Winning Broiled Salmon
My favorite way to make broiled salmon! I’ve long been partial to that honey-lime combo with salmon and here it was the clear winner vs. other marinades. It perfectly highlights the flavors of salmon and the honey assists in encouraging browning. Then the final touch of spices and one extra layer of flavor. This recipe is a breeze to prepare yet the end result is perfectly impressive and even restaurant worthy. You get a tender, flaky, buttery interior and a gorgeously browned exterior with crisp edges, similar to a grill-kissed flavor. So much to love in every bite! Serve it with coconut rice (or plain jasmine rice) and sauteed vegetables (such as bell peppers, corn, red onion and squash), or a black bean and corn salad to complete it.
Broiled Salmon Recipe Ingredients
4 (7 oz) skinless salmon fillets 3 Tbsp light olive oil 3 Tbsp lime juice, plus 2 tsp lime zest 3 Tbsp honey 1 Tbsp minced garlic (3 cloves) 1 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp ground coriander 1 Tbsp chopped cilantro (optional)
How to Broil Salmon
How Long to Broil Salmon
Cook time can vary by about 5 minutes depending on the thickness of the salmon portions, their initial temperature before placing in oven, and how hot your broiler gets. When testing various thickness I found it usually took about 7 to 10 minutes to barely cook through. You want to take it out just a little earlier than you’d think because of the residual heat and their temperature will continue to rise a bit upon removal from the oven.
Recommended Target Temperature for Broiled Salmon
I recommend aiming for an internal target temperature of 125 to 130 degrees in the center for broiled salmon. But as a word of caution the USDA recommends a safe temp of 145 (which is too well done for me).
Helpful Tips
I think it’s easier to skin individual salmon fillets rather than the side of salmon so I like to cut into portions first. Preferably use salmon that’s about 1 1/4-inch to 1 1/2-inches thick here (in the center).
Don’t marinate salmon longer than 30 minutes or the acidity of the marinade will start to “cook” the salmon and alter it’s texture. If you want other areas of the salmon to achieve further browning, you can just leave those areas uncovered with foil. For instance, upon testing I found sometimes just the end portion was browning early so I’d just cover those ends with foil so the tops could brown further. Use a high-smoke point fat when broiling salmon. I’ve tested with butter and fats with a lower smoke point and they smoke like crazy under a super hot broiler. For this recipe broil the salmon in the center of the oven. If you go much higher the salmon is likely to burn up on top because of the honey used here. If you want to keep thinner ends from overcooking you can curl the short end under itself by about 1-inch. The presentation may not be as nice but it beats dry over-cooked ends. Monitor salmon closely during cooking, we are using a broiler after all.
Variations
Substitutes: Use maple syrup in place of honey. Lemon in place of lime. Parsley or green onion in place of cilantro. Try other spices: Ginger or sweet/smoked paprika would be tasty options. Make it spicy: Also sprinkle with 1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper or chipotle pepper when seasoning with other spices. Skip a marinade: Instead brush the raw fillets (skin-on or skinless) with light olive oil and season with salt and pepper, broil about 6-inches below broiler until cooked through (about 6 to 10 minutes) then finish the salmon with your favorite sauce (tzatziki, pesto, creamy dill etc). Try a different marinade: I recommend one with a little sugar, honey or maple syrup to encourage browning and also with a decent amount of oil in it to protect the salmon from drying out.
More Easy Salmon Recipes You’ll Love
5-ingredient Marinated Grilled Salmon Baked Salmon with Buttery Honey Mustard Sauce Blacked Salmon Pan Seared Salmon with Lemon Butter Sauce Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce
