Southwestern Maple Glazed Salmon with Pineapple Salsa
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The spices on this easy salmon dish create a delicious crust and add a hint of heat to balance out the sweetness of the syrup.
This maple glazed salmon was featured on the cover of Cooking Light. It caught my eye as I was about to get in line at the grocery store and looked so good, I turned around and made a beeline to the fish counter instead.
You basically make a homemade chili powder, dust it generously onto the fish, then broil and glaze with maple syrup. The spices create a delicious top crust and add a hint of heat and bitterness to balance out the sweetness of the syrup and richness of the salmon.
The pineapple salsa is my addition. If you don’t want to bother, the fish is delicious on its own but the fresh fruit really adds another dimension and completes the dish.
What you’ll need to make the dish
How to make it
Begin by making the pineapple salsa. It’s simply a mix of chopped fresh pineapple, cilantro, fresh lime juice, and maple syrup. Set it aside to let the flavors marry while you prepare the salmon.
For the salmon, begin with the spice rub. You’ll need ancho chili powder, cumin, paprika, kosher salt, and sugar. Note that ancho chili pepper powder is not the same as regular chili powder. Chili powder is a blend of spices that season chili and similar dishes, while ancho chili powder is a pure chili powder made from ground ancho peppers with deep rich flavor and mild to medium heat. Many large grocery stores carry it, and you can always find it at Whole Foods.
Arrange the salmon fillets on a foil-lined baking sheet for easy cleanup, then sprinkle the spice rub over top.
Set your oven rack about 6 inches from the broiler, and then broil the salmon for about five minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and brush the salmon fillets with maple syrup, and then broil for one minute more.
As you can see, the top crust will look very dark and almost burnt but don’t worry, it’s not — the spices simply turn dark when moistened. To serve, transfer the salmon fillets to plates and top with the pineapple salsa.
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Southwestern Maple Glazed Salmon with Pineapple Salsa
The spices on this easy salmon dish create a delicious crust and add a hint of heat to balance out the sweetness of the syrup.
Ingredients
For the Salmon
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 (6 ounce) salmon fillets
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
For the Pineapple Salsa
- 2 cups diced fresh pineapple
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, from one lime
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Instructions
- Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the top of the oven and preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Make the pineapple salsa by combining all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Mix the paprika, ancho chili powder, cumin, sugar and kosher salt together in a small bowl.
- Place the fillets on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle evenly with the spice mixture. Broil for 5-6 minutes, or until almost done. Remove the pan from the oven and brush the fillets evenly with the maple syrup. Broil for one minute more. Transfer the fish to plates and top with pineapple salsa.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Calories: 441
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Sugar: 18 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Sodium: 601 mg
- Cholesterol: 94 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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For the broiler setting, normal or high? You have the maple syrup as an ingredient for the salsa but you also say to brush it on the salmon.
Hi Kathy, whenever I mention using the broiler, you can assume it’s always on the high setting. And if you look at the ingredient sections for both the salsa and the salmon, they both include maple syrup as an ingredient. Hope you enjoy the salmon if you make it!
Fabulous! I cooked it on a wood plank on the grill instead of the oven. The pineapple salsa was delicious, but the salmon was so good it could have been eaten on its own. Paired it with cilantro lime rice and roasted broccoli with chipotle honey butter – would choose one or the other in the future, as it was too much food.
I’m making this for company on Saturday. What side do you recommend serving it with?
Hi Marge, Sorry I’m seeing this too late to weigh in! I would serve with cilantro rice.
Delicious. We’ve kept this in our regular meal rotation for a long time (maybe 5 years?). We’re a family of 8 and it’s a crowd pleaser.
Another winning recipe from Jenn! The salmon was delicious and the pineapple salsa really made it pop. Paired it with Jenn’s rice pilaf recipe from the simple sides portion of her second cookbook…it was an excellent, easy, and filling meal! Not to mention healthy. Hubby declared it on the top tier of favorite recipes (all of which are Jenn’s)!
Another excellent recipe from Chef Jenn. This recipe is light and very flavorful. I can always count on Jenn’s recipes. Thank you! My husband and I both like to cook and it’s surprising how often we both independently come up with one of Jenn Segal’s recipe. This was another one of those times.