Description
This bright, savory, and lightly sweet salmon marinade transforms simple salmon into a tender, flavorful main dish with minimal effort. It’s perfect for grilling, baking, or pan-searing and comes together with pantry staples in minutes.
Ingredients
- For the salmon:
- 2 pounds salmon fillet, whole or cut into 6-ounce portions
- For the marinade:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ⅓ cup soy sauce (regular or reduced sodium)
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional)
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Pat the salmon dry with paper towels and check for pin bones, removing any if needed.
- In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, honey, brown sugar (if using), parsley, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
- Place salmon in a large zip-top bag or shallow dish. Pour marinade over the salmon and seal or cover.
- Refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes to marinate.
- Remove salmon from marinade and discard leftover marinade.
- Cook salmon using your preferred method (baking, grilling, or pan-searing) until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork (about 12–20 minutes depending on thickness and method).
Notes
- Swap lemon juice and zest for orange for a citrus variation.
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or grated ginger for a touch of heat and depth.
- If using garlic powder, substitute ½ to 1 teaspoon for fresh garlic.
- Best marinated for 30–60 minutes—longer can affect texture due to acidity.
- Great for chicken, shrimp, or vegetables with adjusted cook times.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling or Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion (approx. 6 oz)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 34g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
