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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This was absolutely wonderful! Thank you! I had wild caught salmon from my neighbor’s trip to Alaska, so yummy, and husband approved, even though he was skeptical when he asked what we we’re having for dinner.
I also didn’t have the ancho chili powder, so I just used extra regular chili powder.
My family cannot eat salmon. Will this recipe work with any other fish? Thank you.
Sure, you could try it with arctic char, trout, or tilapia. Just keep in mind that the cooking time may be a bit different. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it with one of these alternatives!
This was wonderful As written Jen! Is there anyway to modify this recipe by grilling the salmon on a plank? Don’t want it to burn
Glad you liked it, Dolly! Sure, you can grill it on a cedar plank if you’d prefer. Just follow the guidance in this recipe.
One of the best salmon recipes ever, and quick and easy to make. I made it exactly according to the recipe (other than broiling the fish a minute or two longer.) Our guests loved it. This is really a keeper.
Any suggestions for substituting the cilantro in the pineapple salsa?
Hi Freddi, you could replace the cilantro with flat-leaf parsley or mint. Hope you enjoy!
Very nice simple quick meal. I did not have ancho chili powder and I don’t like much spice so I used regular chili powder. Served with frozen brown rice w/ pineapple salsa and leftover summer veggie salads.
I want to make this with a slab of salmon. Broil? With the rack also placed 6″ from the top for a slab? How long would you suggest to broil the salmon slab?
Hi Gay, It depends upon how thick the piece is, but I would guesstimate that it’ll take about 10 minutes. Hope you enjoy!
Another absolute winner. Is there anything that Jen comes up with that isn’t delish? I have yet to find a recipe on this site that is less than amazing. Add this one to the list!
I didn’t have the ingredients to make the salsa this time as I didn’t decide to make it until the very last minute (and it was easy to do with so few components–I even had the ancho powder), but it went perfectly with the sides we had planned. Add it to the rotation!
The pineapple salsa was so delicious with the salmon. Such an easy recipe. Another hit with my family!
Another hit, this was delicious. Not one of your recipes ever disappoint! The only thing I did differently was add a jalapeño to the pineapple salsa. Thank you Jennifer.