Ingredients Fish & Seafood Fish Salmon The Only Salmon Marinade Recipe You’ll Ever Need 5.0 (3) 3 Reviews This salmon marinade recipe is a perfect blend of flavors that lets the natural taste of the salmon shine without overpowering it. This versatile marinade combines a balance of salty, sweet, tangy and savory flavors that would also work well with other fish like mahi-mahi or tuna, or even chicken breast. By Renu Anshie Dhar Renu Anshie Dhar Renu Dhar has more than a decade of cumulative experience cooking as a personal chef and culinary instructor. As a personal chef, she developed over 1,000 personalized recipes and meal plans for her clients. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on September 6, 2024 Tested by Giovanna Vazquez Tested by Giovanna Vazquez Giovanna Vazquez is a part of Dotdash Meredith's fellowship program, working as a recipe tester and developer at the Birmingham food studio. Since she was a child, Giovanna has had a strong passion for baking, and her newfound interest in health led her to schooling under the culinary nutrition degree. Meet the EatingWell Test Kitchen Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD Emily Lachtrupp is a registered dietitian experienced in nutritional counseling, recipe analysis and meal plans. She's worked with clients who struggle with diabetes, weight loss, digestive issues and more. In her spare time, you can find her enjoying all that Vermont has to offer with her family and her dog, Winston. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Save Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Photographer: Hannah Hufham, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hausser Active Time: 15 mins Total Time: 25 mins Servings: 4 Nutrition Profile: Sesame-Free Weight Loss Diabetes-Friendly Nut-Free Dairy-Free Healthy Pregnancy High-Protein Egg-Free Anti-Inflammatory Mediterranean Diet Jump to recipe Being short on time doesn’t mean you have to be short on flavor: this Salmon Marinade recipe is proof. The classic combination of honey and Dijon kisses the salmon with sweetness—add the umami of the soy sauce and a small spicy kick from the red pepper flakes and your taste buds will thank you. Salmon is brimming with heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, and this dish comes together in less than 30 minutes, making it ideal for busy weeknights. Read on for our expert tips for perfectly cooked fish. Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! The short 10- to 15-minute marinating time ensures the salmon is not cured and “cooked” before it’s baked.Keeping the salmon skin on helps retain moisture during cooking, and you’ll be able to lift the fish off the pan easier.To get an accurate read on your thermometer, stick it into the thickest part of the fish, around the sides, multiple times. Cooking salmon to medium-rare at 125°F and letting it rest ensures the fish is cooked through and helps prevent globs of white albumin from forming on the fish. Lightly tenting foil over the fish helps keep it warm while it rests. Nutrition Notes Salmon is the star of this dish in flavor and nutrition. Since it’s packed with unsaturated omega-3 fatty acids, adding salmon to your diet can help reduce inflammation and may help lower your cholesterol. The addition of olive oil in this recipe ensures you are doubling up on heart-healthy unsaturated fats. Olive oil is one of the main sources of fat in the Mediterranean diet and can help support healthy aging. If you’re looking to decrease your sodium intake, perhaps to help lower blood pressure, we’ve developed this recipe using low-sodium soy sauce to help reduce the amount of sodium in the marinade, but keep the rich flavor that soy sauce brings. Photographer: Hannah Hufham, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hausser Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon honey 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper 4 (5-ounce) skin-on salmon fillets ¼ teaspoon salt Directions Preheat oven to 400°F. Whisk 2 tablespoons each oil, soy sauce and mustard, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon each onion powder and garlic powder and ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper together in a small bowl until well combined. Photographer: Hannah Hufham, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hausser Place 4 (5-ounce) salmon fillets in a large zip-top plastic bag; pour in the marinade and gently shake the bag to coat the salmon. Press out as much air as possible before sealing the bag. Place the bag on a large plate; refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes. Photographer: Hannah Hufham, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hausser Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the salmon from the marinade; gently shake off excess marinade (discard marinade). Place the salmon, skin-sides down, on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt. Bake until slightly flaky and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest portion registers 125°F, 9 to 10 minutes. Tent with foil and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Photographer: Hannah Hufham, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hausser Nutrition Information Serving Size: 1 filletCalories 248, Fat 12g, Saturated Fat 2g, Cholesterol 78mg, Carbohydrates 3g, Total Sugars 2g, Added Sugars 2g, Protein 28g, Fiber 0g, Sodium 441mg, Potassium 706mg Frequently Asked Questions Should I rinse the salmon before marinating it? No. Properly cooking salmon will kill the bacteria, but washing it will spread it. The USDA does not recommend washing raw seafood, meat or poultry before cooking. Washing can sprinkle bacteria-laden water droplets up to 3 feet from the source, spreading them all over you, your kitchen and other foods nearby. And depending on the bacteria, it can thrive for hours. Can I make this recipe ahead of time? Absolutely. You can prepare the marinade and keep it in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 30 days. The baked salmon will be good for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. What else can I use this marinade on? This salmon marinade would be tasty on all kinds of fish and also for roasted or grilled chicken or turkey. Typically, you would only want fish to be in a marinade for 10 to 15 minutes. Depending on the cut of poultry and whether it’s bone-in or boneless, you could marinate it for 6 to 24 hours. Bone-in cuts tend to require more time in a marinade. What should I serve with marinated salmon? We recommend pairing it with fresh in-season greens—steamed, roasted or grilled—or a crisp garden salad, Caesar salad or coleslaw. Our Wild Rice Pilaf goes fabulously with roasted salmon. EatingWell.com, September 2024 Rate It Print Additional reporting by Sarah Pflugradt, Ph.D., RDN, CSCS Sarah Pflugradt, Ph.D., RDN, CSCS Sarah Pflugradt is a registered dietitian who holds a Ph.D. in Health and Human Performance and is a certified strength and conditioning specialist. Her extensive background in dietetics has made her a sought-after expert in family and youth sports nutrition. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines and Linda Frahm Linda Frahm Linda Frahm has been a copy editor and fact checker working with food and nutrition content for the past 30-plus years for consumer print and online publications, such as Cook’s Illustrated and Cook’s Country magazines, and has edited cookbooks for Dovetail Press and The Taste Curators. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Sources EatingWell is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources—including peer-reviewed studies—to support the facts in our articles. Read about our editorial policies and standards to learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy. USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Washing food: does it promote food safety?