magic moment.

For the Salmon Seasoning:

  1. Start by giving each salmon side a little pat-down with a paper towel. It’s all about removing any extra moisture.
  2. Season both sides of your salmon with a pinch of salt and pepper.
  3. Mix up all those remaining spices. Whisk ’em good and set aside.
  4. Lay your salmon in the heart of a large piece of greased or non-stick foil. There should be enough foil on the sides to wrap up your salmon like a snug little gift.
  5. Sprinkle that zesty seasoning mix all over your salmon, patting it in gently to make sure it sticks.
  6. Time for the star of the show: Drizzle that dreamy maple glaze over the salmon. Yum!
  7. Now, fold up the foil sides to make a neat little salmon parcel. Need more foil? No sweat, just layer it on top and seal it up.
  8. Let your salmon bake in the oven for 14-15 minutes, or until it’s nearly done.
  9. Here’s the fun part: Switch your oven to ‘broil’. Carefully open up the foil and pop the salmon back in for about 2 minutes. Watch it closely until it turns a beautiful golden hue.

Tips

Salmon is pretty much the easiest protein to cook: it’s fast, easy and delicious. But if you’re new to seafood, cooking a piece of fish for the first time can be intimidating. 

Use Non-Stick or Greased Foil

Salmon has a nasty habit of sticking to any surface that it’s being cooked on. The crispy underside of the fillet is the best part of this dish, so let’s not lose it. Fold the sides of the foil to enclose the salmon. 

Be Careful! 

Steam has been trapped in your foil packet for the 15 minutes that the salmon has been cooking. If you open the packet too abruptly, the steam will burst out and dole out a nasty steam burn. Ouch. 

Allow your salmon to rest for a minute in the foil then openly slowly, away from your face. Or, poke a few holes around the foil with a fork to allow steam to release before opening. 

How to Know When It’s Cooked 

Salmon changes from translucent to an opaque pink while it’s cooking. If the meat is beginning to flake but is still a bit translucent in the middle, it’s done. Feel free to stick your fillet back in the oven if it’s not there yet! 

Maple salmon filet served next to steamed broccoli for weeknight dinner

How To Serve

This part is 100% down to preference. Maple Glazed Salmon can be served a million different ways. Serve your fillet on top of a salad, alongside your favorite roasted vegetables or on a bed of Rice and Peas or Jollof Rice. You can even get a little crazy and take the remains to make delicious Salmon Burgers.

Can salmon be reheated?

Got some leftovers you don’t wanna miss out on? I got you. Cooked salmon can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months if stored properly. 

Fish is quite delicate and finicky, so we’ve got to be a bit careful when reheating. Using the microwave will not only stink up your space but it will also dry out your fish. Same goes for throwing it in a skillet. Instead, put your salmon on a bit of foil and reheat it at 350 in a conventional oven.  Or if you want, use leftover salmon to make Salmon Cakes.

Other Great Salmon Recipes to Try

A close up of Maple Salmon being eaten with a fork for dinner

Maple Glazed Salmon Recipe

Each bite of this Maple Glazed Salmon is sweet, perfectly seasoned and bursting with melt in your mouth flavor! This is the ultimate healthy weeknight dinner that takes mere minutes to make!
4.48 from 71 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

For the Maple Glaze

  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
  • 3 tbsp light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 2 tsp garlic minced
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper

For the Seasoning

  • 2 lbs salmon cut into filets
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • 1/8 tsp creole seasoning
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper optional
  • kosher salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste

Instructions

For the Maple Glaze

  • Preheat oven to 375.
  • Whisk together all glaze ingredients and set aside.

For the Seasoning

  • Pat each side of salmon with a paper towel to remove extra moisture then season both sides with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Whisk together the remaining spices and set aside.
  • Add salmon to the direct center of a large piece of greased or non stick foil with enough on the sides to fold over when baking. Sprinkle seasoning on top of salmon and make sure to pat in.
  • Spoon the maple glaze over the top of the salmon. Fold the sides of the foil up to completely enclose the salmon. If you need more foil, just layer over the top and close.
  • Bake for about 14-15 minutes or until salmon is almost done cooking.  Remove salmon from the oven.
  • Change your setting to broil , uncover the foil and place salmon under the broiler for about 2 minutes or until golden then remove from oven.

Notes

Salmon changes from translucent to an opaque pink while it’s cooking. If the meat is beginning to flake but is still a bit translucent in the middle, it’s done. Feel free to stick your fillet back in the oven if it’s not there yet! 
Use real maple syrup not artificial.

Nutrition

Calories: 472kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 107mg | Potassium: 1214mg | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 266IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 2mg
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Filed Under:  Main Dishes, Oven, Seafood

Comments

  1. This was a quick and delicious new way to make salmon! I baked in a dish in the over and then transferred to a pan on the stove to thicken the glaze. I don’t like to use the broiler much. Next time I think odd add even more cayenne 🙂

  2. Best salmon I’ve had in a while! I used coconut sugar so it had some delicious flavor from that 😉 and then I used dried minced garlic and I was in LOVE with the little umami crunchies. So much flavor and so much juicy flakiness! Love love this recipe and will definitely keep it in the books.

  3. I made this last night and it was delicious. My son even loved it, and he is so picky. I didn’t have quite enough lime juice as what the recipe asked for but it still was delicious. Thanks. I can’t wait to try another of your recipes.

  4. Thank you! My daughter requested Maple Glazed Salmon and I found your recipe. I made this for dinner tonight and everyone LOVED it! Like a prevous commenter said: This is a keeper.

  5. So delicious! Made this a few weeks ago and my family is requesting it again! Really easy to make as well.

  6. I made this last night and it came out so good!!! My salmon took a little longer to cook than the recipe instructions, but I think that’s because I had a pretty thick cut. The salmon was tender and very flavorful. Will definitely be making again!

  7. Best salmon recipe of my life! highly recommend. I used half the amount of brown sugar and it was perfect for me and my fam. 🙂

4.48 from 71 votes (41 ratings without comment)

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