Maple Glazed Salmon

This maple glazed salmon recipe wows everyone! It’s fast and easy, covered in a luscious balsamic maple Dijon sauce.

Need a healthy salmon recipe for weeknights? Try this Maple Glazed Salmon! The fish comes out perfectly tender and flaky, the best part? It’s liberally spread with a sweet and tangy maple balsamic glaze. This turns out so tasty and takes only a few minutes to cook in the broiler. It’s our favorite quick method for cooking salmon. Even our kids couldn’t stop eating this one!

Ingredients in maple glazed salmon

This maple glazed salmon recipe requires just 5 ingredients, plus olive oil and salt (which are basics we hope you already have on hand). The basic idea? You’ll simmer the maple syrup, vinegar, and Dijon with garlic until slightly thickened. Paint it on the salmon, throw it in the broiler until tender, then remove and paint it with the remaining glaze! Here are the ingredients you’ll need:

• Salmon fillets
• Pure maple syrup
• Balsamic vinegar
• Dijon mustard
• Garlic
• Olive oil and salt

Buying the best salmon

How to find the best piece of fish for maple glazed salmon? In general, grab the best quality fish you can afford. The recipe tastes good with most types of salmon. But we’ve found low quality frozen salmon can taste very fishy, and high-quality wild caught fresh salmon is much tastier.

• Try fresh, not frozen. You can use frozen salmon if you like, but we find the highest quality salmon that cooks the best is fresh.
• Buy wild caught salmon. Fish that is wild caught in your country is usually a sustainable choice. There are also quality options in well-regulated farms; see this Sustainable Salmon Guide.
• Coho is a good choice. We tend to like Coho salmon for its mild flavor: it’s a good middle of the road option in terms of price. Of course, King salmon is incredible but it’s on the expensive end. Sockeye salmon is a great choice, too.

How to cook maple glazed salmon

Broiling salmon is a quick method and makes for a crispy, browned top on the salmon. This makes it our favorite way to cook it, which we chose for this maple glazed salmon. The downside? It can easily get overcooked, so you’ve got to watch it closely. Here are a few tips on how to broil salmon:

• A food thermometer is ideal. The exact timing for when it is done depends on your broiler and the thickness of the fish. It will be different every time: so watch closely! A food thermometer is the optimal method for judging whether it’s done.
• Most broilers are about 3 to 5 inches from the heating element. If yours is closer, take care and watch the salmon during the cook time.
• Watch closely: the optimal internal temperature is 125 to 130°F. It should be just tender and pink at the center. Estimate 4 to 5 minutes for very thin salmon or 7 to 10 minutes for 1-inch thick salmon: the internal temperature should be 125 to 130°F when measured at the thickest point.

Alternative: make it baked!

Don’t have a broiler, or prefer another cooking method? You can make baked salmon instead! Here’s what to do:

• Follow the instructions in this Baked Salmon recipe.
• Paint on the maple glaze before baking, and after baking, as specified in the recipe below.
• Keep in mind baking produces a softer fish texture, whereas broiling makes a slightly crispier top.

Sides to serve with maple glazed salmon

Make this maple glazed salmon into a meal with some quick sides! Here are a few easy side dishes that come together quickly to make a lightening fast healthy meal:

• Broccoli: This Quick Broccoli and Cheese or Pan Fried Broccoli are lightening fast, or try Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower.
• Beans: Try Borlotti Beans or Easy White Beans.
• Rice: Go for Spinach Rice, Lemon Rice or Pesto Rice.
• Green Beans or Peas: These Sauteed Green Beans, Sauteed Broccolini or Peas with Lemon are fast and simple.
• Salads: Throw together Goat Cheese Salad, Arugula Salad, Spring Mix Salad or Classic Wedge Salad.

More salmon recipes

Salmon is a go-to for us for fast and easy dinner ideas! Here are a few more of our favorite salmon recipes:

• Make tasty Sheet Pan Salmon, Miso Salmon, Salmon Burgers or Salmon Tacos
• Whip up with Salmon Pasta or Honey Garlic Salmon
• Try Pistachio Crusted Salmon or Lemon Garlic Salmon with lemon butter sauce
• Try basics like Oven Baked Salmon, Grilled Salmon, Marinated Salmon, or Pan Seared Salmon

01

Easy Pan Seared Salmon

02

Pesto Salmon

03

Easy Oven Baked Salmon

04

Salmon Tacos with Avocado Sauce

This maple glazed salmon recipe is…

Gluten-free and pescatarian.

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