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My Salmon Marinade Recipe Is A Sweet Change Of Pace
Until a few years ago, I didn’t think I even needed a salmon marinade. This fish is flavorful enough without. But then I mixed up this one when I wanted a new way to use my zero sugar maple syrup, and here’s why I’ve been making it ever since:
- Sweet and savory flavor – Yes, my salmon marinade recipe has the lemon, garlic, and herbs I almost always use. But if you’re tired of the same thing, this one has a nice change of pace with a sweet maple flavor! Plus, it caramelizes a little when you cook your fish… amazing.
- Makes moist, flaky salmon – Although this fish is already rich and buttery, I’ve found that marinating leaves it even more flavorful and moist inside.
- Quick and easy – I whip up this marinade in just a few minutes, using 6 simple ingredients (plus salt and pepper). And since fish isn’t ideal for marinating too long anyway, I don’t have to wait long to cook it.
- Works for all kinds of salmon recipes – I originally made this easy salmon marinade for grilled salmon, but have since experimented with it on baked salmon (made it extra tender), seared salmon (great but be careful not to burn it), and even crispy air fried salmon (my latest favorite).
If you’re ready for a new marinade for salmon, try this one with me!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the ingredients for my best salmon marinade, what each one does in my recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Olive Oil – The base. I’ve made this with different types of oil (regular olive oil, extra virgin, avocado oil) and they all work great.
- Maple Syrup – My favorite flavor in this salmon marinade! I use my natural Wholesome Yum Zero Sugar Maple Syrup, which tastes just like real maple syrup without the sugar. I’ve also tested this recipe with regular maple syrup, regular honey, and my zero sugar honey. All three worked great, but I liked the sugar-free syrup the best. More recently, I’ve even used my sugar-free raspberry syrup!
- Lemon Juice – The acid tenderizes the salmon, plus the tang of citrus pairs well with fish. If you don’t have fresh lemons, you can use bottled juice as a shortcut, try lime juice instead, or even use orange juice for extra sweetness. (I recommend reducing the amount of syrup a bit if you use orange juice, since it’s already sweet.)
- Fresh Herbs – I love dill and parsley with salmon, but thyme or chives work well, too. I highly recommend fresh herbs over dried, but if you have to, you can replace each tablespoon of fresh with a teaspoon of dried.
- Garlic, Sea Salt, & Black Pepper – When my kids aren’t around, I also throw in 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes for some heat.
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Reader Review
“This salmon marinade was a hit at our dinner party last night. The lemon and maple syrup combination made the salmon incredibly flavorful. Even my picky eaters asked for seconds!” –Joie
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How To Use This Salmon Marinade
I marinate my fish in this salmon marinade for about 30 minutes, then cook using one of these recipes — just hop on over for cooking times:
While I love this marinade for salmon the most, I’ve also enjoyed it in other ways:
- It pairs well with most kinds of flaky fish, like rainbow trout, steelhead, or cod.
- I’ve used it for baked pork chops instead of the pork chop marinade I usually use.
- It’s surprisingly tasty for roasting vegetables (toss before popping them in the oven).
- It can even double as a salad dressing. Last time I made it, I doubled it and used half over my tomato cucumber salad!
My Tips For Marinating & Cooking
- How long to marinate salmon? The sweet spot for marinating time is about half an hour. Since my salmon marinade contains lemon juice, I find that 30 minutes is ideal, but you can go up to an hour. Beyond that, the acid starts to break down the fish (similar to fish ceviche) and then it gets mushy.
- Marinate salmon at room temperature. It’s a short amount of time, and in my experience it helps my fish cook more evenly.
- Feel free to mix the marinade in advance. While I’d caution against marinating too long, I mix up this marinade ahead all the time! I just combine the ingredients in a jar and keep in the fridge. Sometimes they separate, so just shake right before pouring over the salmon.
- For perfectly cooked salmon, use an instant read thermometer. While you can check that it flakes with a fork, I always go by internal temperature! I highly recommend 135 to 140 degrees F for fish that is flaky and moist. You can opt for 145 degrees F if you like yours more well done.
- Want a deeper umami flavor? Reduce the olive oil to 3 tablespoons, add 2 tablespoons of coconut aminos (or soy sauce), and grate in 1-2 teaspoons of fresh ginger. I make this version when I’m serving salmon with an Asian-inspired meal.
- If your salmon is frozen, thaw it first. I’ve tried marinating frozen fish and the results aren’t great. The fish doesn’t absorb the flavors well, plus it releases extra moisture and dilutes the salmon marinade.
