Maple Glazed Salmon

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You'll love how easy it is to make this maple glazed salmon recipe! It produces the most delicious and tender salmon with a rich, sweet flavor.

This will be one of your new favorite ways to prepare salmon. It will be a hit with the whole family!

Pan-searing the salmon in a sweet sauce adds a robust flavor to an already delicious fish.

The best part is, this easy recipe is ready in about 20 minutes!

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• More Great Salmon Recipes
• Substitutions & Variations
• What to Serve with Salmon
• Storage
• Tips for Making this Recipe
• Maple Glazed Salmon

Ingredients

Here are the basic ingredients you'll need to make this maple-glazed salmon!

• Fresh Salmon Fillets
• Real Maple Syrup (sometimes labeled pure maple syrup)
• Soy Sauce
• Brown Sugar
• Fresh Garlic Cloves
• Lemon Juice
• Olive Oil
• Garlic Powder
• Old Bay Seasoning
• Sea Salt
• Ground Black Pepper

See the recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Pat salmon fillets dry with a paper towel. Brush with ½ tablespoon olive oil. 

Combine garlic powder, old bay seasoning, sea salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly across salmon filets. Pat into the salmon with your fingers.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat.

Once hot, place salmon fillets, skin side down, in the pan. Cook for 6 minutes.

Then flip and cook for an additional minute.

Remove the salmon from the pan and add the maple syrup, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and lemon juice to the pan. Reduce to low heat, and mix till all ingredients are combined. Simmer for 2 minutes to reduce the sauce.

Add the salmon back to the sauce with the skin side facing up. Let the salmon cook for an additional minute or until the fish flakes apart and reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.

Spoon the remaining maple glaze on top of the salmon. Serve with rice and/or vegetables.

More Great Salmon Recipes

Around here, we love salmon on a busy weeknight - try any of our favorite salmon dishes or make one of these easy salmon recipes:

• Easy Broiled Salmon - one of the fastest ways to make a tender and moist salmon dinner!
• Salmon Patties - tasty, hearty patties made with a wonderful blend of aromatics.
• How to Cook Salmon Steaks - pan-seared salmon steaks topped with a flavorful blend of spices.

Substitutions & Variations

Here are some optional substitutions or additional ingredients you can add to this recipe.

• Honey - you can substitute the brown sugar for honey if you'd prefer. I recommend giving the sauce another 30 seconds to 1 minute to thicken up if you swap in honey.
• Oil - feel free to use avocado oil or vegetable oil instead of olive oil to cook the salmon.
• Toppings - you can top the cooked salmon with sesame seeds, sliced green onions, or chopped chives if you'd like a garnish. Serve with optional lemon slices.

What to Serve with Salmon

Check out our full post on side dishes for salmon, or try one of these favorites! Pictured above is salmon served with a simple side of white rice topped with everything bagel seasoning and steamed broccoli.

• Parmesan Roasted Broccoli - the best way to make roasted broccoli. This simple side of light crispy broccoli with parmesan cheese and spices is 10 out of 10.
• Mediterranean Grilled Vegetables - juicy veggies, bursting with flavor and just the right amount of char-grill. You'll love the easy spice blend and the way the sweetness of the vegetables comes out after grilling.
• The Best Green Salad Recipe - this is my absolute favorite green salad. It pairs soft butter lettuce with crispy panko and creamy Pecorino Romano for an outstanding side salad.
• Parmesan Green Beans - roasted green beans topped with a mixture of panko and parmesan for a fantastic side dish!
• Smashed Brussels Sprouts - a fun and tasty side dish that's a unique way to make Brussels sprouts.

Storage

The cooked salmon can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Tips for Making this Recipe

Cooking Tips - Cook time may vary for your salmon if it's especially thick or thin. Typical salmon fillets are about 1-inch thick, requiring about 8 minutes of cook time. If your salmon is thicker, plan to cook it for an additional minute or two during the first phase, when cooking the salmon skin side down in the pan.

Serving Recommendations - You can discard the salmon skin before serving if you don't enjoy it. It's safe to eat, and contains the same vital nutrients and omega-3 fatty acids as the fish (source).

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