Make this simple baked salmon recipe extra delicious with these easy marinade ideas like honey garlic, teriyaki and maple dijon!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Salmon fillets – either farmed or wild salmon would work. Keep in mind that farmed salmon is higher in calories.
Teriyaki marinade
- Sesame oil – or another neutral cooking oil like grapeseed or olive oil.
- Low-sodium soy sauce – coconut aminos or tamari are the best substitutes here.
- Brown sugar – a combination of white sugar and molasses would also work.
- Garlic – fresh minced garlic will provide the best flavour but jarred minced garlic can also be used.
- Ginger – fresh minced ginger is best but ground ginger will work in a pinch.
Lemon garlic marinade
- Olive oil – or another neutral cooking oil like grapeseed or avocado oil.
- Lemon juice – freshly squeezed lemon juice is best but you can also use the bottled variety.
- Garlic – fresh minced garlic will provide the best flavour but jarred minced garlic can also be used.
- Parsley – try swapping out for fresh chervil or tarragon instead.
- Salt & pepper – to taste.
Chili lime marinade
- Olive oil – or another neutral cooking oil like grapeseed or avocado oil.
- Sweet chili sauce – a mix of hot sauce and honey will provide a similar flavour.
- Lime juice – freshly squeezed lime juice is best but you can also used the bottled variety.
- Salt & pepper – to taste.
Maple dijon marinade
- Olive oil – or another neutral cooking oil like grapeseed or avocado oil.
- Dijon mustard – stone-ground mustard or spicy brown mustard would be the best substitutes here.
- Maple syrup – honey or agave would also provide some sweetness to this marinade.
- Salt & pepper – to taste.
Mango salsa
- Mango – try using another fruit like pineapple or peach.
- Red pepper – any colour bell pepper would work here like yellow or orange.
- Red onion – you can use white or yellow onion but it will have a milder flavour.
- Lime juice – freshly squeezed lime juice is best but the bottled variety will work in a pinch.
- Cilantro – leave this out altogether if you don’t like cilantro.
- Salt & pepper – to taste.
How to make baked salmon
- Preheat the oven.
- Make the marinade.
- Marinate the salmon.
- Bake for 12 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Salmon marinating tips & tricks
Here are some top tips and tricks for making these salmon marinades:
- Marinate the salmon for 30 minutes if your marinade contains acid, or 1 hour to overnight if it doesn't contain acid.
- Make sure to marinate the salmon in the fridge for food safety purposes.
- Try out different marinade ingredients until you find a combination of flavors you love.
- Use high quality fresh ingredients wherever possible, like fresh lime juice, fresh herbs like cilantro and fresh minced garlic.
- Freeze raw salmon in marinade for up to 3 months for a quick and easy dinner idea.
- When cooking salmon, make sure it doesn't overcook, or it'll become dry. Cook it to an internal temperature of 145°F.
Frequently Asked Questions
You should always marinate salmon in the fridge for food safety purposes.
It depends on if you're using a salmon marinade with or without acid. A marinade with acid shouldn't be left for longer than 30 minutes. If you're using a marinade without acid, you can marinate the fish overnight, but I wouldn't marinate it for longer than a day or the salmon will get mushy.
Cook your marinated salmon at 375° Fahrenheit. This ensures that it stays nice and moist but is still cooked through. Cook it to an internal temperature of 145°F (you can use an instant read thermometer to make sure it's cooked).
I suggest leaving the skin on while baking to retain the moisture, then peeling it off after baking. If you really want to remove the skin before baking, keep in mind that it'll bake faster, so it will only need to cook for 10 minutes instead of 12 minutes.
This recipe is for baked salmon, but you can definitely use one of these salmon marinades to make it in the air fryer or on the grill! Use my air fryer salmon recipe or easy BBQ salmon recipe for the best results.
The Best Salmon Marinade Recipes
Looking for the best marinade for salmon? I rounded up some of my favourite recipes below! Each salmon marinade is super simple and has five ingredients or less – most of which you should already have at home. The best part is that the salmon only needs to marinade for about 15 minutes to soak in all the flavours.
