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Southwestern Maple Glazed Salmon with Pineapple Salsa

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By Jenn Segal
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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.

southwestern salmon pineapple salsa

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

Spoon in a bowl of pineapple salsa.

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.

Salmon ingredients including kosher salt, ancho chile powder, and paprika.

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.

Unmixed spices in a bowl.

Arrange the salmon fillets on a foil-lined baking sheet for easy cleanup, then sprinkle the spice rub over top.

Salmon filets topped with spices.

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.

Brush adding maple syrup to salmon filets.

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

By Jenn Segal, inspired by Cooking Light

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.

Servings: 4
Total Time: 30 Minutes

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

  1. 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.
  2. Make the pineapple salsa by combining all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
  3. Mix the paprika, ancho chili powder, cumin, sugar and kosher salt together in a small bowl.
  4. 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

Powered by Edamam

  • 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
Nutritional Data Disclaimer

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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Comments

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  • This meal turned out great! A few days later I made pork tacos and used the pineapple salsa recipe to serve with it- so simple but it really brings the dish together.

    The rub for the salmon was really good too, I might have to make a big batch so I can have it on hand!

  • Ummmm…yeah. This was absolutely fantastic. I felt like an actual chef when I took my first bite (gotta work on my plating, though). The pineapple salsa brought everything together in perfect harmony. If you do not add the pineapple salsa, you are doing yourself and everyone you cooked for a disservice. An absolutely fantastic, perfectly portioned meal with the sautéed zucchini/cherry tomato recipe.

  • Oh but wanted to also mention that the pineapple salsa was great. However, I did add some finely chopped red onion.

  • Ok. I tried this Sunday night and was not thrilled. Grilling seemed to take away from the flavors that broiling could have brought out. I also noticing everyone reaching for the salt shaker for their fish. With the amount of salt in the recipe vs the amount of fish, I’d go up on the salt amount unless you are sodium-restricted. Just not a favorite with me. I’ll give it one more shot in a couple of weeks and I’ll add more salt and I’ll broil it also and see what happens.

  • I am going to make this on Sunday for a guest who is coming over. We all love salmon and I’ve been looking for something different than just ‘grilled’. Thank you so much for the recipe. Can’t wait to try it!

  • HOE CAN I GRILL THE PINEAPPLE SALMON INSTEAD OF USING THE BROILIER

    • Hi Joe, You can season the salmon with the spice rub and grill until almost done. Brush on the maple glaze at the end and continue cooking for about a minute.

  • To the woman whose husband does not like maple syrup, if you have a supermarket with a kosher or Passover section, you can try Silan date syrup. Adds a nice sweetness with a less pronounced flavor. It is also good on oatmeal and plain Greek yogurt.

    My husband loathes pineapple. What fruit would suggest as a substitute? I think mango or peaches might be too sweet.

    • Hi Deb, I like your idea to substitute mango or peaches; you may just need to add a bit more lime to cut the sweetness.

  • WOW! FANTASTIC, I’m a fan of salmon thanks for this recipe. Sending this to a host of family. Thanks keep up the great work. GOD Bless

  • Salmon was delicious and i would make even more (double) the salsa recipe because it’s a great side for the salmon and it goes quickly. Watch the salmon carefully, it’s best when it’s on the rare side.

  • This is a regular I. Our family dinner line up!

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