Maple Ginger Salmon with Peach Salsa
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.
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: 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
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
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.
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.
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.
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
- stuffed salmon with lemon ricotta
- pecan crusted salmon
- spicy salmon bowls
- citrus maple glazed salmon
- teriyaki salmon
- easy maple lime salmon
And if you LOVE PEACHES, check out these easy peach recipes including apps, condiments, mains, sides, salads and desserts.
Please leave a 5 star rating ***** with a comment in the recipe card below if you like the recipe, Thanks so much!
Maple Ginger Salmon with Peach Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 pound salmon fillets (2 fillets or one larger piece)
Marinade
- 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)
Peach Salsa
- 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)
Instructions
- HEAT OVEN to 425F/218C. Line a baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil sprayed with oil for easy clean up.
- MARINATE THE SALMON: Put maple syrup, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and pepper in a sealed bag. Squish to blend. Add salmon. Marinate salmon for 20 minutes.
- MAKE THE SALSA: Place all salsa ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Set aside.
- MAKE GLAZE FROM MARINADE: Remove salmon from marinade and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil (spray with oil) for easy cleanup. Pour marinade from bag into a small microwavable measuring cup or bowl. Add the cornstarch and whisk to blend. Microwave for 45 seconds to thicken glaze. Pour over salmon, reserving 1 tbsp to glaze after roasting.
- BAKE SALMON: Place salmon skin side down on prepared pan and bake for 8-12 minutes (depending on thickness of salmon) or until just flaky and still warm pink inside. Estimate 10 minutes per inch (2.5 cm) of thickness. Don't overdo it. Brush with remaining glaze after baking.
- SERVE: Place roasted salmon on a large serving dish or individual plates. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately with peach salsa on top or on the side.
Recipe Notes
- 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.
- Feel free to substitute the peaches with nectarines.
- Instead of peach salsa, you can try the dish with peach chutney. mango salsa or pineapple salsa.
- Shortcuts:
- Skip the peach salsa and serve the fish alone or with a store-bought fruit chutney.
- Use the frozen ginger and garlic cubes.Â
- Cut down the marinating time to 15 minutes (or skip it).
- Make Ahead: Salmon can made ahead, cooled, refrigerated for up to 2 days and served cold or room temperature. If serving the next day, make the salsa on the day of serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
It’s the second time I make it. Fresh, easy, delicious. Now a favorite in our family. Thank you girls!
Thanks Mirian. Glad you liked the salmon and thanks for leaving a comment.
Delicious, fresh, easy to prepare. Company was impressed
Thanks Mary. Great to hear.
Absolutely delicious ! We all licked our plates. only substitutions, used nectarines and I omitted the green onion and just used chives. Made this with Sea Bass. Will definitely make this often in the summer!
Thanks for high praise Nanci – always appreciated! I love the substitution of sea bass – delish.
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.
Thanks Nora- so glad you liked the recipe!