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Crisp on the outside and tender and buttery on the inside, this 4-ingredient baked salmon recipe is the easiest and most delicious way to prepare fish at home! With just a few pantry staples like soy sauce, maple syrup, and honey, you can create a healthy and family-friendly dinner in just 30 minutes. Serve the sweet and savory fish with a side of roasted broccoli, fluffy white rice, or a Ramen noodle salad.

AN overhead image of flakey maple glazed bake salmon, served with steamed broccoli and white rice.

Maple Glazed Baked Salmon

This maple honey baked salmon is easy, healthy, and perfect for busy nights! The fish marinates in soy sauce for savory umami flavor, bakes in the oven for 10 minutes, and then gets a coating of maple and honey glaze before finishing under the broiler. The sugars in the glaze caramelize, giving the salmon that great crispy exterior without overcooking or drying out the fish. It’s seafood dinner perfection — and your kids will love it!

A woman brushes soy sauce over four raw salmon fillets lined up on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

4 Ingredients for Easy Oven-Baked Salmon

This is a quick overview of the 4 ingredients that you’ll need for this delicious baked salmon recipe. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

  • Salmon: use as many fillets as you need. For instance, cut the recipe in half and prepare just two salmon filets if you’re feeding a smaller family. This is coho salmon (since that’s what is readily available near me), but you can use wild-caught Alaskan salmon, Atlantic salmon, or farm-raised salmon. Whatever you prefer — all types of salmon have great health benefits and are full of omega-3 fatty acids.
  • Soy sauce: let the salmon sit and marinate in the soy sauce for about 15 minutes while you preheat the oven. This adds a delicious, salty, umami taste to the fish. I prefer less-sodium soy sauce, but any variety will work.
  • Maple syrup and honey: sweet components for the glaze, which pair so nicely with the salty soy sauce. The sugars in the honey and maple syrup caramelize under the broiler, giving the fish that delicious crispy, charred exterior.
A woman uses a small whisk to mix together a honey maple glaze in a small glass bowl.

How to Bake Salmon

Cooking salmon has never been easier. This simple 4-ingredient sweet baked salmon recipe saves the day when you need a healthy, easy meal on the table quickly.

  • Place the salmon skin side down on a foil or parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet.
  • Pat dry with paper towel.
  • Brush the salmon fillets with soy sauce, and then let the fish sit and “marinate” while you preheat the oven.
  • Bake in a 425°F oven for 10 minutes.
  • While the fish is in the oven, whisk together the honey and maple syrup in a small bowl.
  • Brush the salmon with the honey mixture.
  • Place the fish under the broiler for 2-3 more minutes, or until the outside is crispy and the inside flakes easily with a fork.

What temp should salmon be cooked to?

You know the salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork. If you’re using an instant-read thermometer, the USDA recommends a minimum internal temperature of 145°F, which should be measured at the thickest part of the salmon fillet.

What temperature is best to cook salmon in the oven?

In this recipe, I bake the salmon at 425 degrees, which is about the median temperature for baked salmon recipes. A lower oven — around 350 to 375 degrees F — will require a longer cooking time and is best for larger fillets of salmon. A higher temperature — between 400 and 450 degrees — will require less cooking time and is better for individual fillets because they cook faster. 400-425 degrees is the ideal temperature for the salmon to gain color and for the salmon skin to become perfectly crispy.

Can you cook maple-glazed salmon in a foil packet? 

Yes, you could make this easy baked salmon recipe in foil packets, but it may adjust the baking time to about 12-15 minutes. When salmon bakes in foil, it really locks in moisture, resulting in tender and flakey salmon every time. Just make sure you’re checking the final temperature of the salmon throughout cooking. Use caution when opening the foil packets after cooking — steam trapped in the packets could burn you if not opened carefully.

How to Stop Salmon from Sticking to the Pan

If the salmon fillets are sticking to the foil-lined sheet pan, drizzle the foil with just a little bit of olive oil. This will not affect the crispy skin on the underside of the salmon — in fact, it’ll help make it crispier! 

An overhead image of a large bowl with one fillet of maple glazed baked salmon served over white rice with broccoli. A large plate of cooked broccoli and a bowl of white rice sit on the table next to the plate.

What to Serve with Baked Salmon

Baked salmon is one of the most versatile fish recipes. You can pair this maple and honey glazed salmon with almost any of your favorite veggies and sides! Here are some easy ideas to get you started:

Maple Honey Salmon Storage Tips

Leftover salmon will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. 

Leftovers can also be frozen for 4-6 months, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Thaw cooked salmon in the refrigerator or immersed in cold water. Use cooked, thawed salmon in salads or as a substitution for canned salmon in casseroles, pasta dishes, sandwiches, or wraps.

Flakey, tender baked salmon served in a bowl over a bed of white rice and steamed broccoli.

Baked Salmon Recipe Variations

  • Season the salmon with even more herbs and spices. For instance, add a dash of garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, or paprika; try our favorite all-purpose seasoning blend, or use parsley, rosemary, thyme, or basil.
  • For an even more flavorful “kick,” add fresh ginger to the honey glaze.
  • Cooking Just for Two? Cut the recipe in half and bake according to the recipe instructions.
  • For a larger group, bake even more salmon fillets.
  • Garnish with sliced green onion, fresh herbs, or lemon juice or lemon slices for a bright, fresh touch. Crushed red pepper flakes add a delicious spicy flavor, while toasted sesame seeds give the fish an extra crunchy texture and subtle nutty flavor.

