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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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  • Delicious! My husband isn’t the biggest salmon lover but he really enjoyed this! I had a thicker filet and cooked it 1 minute longer.

  • I’ve usually baked salmon with just maple syrup on it, but this was sooo much better. Thanks for another awesome recipe!!

  • I made this for my step-daughter’s birthday dinner. We were a party of 7 and EVERYONE loved this dish, including my step-son who is lukewarm about many dishes and my wife who typically does not enjoy salmon. I used somewhere between 1/2 tbsp and 3/4 tbsp of salt because I was using fine sea salt and was worried about this substitution making it too salty. I also used frozen pineapples and frozen cilantro because that’s what I had on hand. I’m sure fresh is more vibrant in terms of taste but frozen worked out just fine. I found that I had to cook this longer than the 6-7min recommended- more like 10-12min. It could be my oven, as I often end up cooking meats a bit longer to ensure they are fully cooked. The salmon was still tender and moist- not dried out.
    Another hit!

    • I meant 1/2 to 3/4 tsp of salt!

  • This recipe is amazing! So simple yet it would have never occurred to me. I’ve made the spice rub according to the recipe and it’s come out great, but I was recently given a sample of a Badia spice rub called ‘Holy Smokes’ and used it instead. It’s originally made for pork, but the ingredients are super similar to the recipe’s spice mix, with paprika, brown sugar, and chipotle chili (not ancho though). It was just as great and saved me some time when preparing. I paired the salmon with some steamed sweet potato since I love contrasting spicy and sweet flavors and also roasted some brussels sprouts to go along with it to make it into a hearty and healthy winter dish. I have yet to try it with the pineapple salsa but that sweet acid kick HAS to be good.

  • This was sensational and so easy! My husband- who is generally not a salmon person- loved it too. Made with Jenn’s guacamole and tortilla chips and went together well.

  • I have made this Salmon dish a few times now, and I love it. Growing up, we didn’t have fish, because my father didn’t care for it. So I never learned how to prepare it. This and other fish recipes have been a wonderful learning tool for me! This dish is easy to prepare, and quick! It tastes delicious, and is making a regular appearance on my menu!

    • — Doreen M Sanders
    • Reply

  • I have already made it twice with two different crowds and it was a hit each time. I really like the simplicity of the ingredients, which together bring out amazing favors.

  • I love this recipe! The mix of the spicy flavors with the sweetness creates such a great balance. I made it one time with a mango salsa and it was even more delicious than the pineapple salsa. The thing I love about this recipe is that it is totally awesome the way it is, but you can create a fruit salsa with whatever fruit and ingredients you have on hand and it will still complement the spicy sweetness of the salmon.

  • thanks for the recipe. I am planning to make it this weekend. What is the recommended temperature for the broiler?

    • Hi Sarah, Set the broiler on high.

  • WOW ! ! ! Salsa is great but the spice rub has WAY too much salt for my taste. Be careful. I will make it again, it is good but will use about 1/4 of the salt

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