Simple Honey Citrus Salmon Recipe

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If you are looking for a way to change up your boring old salmon recipes, I have just the thing for you. This Simple Honey Citrus Salmon Recipe is easy to make and bursting with flavor. Being from Alaska, you know salmon was on the menu on regular rotation. This honey citrus version is one I wish I had growing up! In this recipe I will also share how to prepare salmon in the best way, pulling from my years of experience.

Wondering what side dish to serve with your salmon, let me suggest a few of my favorites. My Mediterranean white bean salad is a heart-healthy addition to your salmon meal. Or what about this ancient grain and vegetable salad? Or if you are like my husband and love mashed potatoes, let me suggest these yummy Boursin mashed potatoes.

Jump to:

• Why Does This Recipe Work?
• Ingredients
• How To Make
• Tips
• How To Choose Salmon Filets
• How To Tell When Salmon Is Cooked
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• Honey Citrus Salmon Recipe

Why Does This Recipe Work?

For one thing, it is really simple to make. I feel like salmon is the perfect weeknight meal as it cooks so quickly and is easy to prepare.

Salmon is so healthy. If you are concerned about your health, let this recipe be one you add to your meal plan. Not only is the salmon itself really healthy, but this recipe also uses no refined sugar or other additives.

This goes well with so many side dishes. As mentioned above, you can serve it with a delicious salad, mashed potatoes, rice, etc. It plays well with others.

Ingredients

• Salmon- I am going to discuss more about salmon in the section below. There are a lot of varieties of salmon to choose from. I will share my favorites.
• Olive oil- you can also use any other oil, but if we are keeping this healthy, stick with olive oil.
• Fresh ginger- you can use powdered, but the fresh has a much better flavor.
• Minced garlic- again, powdered can be used, but let me recommend fresh for flavor.
• Fresh orange juice and slices- You will use the juice in the marinade and add a couple of thin slices on top for aesthetics and flavor.
• Honey- You can use other sweeteners, but honey is my favorite in this recipe.
• Low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos- I make sure and get the low sodium soy sauce, the other is just too salty for my taste.
• Lemon juice- I only add in a touch, but it adds a little more acidic flavor than the orange juice will on its own. This is fresh lemon juice, not concentrate.
• Salt and pepper- these will enhance the flavors.

How To Make

I like to make a smooth glaze for this recipe. Add all the ingredients to a food processor or blender. Blend until it is smooth.

Place your salmon on a baking sheet and brush with half of the glaze. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and add the orange slices.

Bake at 500 degrees for 5 minutes. Brush with the remaining glaze and return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes.

Once the salmon is flaky and lightly charred on top, remove it from the oven. It is ready to serve.

Tips

• I like to bake my salmon hot and fast. This will give you flaky salmon that is not dry. The time it takes to bake is determined by the type of salmon and the thickness of the filet.
• The reason I like to blend my glaze is so it is well blended. This ensures that when I brush it on, every piece will get all the flavors I am using. Another reason is to make sure the garlic and ginger are all broken up. If there are larger pieces, I tender to find that they burn.
• Not only is this salmon really good the day you bake it, but I love it for meal prep as well. Chill it and add it on top of your favorite salad or pasta. It will hold well in the fridge, in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• You can use another citrus if you like in this recipe. I have used grapefruit in place of the orange juice and that was really tasty. Lime is another option as well.

How To Choose Salmon Filets

• Growing up in Alaska, you can imagine I have some strong thoughts on salmon. While I am spoiled and my parents still send me a 50-pound box of salmon every year, sometimes I still need to buy it.
• If you are landlocked as we are now in Idaho and salmon is harder to find, let me share my tips.
• The first is if you cannot get fresh salmon, go for flash frozen. This will preserve the salmon better than any other way. I generally prefer to buy my salmon frozen. I like to thaw it myself, then I know exactly how long it has not been frozen.
• If you want to buy it fresh from the counter, ask them how the fish was frozen. If they aren't sure, maybe get your salmon somewhere else.
• Next, salmon should not have a really "fishy" smell. Yes, it will smell like fish, but the stronger the smell, the less fresh it is.
• Salmon should be a beautiful color and moist, do not buy it if it is dried out.
• My favorite type of salmon is Pacific, of course, with silvers being my favorite of these. Silver salmon are also called Coho salmon. They are high in fat and have the best flavor, in my opinion. They are also a little softer red color, not as vibrant as others. If silvers are not an opinion, reds are good as well. Reds are also called sockeye.
• The type of salmon I would avoid is pink. In Alaska, we call these dog salmon, can you guess why? Yes, that salmon goes to the dogs. It is generally not as healthy and has a stronger "fishy" flavor.

How To Tell When Salmon Is Cooked

• An important kitchen skill to learn is how to properly bake salmon. The key is to get it moist and flaky. It is not hard to do and let me share my favorite tips.
• As noted above, my favorite method for cooking salmon is hot and fast. I bake it at 500 degrees, but it can also be broiled if you like.
• The salmon will change from being a kind of translucent to opaque. But my favorite way to tell is by gently pressing in the center with a fork or my fingers (careful, it is hot). The salmon should pull apart just slightly. As soon as it reaches this point, pull it off the heat immediately!
• Do not overdo it. I have eaten plenty of dried salmon that people have overcooked for fear of undercooking. Let me promise you, salmon cooks fast!!