Tips for the Best Baked Salmon Recipe

  • If you’re starting with frozen salmon, let the salmon thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using in this recipe.
  • Pat the fish dry with paper towels before brushing with soy sauce.
  • Line the baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. This makes cleanup easy!
  • Wait to season the fish with salt and black pepper until it’s done and you can taste it. The soy sauce adds a good amount of sodium to the salmon, so you might not need any extra salt.
  • The total cooking time will vary depending on the size, temperature, and thickness of your fish when it goes into the oven. As a result, keep a close eye on the salmon and remove it as soon as the outside is crisp and the inside flakes easily with a fork. If using a meat thermometer, you’re looking for an internal temperature of 145°F in the thickest part of the fish.
Honey maple baked salmon served over white rice and broccoli.

More Easy Salmon Recipes to Try

Square overhead shot of a bowl of 4 ingredient baked salmon with rice

4-Ingredient Baked Salmon

5 from 1 vote
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 13 minutes
Resting Time 15 minutes
Total: 33 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 235 kcal
Crisp on the outside and tender and buttery on the inside, this 4-ingredient maple honey baked salmon recipe is the easiest and most delicious way to prepare fish at home!

Ingredients
  

  • 4 salmon fillets (about 5-6 ounces each)
  • 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • Optional garnish: sliced green onion, toasted sesame seeds, crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425°F.
  • Line a rimmed baking sheet or large baking dish with aluminum foil (for easy cleanup) and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Place salmon skin-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Pat dry with paper towels.
    4 salmon fillets
  • Brush some of the soy sauce onto each salmon fillet. Let the salmon sit and marinate at room temperature for about 15 minutes.
    2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
  • Cook the salmon on the top rack of the oven for 10 minutes.
  • While the salmon is in the oven, whisk together the honey and maple syrup in a small bowl.
    1 tablespoon honey
  • Remove the salmon from the oven and baste with the honey mixture.
    1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • Turn the oven setting to "BROIL" on high. Place the salmon about 4-6 inches from the broiler. Broil for 2-3 more minutes, or until the outside is crispy and the fish flakes easily with a fork.
  • Garnish with green onion, sesame seeds, or crushed red pepper flakes. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Season the salmon with even more herbs and spices. For instance, add a dash of garlic powder or onion powder, try our favorite all-purpose seasoning blend, or use parsley, rosemary, thyme, or basil.
  • For even more flavorful “kick,” add fresh ginger to the honey glaze.
  • Cooking Just for Two? Cut the recipe in half and bake according to the recipe instructions.
  • For a larger group, bake even more salmon fillets.
  • If you’re starting with frozen salmon, let the salmon thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using in this recipe.
  • Pat the fish dry with paper towels before brushing with soy sauce.
  • Line the baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. This makes cleanup easy!
  • Wait to season the fish with salt and pepper until it’s done and you can taste it. The soy sauce adds a good amount of sodium to the salmon, so you might not need any extra salt.
  • The total cooking time will vary depending on the size, temperature, and thickness of your fish when it goes into the oven. As a result, keep a close eye on the salmon and remove it as soon as the outside is crisp and the inside flakes easily with a fork. If using a meat thermometer, you’re looking for an internal temperature of 145°F in the thickest part of the fish.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 of the recipeCalories: 235kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 29gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 78mgSodium: 330mgPotassium: 723mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 57IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 1mg
Keyword: baked salmon, Baked Salmon Fillet, baked salmon recipe, maple glazed salmon, Quick Salmon Recipe
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American, Asian
Author: Blair Lonergan

This recipe was originally published in January, 2018. It was updated in March, 2022.

blair

Hey, I’m Blair!

Welcome to my farmhouse kitchen in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Inspired by local traditions and seasonal fare, you’ll find plenty of easy, comforting recipes that bring your family together around the table. It’s down-home, country-style cooking!

Read More

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Comments

  1. Being a huge fan of salmon, this looks so delicious! love the touch of honey and maple syrup, never tried salmon like this before, giving this a try for sure 🙂

      1. This looks like a good recipe. Depending on whether or not you use low-sodium soy sauce, I suggest watching amount of salt sprinkled on before basting. Also, at that high temp, 425, I question cooking for so long. My experience with most fish is it stays more moist cooked at low temp-even 275.

  2. I love how simple this! It’s so nice to find recipes you can make right away – with the ingredients already on hand!

  3. Hi Blair, I made the salmon tonight. My husband and I both loved it! We had it with baked sweet potatoes and steamed zucchini. Thanks for all your great recipes and ideas! Mary

  4. We cooked this tonight. It was very good! A nice touch of sweetness. We had it with baked small golden potatoes and steamed on the the grill peppers and onions, and some stuffing on the side. We also had Grands Buttermilk biscuits. Nice feast!

  5. 5 stars
    Searched Pinterest for 4 ingredient salmon recipes and this came up! Tried this last night and my husband and I loved it! Served it over brown rice. Thank you for sharing 🙂