Maple Glazed Salmon

This maple glazed salmon recipe will please everyone! It’s fast, easy and deliciously flaky: ideal for healthy weeknight meals.

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 turned out so tasty, and it takes just a few minutes to cook in the broiler. It’s our favorite quick method for cooking salmon. Even our 4 year old 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). Here’s what you’ll need for this easy recipe:

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

The basic idea? You’ll simmer the maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, and Dijon mustard with garlic for a bit until slightly thickened. Paint it on the salmon, throw it in the broiler until tender, then remove and paint it with the remaining glaze!

Best type of fish for maple glazed salmon

What’s the best piece of fish for this maple glazed salmon recipe? In general, grab the best quality fish you can afford. The recipe will taste good with most types of salmon. But we’ve found low quality frozen salmon can taste very fishy, whereas 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 Seafood Watch Consumer 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. Avoid Atlantic salmon as it is typically farmed salmon.

How to broil salmon: a few tips

The way we chose to cook the fish for maple glazed salmon? Broiled! Broiling salmon is ultra fast and makes for a crispier top than baked, which makes it one of our favorite ways to cook it. 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 this broiled salmon depends on your specific 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 temperature is 130°F. The timing on when it’s done depends on the thickness of the piece of salmon and your broiler: 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: it should be about 130 degrees Fahrenheit.

Alternative for maple glazed salmon: 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 like specified in the recipe below.
Note that baking produces a softer fish texture, whereas broiling makes a slightly crispier top.

What to serve with maple glazed salmon: quick sides!

And that’s it: how to make maple glazed salmon! Want to accessorize this recipe with a few quick and easy sides? Here are a few easy side dishes that come together quickly to make a lightening fast healthy meal:

This Quick Broccoli and Cheese or Pan Fried Broccoli are lightening fast
Try Borlotti Beans or Easy White Beans
These Sauteed Green Beans or Peas with Lemon are fast and simple
Throw together Goat Cheese Salad, Arugula 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 and Asparagus or Miso Salmon
Try Pistachio Crusted Salmon or Pecan Crusted Salmon
Whip up Classic Salmon Burgers
Opt for Pesto Salmon, Cajun Salmon, or Lemon Dill Salmon
Try basics: Oven Baked Salmon, Grilled Salmon, or Pan Seared Salmon

Easy Pan Seared Salmon

Miso Salmon

Pesto Salmon

Easy Oven Baked Salmon