- Can you freeze salmon in marinade? I freeze chicken and steak in marinades all the time, but no, I don’t recommend it for salmon. The acid will continue to break down the fish, even if it’s frozen.
Salmon Marinade (Grill Or Oven)
By
This is my easiest, best salmon marinade recipe, with 6 simple ingredients! Make it in minutes, and use for baked, seared, or grilled salmon.
Ingredients
[ See substitutions ]Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.
Salmon Marinade
Salmon To Use With Salmon Marinade
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Whisk together all marinade ingredients in a small bowl.
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Pour the marinade into a gallon zip lock bag. Add the salmon fillets, seal the bag, and massage to coat well.
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Marinate for 30 minutes, no longer than 1 hour.
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Cook salmon on the grill like this, or you can also bake or pan sear it. (See the other cooking options in my post above.)
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 6 ounces salmon, marinated and cooked
- Tips: Check out my tips to help you make this salmon marinade and the best way to marinate your fish.
- Note on nutrition info: I used Wholesome Yum Zero Sugar Maple Syrup, so sugar and carbs will be higher if you use regular. Also, I only included 1/4 of the marinade in these numbers, because I discarded most of it after marinating the salmon.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Easy Salmon Marinade Recipe
Serving Ideas
I usually serve my marinated salmon with a light side dish. Here are some of my favorite options:
- Vegetables – I make salmon with roasted asparagus more than any other veggie, but it’s also perfect with roasted cauliflower or sauteed broccoli.
- Salads – When I served it for my pictures here, I just tossed some greens and radishes on a plate, and drizzled them with lemon vinaigrette. But salmon is also fantastic with my spring mix salad, sweet kale salad (my dressing uses ingredients very similar to this salmon fish marinade), or Israeli salad.
- Starches – For a heartier side, try my roasted potatoes, air fryer baked potato, or rice. I’ve also got lighter options with similar vibes: roasted rutabaga or cauliflower rice.
- Sauces – If you want to get fancy, drizzle your salmon with hollandaise sauce, pesto, or lemon butter sauce. I usually don’t, because this salmon marinade is already so flavorful!
55 Comments
Bee Whisperer
0This marinade is delicious and perfect for a nice summer day with Salmon. I will definitely be making this again.
James
0I bake my salmon filets until 145 Fahrenheit degrees internal temp. I use a thermometer and it’s perfect.
jamesumd
0This was fantastic. Cooked in the oven for 20 minutes at 400 and voila. I usually smoke my salmon, but man this was really great as a change up.
Diane
0What temperature do you set the oven at?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Diane, You can find the full cooking instructions in my baked salmon recipe.
Addison
0This marinade added the best flavor to my salmon! Love how quick and easy it is too.
Rebecca
0Another fantastic simple recipe! I let the salmon rest in the marinade for just over 30 minutes and it was tender, flaky, and incredibly flavorful. Another favorite to add to our list!
Jane
0I love this marinade because it’s so flavorful and savory. I was a little nervous about using it on salmon, but the flavors really came together well!
Gen
0This was a simple, delicious, and easy recipe! I loved the bright, fresh flavors and that perfect amount of sweetness. I’ll be using this all summer long!
Arlene Medina
0Thank you
Gloria J.
0You failed to mention how long to bake the salmon… a very important aspect.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Gloria, The recipe on this page is for the marinade, and after that the salmon can be baked, grilled, or pan seared, all of which have different cook times. You can find those on the posts for baked salmon, grilled salmon, or pan seared salmon. Hope this helps!
Cheryl Pluim
0This marinade made our grilled salmon delicious last night. I added more garlic because we love it. The herbs were so flavorful. Yum!
Mary Beth Leeming
0Delicious!!!
Katie
0How much of each ingredient?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Katie, You can find the list of ingredients and their measurements on the recipe card.
Amy L Huntley
0This is the best marinade ever! The flavor was perfection!
Kristyn
0Salmon is my favorite fish & it can be hard trying to find marinades that are good. I don’t need to look any further! This one was perfect!!
Natalie
0Wow…so good! I can’t imagine salmon without this! It was simple to make & adds so much flavor!
Scarlet
0This marinade was so good. I love the flavors of the fresh dill and parsley.
Jane V
0Thank you for this! Always looking to try news recipes for our salmon.
Jaclyn
0A delicious way to prepare salmon!
Natalie
0This was so delicious.