Baked Salmon with Orange Glaze (Printable Version)
Tender salmon fillets glazed with a sweet-tangy orange sauce for an impressive yet simple main course ready in under 30 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Fish
01 - 4 salmon fillets (about 6 oz each), skin-on or skinless
→ Orange Glaze
02 - 1/2 cup fresh orange juice (about 2 oranges)
03 - 2 tablespoons honey
04 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce (use tamari for gluten-free)
05 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
06 - 1 teaspoon orange zest
07 - 1 clove garlic, minced
08 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
09 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Garnish
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
11 - Orange slices (optional)
# How-To:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
02 - In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the orange juice, honey, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, orange zest, garlic, black pepper, and salt. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and cook for 6-8 minutes or until the glaze thickens slightly. Remove from heat.
03 - Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels and place them on the prepared baking sheet, skin-side down if applicable.
04 - Brush each fillet generously with the orange glaze, reserving about one-third of the glaze for later.
05 - Bake the salmon for 12-15 minutes, or until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
06 - Remove from the oven and brush with the reserved glaze. Garnish with chopped parsley and orange slices if desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The sweet-savory balance in this glaze creates caramelized edges on the salmon that might make you close your eyes with that first bite, just like my neighbor did.
- Its impressive enough for company but quick enough for weeknights, which saved me during that month when work deadlines kept me at the office until seven.
02 -
- Checking for doneness by temperature (145°F) rather than time prevented the dry, chalky disaster I served to my in-laws the first time I made this recipe.
- The reserved glaze should never touch the brush used on raw salmon, a painful lesson I learned when food poisoning interrupted our anniversary weekend.
03 -
- Let salmon come to room temperature for about 15 minutes before cooking to ensure even baking, a technique that eliminated the undercooked centers I struggled with initially.
- Line your saucepan with a quick spritz of cooking spray before making the glaze, making cleanup infinitely easier when that sticky honey-orange mixture doesnt weld itself to the pan.