This homemade Glazed Salmon with brown sugar, dijon mustard, and lemon juice is the easiest roasted salmon. The glaze is sweet and sticky after caramelizing in the oven. Did I mention it’s a quick dinner idea? There is no marinating required and it’s done in less than 20 minutes. Watch the video tutorial and see how easy it is.
We love salmon recipes from our famous Baked Salmon Recipe to Grilled Salmon and even Salmon Patties. If you are a fan of salmon, this Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon will probably be on your regular rotation.
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Roasted Glazed Salmon Video
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Ingredients for Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon
This glaze is so simple and compliments salmon perfectly. It’s sweet and savory with a hint of spice from the mustard. The splash of fresh lemon juice balances the flavors. Don’t worry, it’s more sweet than spicy and the kids never once complained about it being too spicy.
- Brown sugar – we used packed light brown sugar which adds sweetness and caramelizes in the glaze
- Dijon mustard – adds depth of flavor and we love Grey Poupon brand.
- Lemon juice – use freshly squeezed lemon juice to add some acid and balance the glaze.
- Salt and black pepper – we add this right to the sauce to save a step seasoning the salmon.
- Salmon – use 2 lbs of skinless or skin-on salmon, cut into 6 filets
Pro Tip: Sourcing salmon (wild-caught versus farmed salmon) can be tricky depending on your location. Wild-caught is best, but get the best salmon you can afford and or access. I have found that thicker, fattier fillets are juicier and more forgiving if you accidentally overcook the fish.
The Best Mustard for Salmon
I love the balanced flavors of Dijon mustard for salmon and we have loved the Grey Poupon brand for years. Dijon is mustard is a wonderful complement to cooking because it adds that acidic component that we love in savory dishes like Lobster Tails, Baked Chicken Legs, and our favorite Cobb Salad Dressing. It’s so versatile and we always keep a bottle in the refrigerator. If you’re looking to substitute, you could also use grainy mustard which would look lovely on the salmon.
How to Make Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon
- Prep – preheat the oven, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment
- Make Glaze – combine the glaze ingredients in a small mixing bowl, stir to combine.
- Arrange Salmon filets on the baking sheet 1-inch apart and remove any bones with tweezers.
- Spread glaze generously over the salmon fillets, brushing it over the tops and sides.
- Bake at 400˚F for 12 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145˚F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from the oven and serve garnished with lemon slices.
Pro Tip: Lining your baking sheet is important for easy clean-up. No one wants to be scrubbing caramelized sugar from a baking sheet. You can use parchment paper or lightly greased foil.
Common Questions
Honey will work but we prefer using brown sugar because it makes the glaze slightly thicker so it’s less likely to run off the sides of your salmon filets.
It is not necessary to broil this salmon. Broiling can quickly over-cook your fish and also cause the oven to become smoky from the sugar in your glaze.
When finished cooking, the salmon will change from red to pink and will be flaky. The best test for salmon doneness is to check the internal temperature with a thermometer, which should reach 145˚F at the thickest part of the salmon.
Absolutely! Make sure to roast skin-on salmon with the skin side touching the baking sheet, i.e. skin-side-down.
To Serve
Since the glaze in this salmon has a ton of flavor, you can keep the sides pretty simple. We love to serve this as a main course paired with these simple sides.
- Roasted Asparagus
- Mashed Potatoes
- Vegetable Stir Fry
- Perfect White Rice
- Roasted Baby Red Potatoes
- Boiled New Potatoes
Make-Ahead
This glazed salmon recipe is so easy that there really is no need to make ahead anything. However, if you wanted to you, you could cut up the salmon and arrange it on a baking sheet and stir together the topping in a separate bowl then cover both, and keep refrigerated until ready to bake. Spread sauce over salmon before baking.
More Salmon Recipes to try
Our readers (that’s you) adore salmon recipes. It’s the second most searched term on our blog, second only to chicken. If you enjoyed this Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon then you won’t want to miss these popular salmon recipes.
- Oven Baked Salmon with Garlic and Dijon
- Salmon Cobb Salad
- Grilled Salmon with Garlic Lime Butter
- Pan-Seared Salmon with Lemon Butter
- Grilled Salmon Skewers
- Sheet Pan Salmon and Asparagus
Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 lbs salmon, cut into six, 5 ½-ounce filets (boneless, skin-on, or skinless)
- 1/2 lemon, sliced for garnish, optional
- 1 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped to garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F with one rack positioned in the top third of your oven. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar, mustard, lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well to combine.
- Lay the fillets on the prepared baking sheet skin-side-down (if your fillets have skin) and spaced about 1 inch apart.
- Generously spread the glaze over the top and sides of the fish. Bake for 10-15 minutes*, or until the internal temperature at the thickest part reaches 145˚F on an instant-read thermometer, and the flesh flakes easily with a fork.