Easy Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon in the Oven
My brown sugar glazed salmon is the perfect recipe to serve to a crowd and is so easy to prepare that it takes the stress out of entertaining. I like to use a nice large salmon side for this recipe. (A 4-pound piece of salmon will serve 6 to 8 people. I usually make 2 so there is extra for me to use the next day on a salad!)
This salmon recipe is great for your Easter table, but it’s even better as a dinner recipe for Lent. If you come from a Catholic family like me, recipes like this come in handy around this time of year. This salmon is so good, you won’t even miss the meat! When I use this as an Easter fish recipe, I pair it with my Simple Honey Mustard Glazed Ham recipe—together they really round out the holiday feast and offer an option for everyone.
What are the best ways to use leftover salmon?
I love a good French Niçoise Salad recipe, but have you ever tried swapping out the tuna for a salmon niçoise? It’s one of my favorite lunch recipes when I have leftover brown sugar-glazed salmon to use up! It might also be the reason I make extra. Not feeling the Niçoise? This salmon goes wonderfully with my Italian Chopped Salad recipe or in my Summer Vegetable and Fruit Ceviche recipe.
Pro Tip: Keep the skin on the salmon when you cook it!
Keeping the skin on your salmon makes it much easier to transfer it off the baking sheet. Plus, if you give the fish a good sear first (skin-side down), it instantly renders the fat out of the skin, leaving it beautifully thin and crispy. Salmon skin is nutritious, but it’s not as appetizing when it’s served soggy! Although some salmon recipes call for scoring the skin, I say “Don’t!” Keeping the skin intact helps the fish retain moisture and keeps the healthy fats in while it cooks.
Just a note: A whole salmon filet should always be cooked skin-side down. You’ll typically only score the skin on your filet if you are searing individual salmon pieces in a saute pan. This salmon is baked and broiled whole, with a glaze, so that’s the best technique. For a beautiful presentation, I like to serve this dish on a large, garnished serving platter that can be served buffet-style or cut into individual pieces for a plated dinner.
Easy Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon Oven Recipe
Ingredients
- One 4-pound salmon side, skin on, bones removed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- A few grinds of fresh black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Lemon sliced
- Chopped Italian parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut two sheets of aluminum foil to the size of the baking sheet you’ll be using. Use one piece of foil to line the baking sheet—this makes cleanup a lot easier! Spray the foil with some non-stick cooking spray, and then place the salmon on it, skin side down. Sprinkle some salt and grind a little black pepper over the salmon and set it aside while you prepare the glaze.
- To prepare the glaze, combine the olive oil, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, and lemon juice in a mixing bowl. Whisk the ingredients together and then brush over the salmon, taking care to coat the fish evenly with glaze. Loosely cover the salmon with the second piece of foil, pinching both pieces together at the edges.
- Bake the salmon, skin side down, for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the foil and check for doneness. Make sure to insert your thermometer into the middle of the salmon without touching the bottom of the pan—you need an accurate reading here. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the salmon should read 150-155 degrees when it’s ready. If it’s not done, just bake the fish a few minutes longer. When your salmon reaches the correct temperature, remove it from the oven, remove the top piece of foil and let the fish rest while you preheat the broiler.
- Next, turn on your oven to broil. When the broiler is ready, place the salmon under the broiler for 2-4 minutes. Once the glaze starts to bubble, you know it’s caramelizing and it’s done! You can remove it from the oven and get it ready to serve. The salmon can be transferred onto a platter or cut into individual servings for individual plating.
