This Easy Maple Glazed Salmon recipe is coated with a sweet and savory glaze made from maple syrup, soy sauce, and other spices. You can bake, pan-sear, grill, or air fry this dish. This is the perfect weeknight dinner to pair with rice or vegetables.
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What Type of Salmon to Use
The best type to use is a matter of preference. The most common types of salmon include:
- Wild and/or Sockeye: Known for its deep red color and rich, oily flavor. It is considered one of the most flavorful types of salmon.
- Atlantic: It is farm raised and has a milder flavor than wild-caught salmon.
- Pink: It is the smallest of the Pacific salmon and has a mild, delicate flavor.
Ultimately, the best type of fresh salmon to use will depend on your personal taste preferences.
Salmon that is sourced from the Atlantic is usually farmed. Farmed means antibiotics and food coloring (to give it a pink color) are used. This adds harmful chemical additives to the fish. So I usually try to look for wild-caught salmon.
You will also want to use individual fillets, as opposed to a full plank (unless grilling or baking). Opt for 6-8oz fillets.
Skin On or Skin Off?
Cooking salmon with the skin on can help to add flavor and keep the fish moist. The skin will also protect the flesh of the salmon while it cooks, this helps prevent it from over-cooking or drying out. When the skin is left on, the fish can be seared, grilled, or baked without sticking to the pan.
Cooking salmon with the skin off will allow the fish to cook more evenly, and the flesh will be exposed to more heat which can be desirable for some cooking methods. Keep in mind the flesh will be more delicate and may dry out more easily without the skin to protect it.
When cooking salmon with the skin on, it’s a good idea to remove it after cooking. It’s super simple to do so, and will usually glide right off. The skin will be crispy and delicious and the flesh will be tender and moist.
What Type of Syrup to Use
You want to use quality maple syrup in this recipe. Regular pancake syrup won’t do. Use something THICK and perfect for coating salmon. I like to use the sugar free Choczero brand.
You will also need soy sauce, garlic powder, and lemon juice.
How to Make Maple Glazed Salmon
- Allow the salmon to come to room temperature. Pat the salmon dry.
- Drizzle olive oil over the salmon and season the salmon with smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to taste.
- Bake, air fry, or pan sear.
How to Tell When Salmon Has Finished Cooking
- Temperature: Use a meat thermometer and ensure the fish has reached an internal temperature of 145 degrees. Check the temperature in the thickest part of the fish.
- Appearance and Touch: Perfectly cooked salmon will have a light pink color and will be opaque throughout. The flesh will also start to flake when pressed with a fork.
- It’s important to note that salmon can be cooked to varying degrees of doneness, some people prefer it cooked through while others prefer it medium-rare at 135 degrees. Decide what works for you.
Other Spices and Substitution Ideas
- Lemon Pepper Seasoning
- Cajun Seasoning
- Creole Seasoning
- Fresh Lime Juice
- Cilantro
- Ginger
- Mustard
Dry and Overcooked Salmon
Overcooked salmon is dry and has little flavor. Fish (along with meat) will continue to cook when you remove it from heat. This is why it’s important to pay attention to how long the fish cooks.
When the fish is done, it will be a translucent pink in the middle. It should also look flaky. You can check out more tips on How to Tell if Salmon is Overcooked here.
How to Store Leftovers
Store the salmon tightly covered in the fridge for 3-4 days.
How to Reheat
In general, I recommend you avoid the microwave when you reheat seafood. Seafood and fish are super delicate and microwaves cook at super high temperatures.
Since the fish is fully cooked, even a few minutes of additional cooking at a high temperature will result in dry overcooked salmon.
I recommend you use the air fryer or oven. If using the oven, place the salmon on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover the salmon with foil and place it in the oven at 275 degrees until warm.
If using the air fryer, reheat it on 200 degrees for 5-7 minutes or until warm.
If you use the microwave, be swift! Don’t leave it in too long.
How to Freeze
You can freeze the salmon, tightly covered or sealed, for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and follow the steps above for reheating.
Perfect Salmon Tips
- Dry the salmon thoroughly before coating it in oil. Wet salmon is more likely to stick to the pan (when searing) and in general, when cooked with any method will increase the likelihood of overcooked salmon.
- Avoid using salmon cold and straight from the fridge. I like to pull the salmon from the fridge and coat it in olive oil and allow it to rest for 15 minutes. Allow it to come to room temperature prior to cooking.
Pair With These Side Dishes
Steakhouse Creamed Spinach
Smoked Baked Beans
Fried Potatoes and Onions
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Ranch Mashed Potatoes
More Fish and Salmon Recipes
Baked Salmon in Parchment Paper
Salmon Rice Bowl
Easy Salmon Bites
Air Fryer Salmon (15 Minute Recipe)
Baked Salmon Stuffed with Crab Meat
Cedar Plank Grilled Salmon
Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict
Salmon Fried Rice with Vegetables
Smoked Ahi Tuna
Tuna Poke Nachos
Homemade Fish Fingers Sticks
Maple Glazed Salmon
Ingredients
Salmon
- 1/2 pound salmon fillets This was 2 fillets. I use wild-caught salmon.
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Maple Glaze
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Allow the salmon to come to room temperature. Pat the salmon dry.
- Drizzle the olive oil over the salmon and season the salmon with the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to taste.
Air Fryer
- Air fry the salmon for 5 minutes on 360 degrees. Open the air fryer and add the maple glaze to the top of the fillets.
- Air fry for an additional 5-7 minutes. Mine was ready right at 10 minutes total cooking. Use a meat thermometer and test that the inside of the salmon has reached 145 degrees.
- Allow the salmon to rest for 3-5 minutes before serving.
Pan Seared and Cast Iron
- Place a cast iron grill pan or cast iron skillet on medium-high heat. I like to use a cast iron grill pan, but any pan will work.
- When the pan is hot, add the salmon to the pan with the skin side up.
- Allow the salmon to cook for 4 minutes. Do not move the salmon after you have placed it in the skillet.
- Monitor the sides of the salmon to determine the perfect time to flip. When the color of the side of the salmon has lightened about 3/4ths of the way up, it’s time to flip. This usually only takes 3-4 minutes.
- Flip the salmon. I find a silicone spatula works best. Add the maple glaze to the salmon.
- Cook skin side down for 4 minutes. Use a meat thermometer and test that the inside of the salmon has reached 145 degrees.
- Allow the salmon to rest for 3-5 minutes before serving.
Baked Salmon
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and add the salmon. Cover with another piece of parchment paper.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove the parchment paper and add the maple glaze to the top of the fillets. Do not add the parchment paper back to the salmon. Bake for another 5 minutes. Use a meat thermometer and test that the inside of the salmon has reached 145 degrees.
- Allow the salmon to cool before serving.
Notes
- You can easily double this recipe by doubling the ingredients.
- Macros assume sugar-free maple syrup is used. Feel free to use your favorite macros calculator to calculate the macros using your syrup of choice.
- The baked and air fryer methods allow the maple glaze to really sink into the salmon.
- Dry the salmon thoroughly before coating it in oil. Wet salmon is more likely to stick to the pan (when searing) and in general, when cooked with any method will increase the likelihood of overcooked salmon.
- Avoid using salmon cold and straight from the fridge. I like to pull the salmon from the fridge and coat it in olive oil and allow it to rest for 15 minutes. Allow it to come to room temperature prior to cooking.
Ashley
Monday 19th of June 2023
This is so yummy! The glaze is perfectly flavored! I opted for the air fryer method and it came out perfectly. You can’t beat ready in 10 minutes!
Brandi Crawford
Tuesday 20th of June 2023
So glad you enjoyed it!