I present Grilled Maple Salmon dressed in a slightly sweet glaze that caramelizes into glossy bronzed edges, an unexpected mix of sweet and smoke that begs a closer look.
I never thought a quick kiss of maple syrup and soy sauce could turn plain fillets into something almost addictive. The glaze sings sweet and smoky, caramelizing in a way that makes you pause and take a bigger bite.
I love how it sits between Grilled Maple Salmon comfort and the umami shine of Grilled Salmon With Teriyaki Sauce, so familiar yet surprising. I’ll warn you, it makes guests curious, they lean in and ask what I did, dont say I didnt warn you.
If you like bold easy flavors that still feel a little fancy, this one will keep you guessing.
Ingredients
- Rich in protein and omega-3s, hearty flavor, keeps you full and good for heart.
- Adds savory umami and salt, some amino acids, use low sodium to control salt.
- Provides sweet caramel notes, carbs for energy, helps glaze and crisp on grill.
- Bright, slightly spicy, aids digestion and pairs great with fish, fresh is best.
- Pungent and savory boosts flavor and may offer immune benefits, use minced.
- Adds healthy fats for mouthfeel, helps the glaze stick and prevents sticking.
- Small amount delivers deep toasted aroma, strong flavor so use sparingly.
- Green onions add fresh bite, sesame seeds give crunch, lemon brightens rich fish.
Ingredient Quantities
- 4 salmon fillets (about 6 ounces each), skin on, total 1 1/2 to 2 pounds
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 to 2 tablespoons brown sugar, optional for extra caramel
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- kosher salt, a light pinch
- 1 to 2 green onions, thinly sliced for garnish
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds for garnish
- lemon wedges for serving, optional
How to Make this
1. In a bowl whisk together 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari, 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup, 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger or 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, 1 to 2 tablespoons brown sugar if you want extra caramel, and a few grinds of black pepper. Taste and adjust sweet or tangy as you like.
2. Spoon out and reserve about 3 tablespoons of that glaze before it touches the fish if you want a clean finishing sauce; if you don’t reserve any, boil the used marinade for 1 to 2 minutes before using it as a sauce to be safe.
3. Pat 4 salmon fillets (about 6 ounces each) dry with paper towels, then lightly sprinkle a pinch of kosher salt and more black pepper over them. A little salt goes a long way.
4. Put the salmon in a shallow dish or zip bag, pour most of the glaze over them and turn to coat. Marinate in the fridge for 15 to 30 minutes, up to 1 hour max. Don’t marinate longer or the acid will start to firm the fish.
5. Preheat your grill to medium-high about 400 to 450 degrees F and oil the grates well so the skin wont stick. Also brush a little oil on the skin side of the fillets.
6. Place salmon skin-side down, press gently for 20 to 30 seconds so the skin makes full contact, then close the lid and grill skin-side down for about 4 to 6 minutes depending on thickness. Try not to move them around or the skin will tear.
7. Flip carefully, brush with the reserved glaze, then grill the flesh side for another 2 to 4 minutes until the internal temperature reaches about 125 to 130 degrees F for medium, or cook to 145 degrees F if you prefer it well done. If you added brown sugar, only brush the glaze in the last 1 to 2 minutes so it doesnt burn.
8. For extra caramel, move the fillets briefly to the hottest part of the grill for 30 to 60 seconds but watch closely, sugar burns fast.
9. Remove the salmon, let rest 3 to 5 minutes. Garnish with 1 to 2 thinly sliced green onions, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, and serve with lemon wedges on the side and an extra drizzle of sesame oil if you want.
Equipment Needed
1. Medium mixing bowl — for whisking the glaze and marinating the salmon
2. Whisk — to emulsify soy, honey, oil and mustard (a fork works in a pinch)
3. Measuring cups and spoons — for accurate soy, honey, oils and spices
4. Microplane or fine grater and small knife — for ginger and mincing garlic
5. Shallow dish or resealable zip bag — to marinate the fillets evenly
6. Paper towels — to pat the salmon dry so the skin crisps up
7. Grill or heavy grill pan plus a silicone brush or basting brush — to cook and glaze the fish
8. Tongs or wide spatula — for pressing and flipping the fillets gently
9. Instant read thermometer and a small saucepan — check doneness and boil reserved marinade if you plan to use it as a sauce
FAQ
Glazed Grilled Salmon Fillets Recipe Substitutions and Variations
Quick swaps I use:
- Soy sauce or tamari – coconut aminos for lower salt and gluten free, Bragg liquid aminos for similar umami, or whisk 1 tbsp miso with 3 tbsp water to get a savory hit
- Honey or maple syrup – agave nectar, brown rice syrup, or melt granulated sugar with a splash of water; mirin works too if you want a sweeter, more complex glaze
- Olive oil or avocado oil – grapeseed, canola or sunflower oil for a neutral smoke point, or melted butter for a richer finish (watch for flare ups on the grill)
- Rice vinegar or lemon juice – apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, or just more fresh lemon; a little mirin adds sweetness and depth
Pro Tips
– Keep the marinade short and simple, 15 to 30 minutes is plenty. If you leave the salmon too long the acid and salt start to firm or “cook” the flesh, and you lose that buttery texture you want.
– Always reserve some of the glaze before it touches the raw fish, then either use the reserved portion to brush at the end or boil the used marinade for a minute to make it safe. If you like a thicker, stickier finish, simmer the reserved glaze for a few minutes to reduce it, but only brush sugar-heavy glazes in the last minute so they dont burn.
– Get the skin crispy by patting the fillets super dry and oiling both the grates and the skin. Start skin-side down, press once so the skin lays flat, and try not to move the fish until it releases on its own; a wide fish spatula really helps for flipping without tearing.
– Use an instant-read thermometer and pull the salmon a few degrees under your target temp since it keeps cooking while resting. Let it rest 3 to 5 minutes before serving, and give a tiny squeeze of lemon at the table if it feels like it needs a little lift.
Glazed Grilled Salmon Fillets Recipe
I present Grilled Maple Salmon dressed in a slightly sweet glaze that caramelizes into glossy bronzed edges, an unexpected mix of sweet and smoke that begs a closer look.
4
servings
510
kcal
Equipment: 1. Medium mixing bowl — for whisking the glaze and marinating the salmon
2. Whisk — to emulsify soy, honey, oil and mustard (a fork works in a pinch)
3. Measuring cups and spoons — for accurate soy, honey, oils and spices
4. Microplane or fine grater and small knife — for ginger and mincing garlic
5. Shallow dish or resealable zip bag — to marinate the fillets evenly
6. Paper towels — to pat the salmon dry so the skin crisps up
7. Grill or heavy grill pan plus a silicone brush or basting brush — to cook and glaze the fish
8. Tongs or wide spatula — for pressing and flipping the fillets gently
9. Instant read thermometer and a small saucepan — check doneness and boil reserved marinade if you plan to use it as a sauce
Ingredients
4 salmon fillets (about 6 ounces each), skin on, total 1 1/2 to 2 pounds
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari
1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar or fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 to 2 tablespoons brown sugar, optional for extra caramel
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
freshly ground black pepper to taste
kosher salt, a light pinch
1 to 2 green onions, thinly sliced for garnish
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds for garnish
lemon wedges for serving, optional
Directions
- In a bowl whisk together 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari, 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup, 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger or 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, 1 to 2 tablespoons brown sugar if you want extra caramel, and a few grinds of black pepper. Taste and adjust sweet or tangy as you like.
- Spoon out and reserve about 3 tablespoons of that glaze before it touches the fish if you want a clean finishing sauce; if you don’t reserve any, boil the used marinade for 1 to 2 minutes before using it as a sauce to be safe.
- Pat 4 salmon fillets (about 6 ounces each) dry with paper towels, then lightly sprinkle a pinch of kosher salt and more black pepper over them. A little salt goes a long way.
- Put the salmon in a shallow dish or zip bag, pour most of the glaze over them and turn to coat. Marinate in the fridge for 15 to 30 minutes, up to 1 hour max. Don’t marinate longer or the acid will start to firm the fish.
- Preheat your grill to medium-high about 400 to 450 degrees F and oil the grates well so the skin wont stick. Also brush a little oil on the skin side of the fillets.
- Place salmon skin-side down, press gently for 20 to 30 seconds so the skin makes full contact, then close the lid and grill skin-side down for about 4 to 6 minutes depending on thickness. Try not to move them around or the skin will tear.
- Flip carefully, brush with the reserved glaze, then grill the flesh side for another 2 to 4 minutes until the internal temperature reaches about 125 to 130 degrees F for medium, or cook to 145 degrees F if you prefer it well done. If you added brown sugar, only brush the glaze in the last 1 to 2 minutes so it doesnt burn.
- For extra caramel, move the fillets briefly to the hottest part of the grill for 30 to 60 seconds but watch closely, sugar burns fast.
- Remove the salmon, let rest 3 to 5 minutes. Garnish with 1 to 2 thinly sliced green onions, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, and serve with lemon wedges on the side and an extra drizzle of sesame oil if you want.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 170g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 510kcal
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Polyunsaturated: 5g
- Monounsaturated: 12g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
- Sodium: 300mg
- Potassium: 700mg
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 0g
- Sugar: 20g
- Protein: 39g
- Vitamin A: 50IU
- Vitamin C: 2mg
- Calcium: 40mg
- Iron: 1mg
