This simple balsamic salmon marinade has just 3 ingredients, and gets dinner on your table in no time. The salmon comes out with the best texture- so soft and tender on the inside and never over-cooked.
When it comes to salmon, I'm all about serving it up with a delicious sauce. Maple glazed salmon and teriyaki salmon glaze are two of our favorites! This balsamic salmon marinade is another great option that infuses so much flavor into the salmon, but can also be converted into a sauce to drizzle over top.
With just three simple ingredients, this balsamic salmon marinade is so easy to prepare! Serve it up with a batch of coconut rice and sautéed green beans for the perfect meal.
Reasons you'll ♡ this recipe
- there are just 3 ingredients in the marinade, and it only needs to marinate for 30 minutes
- you can turn the marinade into a sauce to drizzle over the salmon, rice and veggies!
- starting the salmon on high heat, then reducing the temperature helps it cook through perfectly: so soft and tender on the inside and never over-cooked!
Recipe video
See exactly how to cook balsamic salmon by watching the video below! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel.
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Ingredient notes
- salmon- this cooking method works best with salmon fillets, and not thin tail sections. If you have a side of salmon, cut it into even 5 oz portions before marinating. For thin sections of salmon, see how I pan fry them in How to Cook Salmon
- balsamic vinegar- I've used regular grocery store balsamic vinegar, but you could get fancy with flavored balsamic vinegars
- maple syrup- balances the acidity/sharpness of the vinegar. Swap for honey or brown sugar.
- garlic powder- brings a touch of savory to the marinade; swap for 3-4 cloves of fresh minced garlic if you have it
Step by step directions
1. Shake up marinade- in a ½ pint jar or salad dressing shaker, combine the balsamic vinegar, maple syrup and garlic powder. Shake it up until completely combined.
2. Marinate salmon- Make sure your salmon is cut into equal-sized 5 oz fillets. Arrange in a 9 x 9 inch square baking dish. Pour the marinade evenly over the salmon, then turn the salmon so it is skin side up. Marinate for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven + sheet pan- Heat the oven to 500°F. Line a sturdy baking sheet with foil and place it in the oven to pre-heat as well. Once oven comes to temperature, remove the sheet pan and carefully arrange the salmon on it (skin side down).
4. Reduce heat + bake salmon- Place the sheet pan into the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 275°F. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the salmon reaches 125°F* when checked with an instant read thermometer.
*this is medium-rare, if you prefer your salmon closer to medium doneness, cook to 145°F.
5. (optional) Reduce marinade- While salmon bakes, add the reserved marinade to a pot. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, until it reduces and thickens. Use this to drizzle over the salmon.
FAQ
Unlike chicken, salmon should be marinated for no longer than 2 hours; at this point the acid in the marinade can start to degrade the muscle fibres in the salmon, making it mealy and unappetizing.
No, the balsamic glaze is thickened and sweetened, so you don't want to swap it for regular balsamic vinegar in the marinade. However you can use a bottled balsamic glaze to serve and skip the reducing the sauce step!
Yes- for this recipe. Since we simmer the marinade, it kills any bacteria that could be lurking in there; its essentially the same as if we were to bake it with the salmon in the oven.
I've used Cook's Illustrate's brilliant method: pre-heat the oven to 500°F with your baking dish in the oven (note- you can't use a glass baking pan for this recipe as it runs the risk of shattering). Place the marinated salmon on the pre-heated pan and place in the oven. Immediately reduce to 275°F. This sears the outside of the fish, which helps lock moisture in. It's my favorite way to bake salmon!
Recipe tips
Use a sturdy baking dish
Preheating the baking sheet helps sear the salmon, sealing the juices in. Make sure you use a good quality sheet pan, and avoid glass at all costs (as it runs the risk of shattering at high temperatures). I also prefer a baking sheet over dish as it has great air circulation between salmon fillets, helping them cook through evenly.
I love these baking sheets
Check the temperature
All ovens bake slightly differently, and salmon can vary in thickness and shape. To avoid over or undercooking your salmon, I recommend checking the internal temperature using a digital thermometer.
- medium rare (recommended)- 125°F
- medium- 145°F
Foil makes clean up easier
I normally make this recipe without the foil, just giving the pan a soak and scrub. If you want to make clean up easier, line your pan with foil. Due to the high temperature, parchment paper will not be safe to use for this recipe.
Serve it with
- 7 Cauliflower Rice Recipes
- 7 Easy Rice Recipes
- Broccolini
- Autumn Apple Farro Salad
- Staple Kale Salad
- Maple Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash
- Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower
More salmon recipes
☆ Did you make this recipe? I'd love to hear how it turned out! Leave me a review and star rating in the comments below. Your reviews help so much!
Balsamic Salmon Marinade (3 ingredients!)
Ingredients
- 20 oz salmon fillets cut into 5 oz portions; see note 1
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup maple syrup note 2
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder note 3
Instructions
- Shake up marinade- in a ½ pint jar or salad dressing shaker, combine the balsamic vinegar, maple syrup and garlic powder. Shake it up until completely combined.
- Marinate salmon- Make sure your salmon is cut into equal-sized 5 oz fillets. Arrange in a 9 x 9 inch square baking dish. Pour the marinade evenly over the salmon, then turn the salmon so it is skin side up. Marinate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven + sheet pan- Heat the oven to 500°F. Line a sturdy baking sheet with foil and place it in the oven to pre-heat as well. Once oven comes to temperature, remove the sheet pan and carefully arrange the salmon on it (skin side down).
- Reduce heat + bake salmon- Place the sheet pan into the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 275°F. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the salmon reaches 125°F*(see note 4) when checked with an instant read thermometer.
- Reduce marinade (optional)- While salmon bakes, add the reserved marinade to a pot. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, until it reduces and thickens. Use this to drizzle over the salmon.
