Maple Ginger Salmon with Peach Salsa

Name: Maple Ginger Salmon with Peach Salsa
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 38 min
Ingredients: 1 pound salmon fillets ((2 fillets or one larger piece)); 1/4 cup maple syrup ((or replace with honey or brown sugar)); 2 tablespoons soy sauce ((I use low sodium)); 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger; 1 clove garlic, minced; 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch (ADD AFTER MARINATING); 2 cups peaches, diced, skin on ((about 3-4 peaches)); 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (1 lime); 1 tablespoon honey ((or maple syrup)); 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger ((or 1/4 tsp powdered ginger)); 1 tablespoon green onion, minced ((or more)); 2 teaspoon olive oil; 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar; 1/4 teaspoon each, salt and black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon sriracha (optional) (or more if you like it spicy); 2 tablespoon herbs (e.g. chives, parsley, cilantro)

Jump to Recipe

Mouthwatering maple ginger salmon with peach salsa is an impressive company-worthy dish bursting with flavor and easy to make.

Start with a delicious maple, ginger, soy, and garlic glaze. Then take it over the top with a fresh peach salsa spiked with lime, honey and balsamic vinegar.

maple ginger salmon with peach salsa on top sitting on plate.

I’m pretty sure that even people who are not salmon fans will love this salmon with peaches.

I served it at our last holiday party to rave reviews. It looks complicated and gourmet, but it’s actually really simple to make and takes very little prep time.

In fact, it’s even great served at room temperature or cold, making it ideal for a buffet table or summer lunch in the backyard.

Bottom line: Easy, super delicious and definitely fit for company or a lovely family meal. By the way, the peach salsa is also amazing with chicken, pork chops or any other fish.

What to expect

A delicious flavor combination- the glaze and sweet-tangy-spicy salsa work beautifully with the richness of the salmon.

A simple, yet elegant dish: Once the ingredients are gathered, the recipe is quick enough for busy weeknights (38 minutes) and elegant enough for special occasions.

Ingredients – tailored to your taste

salmon fillets with maple, soy, ginger marinade. — Salmon fillets in a marinade of maple syrup, soy sauce, fresh ginger, garlic and black pepper.

peaches, cilantro, oil, sriracha, balsamic vinegar, honey, lime, garlic.

Salmon: I prefer fresh salmon, but frozen salmon (thawed) is fine too – they have the same nutritional values. You can buy 2 fillets or one larger piece.

Salmon marinade: The marinade is made with maple syrup, fresh ginger, soy sauce and garlic. You can replace the maple syrup with honey or brown sugar if you like.

Peach salsa: In the summer, I use fresh juicy peaches – white, yellow or a mix. When fresh peaches are not available, I use frozen sliced peaches, thawed. The peaches are mixed with balsamic vinegar, Dijon, green onion, honey, lime, sriracha and fresh herbs to make the salsa. Make it as mild or as spicy as you like.

Variations:

The dish can be made with trout, halibut, sea bass or other white fish instead of salmon.
A side of salmon can be used instead of fillets. If the side is about two pounds (for 4-6 people), double the amount of peach salsa.
Substitute the peaches with nectarines.
Instead of peach salsa, top the salmon with peach chutney, mango salsa or pineapple salsa.
Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a 1/2 teaspoon of sriracha to make a spicy peach salsa.

Step by step instructions

2 salmon fillets marinating in zipper lock bag. — Marinate the salmon for 20 minutes with the maple ginger marinade.

two salmon fillets baked on foil-lined pan. — Bake until warm pink inside – do not overcook.

bowl of peach salsa. — Make the salsa by dicing peaches (no need to peel) and adding the remaining salsa ingredients.

cut open maple ginger salmon fillet with peach salsa on top sitting on plate.

Recipe Tips

The most important tip is not to overcook the salmon. It should be moist and warm pink inside, not white and flaky. The rule of thumb is 10 minutes per inch of thickness.

If you can, use freshly grated ginger for amazing flavor (I keep some in the freezer and grate it as needed). But if you don’t have any on hand, use a quarter of the amount of ginger powder.

I add a bit of cornstarch to the marinade before pouring it on the fish to roast. It will thicken the marinade slightly and keep it from sliding off the fish as it roasts. And it makes more of a glaze consistency. This isn’t absolutely necessary but a good trick I use a lot. You can also add a small pad of butter for a glossy, rich finish to the glaze.

Shortcuts

Skip the peach salsa and serve the fish alone, with a store-bought fruit chutney or your favorite type of fruit salsa.
Use the frozen ginger and garlic cubes. I love these – so convenient.
Cut down the marinating time to 15 minutes.

What to serve with peach salmon

I like to pair the peach salsa salmon with one or two of these side dishes:

herb cauliflower rice for a lighter meal,
grilled purple cabbage slaw for a splash of color,
white or brown rice or quinoa,
vegetable couscous
3-minute microwave green beans

If you prefer a side salad, vegetable quinoa salad or a citrus salad are good choices.

Make Ahead

To make the maple ginger salmon ahead, cool it, then refrigerate it for up to 2 days. Bring the salmon to room temperature or serve it cold. It’s best to make the peach salsa the day of serving.

Recipe FAQs

What temperature should I cook salmon to?

The FDA recommends cooking salmon to 145F/62.8C, but in my opinion (and many others), that is way overcooked. The best internal temperature measured with an instant-read meat thermometer is 130-135F (54.4-57.2C). The salmon will be medium-rare with a warm pink center. The temperature will rise a bit with a 5-minute rest.

Should you remove the skin before cooking salmon?

Generally, it’s a good idea to leave the skin on salmon during cooking as the skin protects the salmon from losing moisture. You can remove the skin after cooking by slipping a spatula between the skin and the flesh and lifting the salmon off. The skin will easily fall away.

Should salmon be rinsed before cooking?

Salmon should not be rinsed before cooking as it can spread bacteria onto the sink and kitchen tools. The same goes for chicken and meat.

What is salsa?

Salsa means ‘sauce’ in Spanish and Italian. It’s most often spicy and made with tomatoes, onions and peppers, but flavors and ingredients can vary widely.

Other easy salmon recipes

And if you LOVE PEACHES, check out these easy peach recipes including apps, condiments, mains, sides, salads and desserts.

If you like this recipe, please leave a 5 star rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟in the recipe card below. And if you REALLY like it, consider a review in the comments. Thanks very much!

2 Comments

Nora Rothschild says:

July 16, 2020 at 7:08 pm

This recipe was FANTASTIC! I had some salmon and looked for a recipe. This caught my eye…and it was so delicious. I used fresh ginger and made the salsa. All of it was so well balanced and tasty. Thank you.

1. Cheryl says:
  
  July 17, 2020 at 12:00 am
  
  Thanks Nora- so glad you liked the recipe!