Teriyaki marinade
This teriyaki marinade is so delicious and tastes just like the teriyaki salmon from your favourite Asian restaurant! Serve it with cauliflower fried rice and your favourite vegetable like steamed broccoli.
Lemon garlic marinade
This marinade is simple but tasty, with lemon juice, minced garlic and fresh chopped parsley. I love serving this dish with some creamy mashed potatoes or brussels sprouts salad.
Sweet chili marinade
Spice up your dinner routine with this sweet chili marinade! This dish pairs perfectly with flavourful coconut rice, green beans and some extra red pepper flakes for added heat.
Maple dijon marinade
This maple dijon marinade offers the perfect blend of sweet and savoury, with maple syrup and Dijon mustard. Serve it with some steamed baby potatoes and asparagus for a well-rounded meal!
Mango salsa marinade
This mango salsa marinade brings a taste of the tropics to your dinner table, with diced mango, red pepper, red onion, lime juice and cilantro. Serve it with coconut rice for a tropical-inspired feast!
Storing and reheating
If you have any leftovers, gently reheat them the next day. Make sure you go low and slow – fish will dry out from aggressive re-heating. Sprinkle some water over top of the salmon, then place a wet paper towel on top and microwave on low for 1 minute or so. This is the best way to reheat!
You can also take your baked salmon and turn it into something else. Instead of eating the baked salmon the next day as is, why not take a fork, flake it apart and use it in a completely new dish? Try substituting it in place of meat or other fish in recipes:
- Make a salmon salad sandwich
- Add it to pasta
- Toss the salmon flakes into a salad and eat it cold (this way you avoid any fishy taste from overheating)
Freezing this recipe
You can store frozen, raw salmon without losing much quality for 2 to 3 months in a freezer.
Avoid thawing your salmon using heat. Instead, cover it and leave it in the refrigerator overnight to thaw. You can leave it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before using it.
If you’re pressed for time, place the frozen salmon in a sealed bag and under cold running water until it thaws. (If you do this, you need to cook it the same day). Before cooking, let it sit for about 15-20 minutes so that it comes closer to room temperature.
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More easy marinade recipes
Meal Prep Tools
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on meal prepping this baked salmon.
- Use these Ziploc bag holders for easy marinating.
- Freeze this recipe in glass microwave-safe bowls up to 3 months.
- **Get my full list of tools here**
5 Best Salmon Marinades
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets
Teriyaki Marinade
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce or tamari if gluten-free
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
Lemon Garlic Marinade
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
- 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
Chili Lime Marinade
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
Maple Dijon Marinade
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
Mango Salsa
- 1 mango, diced
- 1/2 red pepper, diced
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
Optional Side Dish Ideas
- Sauteed bell peppers
- Roasted broccoli
- Roasted/sauteed zucchini
- Roasted asparagus
- Mixed green salad
- Roasted potatoes
- Rice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375. Mix together marinade of choice (with exception of mango salsa), then add to a large Ziploc bag along with salmon fillets and marinate for 20 minutes.
- Add marinated salmon to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, along with optional veggies of choice. Bake for 12 minutes until salmon is fully cooked and flaky. Serve and enjoy!
- If making mango salsa, add 1 tbsp olive oil to salmon fillets and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 12 minutes until salmon is fully cooked and flaky. Remove salmon from oven and top with mango salsa – serve and enjoy!
Comments & Reviews
Melinda says
Thank you for this! Picked saved a big slab of salmon from food waste on the FlashFood app and now have it portioned and headed for the freezer for future meals. All ready to go in it’s own delicious marinades! Will heed the info on dwell time in the acidic ones.
Vron says
Hi Taylor
These sound lovely additions for salmon to up the taste from just lemon.
Can these marinades be made up and frozen without the salmon.
Can salmon be added to marinade and frozen before defrosting and cooking.
Thank you for your lovely recipes.
Taylor Stinson says
Hi Vron! The marinades can be made and frozen without the salmon for sure. I hesitate to say the salmon can be added to the marinade and frozen because fish is typically more delicate than meat and poultry and may not take to sitting in the marinade for such a long time. However, you could try it! It may work perfectly fine!
michael lachut says
looks like straight forward recipes that are easy to prepare and great to taste