Moist and zesty Citrus-Maple Glazed Salmon is glazed with orange, lemon, lime, maple syrup and Dijon mustard. An easy weeknight or company meal.
We eat salmon once a week so I’m always looking for new and easy ways to dress it up. The combination here of sweet and tart is pretty classic and works beautifully with salmon as it brightens it up without overwhelming it. I serve it over quinoa or rice to soak up any extra glaze. In fact, I sometimes make extra glaze just for that purpose.
The recipe is very simple. Simmer the glaze ingredients until slightly syrupy. Brush some on the salmon fillets, sprinkled with salt and pepper. Add some chopped green onions. Roast. Drizzle on the remaining glaze and add optional garnishes such as toasted sesame seeds or chopped parsley. That’s it. The whole thing takes less than 30 minutes. If you like, start some rice or quinoa cooking before you prepare the salmon. Or try serving it with Mushroom Spinach Couscous or Lemon Dill Rice-Orzo.
Tailor To Your Taste
- Use any combination of citrus – orange, lime, lemon or even grapefruit.
- Add chopped cilantro.
- Add some heat with chili flakes if you like.
- Use any other type of mild fish like snapper, halibut or perch fillets.
Make Ahead
- The glaze can be made a day or two ahead.
- The full salmon recipe can be made ahead, cooled, then refrigerated, covered, to be served cold the next day.
Tip for Citrus Maple Glazed Salmon
- The trick to moist tender salmon is to not overcook it. Very pale pink or whitish salmon means it’s dry and overdone. The rule of thumb is 10 minutes per inch of thickness. Cook just until it flakes and still has some slightly medium-pink translucency in the middle (see pictures).
Citrus-Maple Glazed Salmon Recipe
Ingredients
For citrus glaze
- 1 orange, zest and juice
- 1 small lime, zest and juice
- 1/2 lemon, zest and juice
- 3 tbsp maple syrup or honey (or more to taste)
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/8 tsp red chili flakes or more to taste (optional)
For salmon
- 1 lb salmon fillet (or 1 1/4 lbs) can be in 2-3 pieces
- salt and pepper
- 2 green onions, chopped
- Garnish: toasted sesame seeds or chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven or toaster oven to 425F. Line a pan with foil and spray with oil (for easy clean up). Or line with parchment paper.
- MAKE GLAZE: In a small saucepan, stir together 2 teaspoons of a mix of orange-lemon-lime zest, orange juice (about 1/4-1/3 cup), 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon-lime juice combination, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, a pinch of salt and chili flakes (if using). Bring to boil then lower to medium to simmer briskly for 5-7 minutes until mixture thickens a bit to become slightly syrupy. Taste and adjust, adding more citrus, syrup or Dijon as needed.
- PREPARE AND ROAST SALMON: Place fillets on pan, skin side down. Sprinkle salmon generously with salt and pepper. Brush on a couple of tablespoons of glaze. Sprinkle on chopped onions. Roast for 10-12 minutes, depending on thickness of salmon. Rule of thumb is 10 minutes per inch of thickness. Brush on another 1/2 tablespoon of glaze half way through. Salmon should just be able to flake easily but still have a little translucency in the middle with a medium pink colour.
- FINISH AND SERVE: To remove skin, slide a spatula between skin and salmon meat and lift off to a plate. Drizzle with remaining glaze. Garnish with remaining zest and toasted sesame seeds or chopped parsley if desired.
Other roasted salmon recipes you might like:
Maple-Ginger Salmon With Peach Salsa get the recipe
Salmon Stuffed With Lemon Ricotta get the recipe
Teriyaki Salmon get the recipe
