Description
This Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon recipe features tender salmon fillets cooked to perfection with a crispy skin and a luscious, sweet-savory glaze made from brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, and more. Quick and easy to prepare, it’s perfect for a delicious weeknight dinner that feels special.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Salmon:
- 4 pieces fresh salmon fillets
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
For the Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup chicken broth or water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Prep the Salmon: Bring salmon fillets to room temperature and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels to ensure the skin crisps up well during cooking. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
- Make the Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, soy sauce (or tamari), garlic powder, lemon juice, freshly grated ginger, Worcestershire sauce, chicken broth (or water), and cornstarch until smooth and well combined.
- Heat the Skillet: Place a skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter, allowing butter to melt and the mixture to heat thoroughly.
- Cook Salmon Skin-Side Down: Carefully place salmon pieces skin-side down in the hot skillet. Cook without moving for about 5 minutes, which crisps the skin nicely.
- Flip and Continue Cooking: Gently flip the salmon fillets over, reduce heat to medium, and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until the salmon is nearly cooked through.
- Add Butter and Glaze: Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Pour the prepared glaze mixture around the salmon fillets. Let the glaze bubble and thicken slightly for 20 to 30 seconds while spooning it around.
- Glaze the Top: Flip the salmon one more time and spoon the thickened glaze over the tops of the fillets to coat evenly.
- Serve Immediately: Remove salmon from skillet and serve right away with your favorite sides for a balanced, tasty meal.
Notes
- If using tamari instead of soy sauce, this dish is gluten-free.
- Patting salmon dry is key to getting crispy skin.
- You can adjust brown sugar quantity to control sweetness.
- Serve with steamed vegetables or rice for a complete meal.
- For a vegetarian option, substitute salmon with thick grilled tofu slices and use vegetable broth.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
