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Brown Sugar Salmon (Baked and Broiled, 20 Minutes)
This brown sugar salmon is sweet, savory and ready in about 20 minutes. The fillets bake in a hot oven, then get brushed with a glossy brown sugar, garlic, soy and Dijon glaze and slipped under the broiler for a minute or two until the top bubbles and caramelizes. The result is tender, flaky salmon with a sticky, slightly crisp crust, a weeknight dinner that kids and adults both love.
Below you’ll find the ingredients, step-by-step instructions, how to broil without burning the sugar, variations and storage. The printable recipe card is at the bottom.
Ingredients for Brown Sugar Salmon
For the salmon
- Salmon fillets, 4 (about 6 oz / 170 g each), skin on or skinless, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick.
- Olive oil, 1 tablespoon.
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt, ¾ teaspoon, and black pepper, ¼ teaspoon.
For the brown sugar glaze
- Light or dark brown sugar, ¼ cup (50 g), packed.
- Soy sauce, 2 tablespoons, low sodium if you have it.
- Unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon, melted.
- Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon.
- Lemon juice, 1 tablespoon.
- Garlic, 2 cloves, finely grated.
- Red pepper flakes, a pinch (optional).
- Green onions or parsley, to finish.
How to Make Brown Sugar Salmon (Step by Step)
1. Heat the oven
Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C) with a rack in the upper-middle position, about 6 inches from the broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and lightly oil it; the sugar glaze can stick and burn on a bare pan.
2. Make the glaze
Whisk the brown sugar, soy sauce, melted butter, Dijon, lemon juice, garlic and red pepper flakes until the sugar dissolves.
3. Season and bake
Pat the salmon dry and set it on the baking sheet, skin side down. Rub with the olive oil and season with the salt and pepper. Bake for 8 minutes.
4. Glaze
Take the pan out and brush the salmon generously with about two-thirds of the glaze.
5. Broil to caramelize
Switch the oven to broil (high). Return the pan to the upper rack and broil for 1 to 3 minutes, watching closely, until the glaze bubbles and darkens at the edges. Take it out as soon as it’s caramelized; sugar goes from golden to burnt quickly. The salmon is done when it flakes easily and reaches 145°F (63°C), the FDA’s recommended temperature for fish.
6. Serve
Brush with the remaining glaze, sprinkle with green onions or parsley, and serve.
Chef Emma’s Tips
- Bake first, glaze later. If the sugar glaze goes on at the start, it burns before the salmon is cooked through.
- Stay by the broiler. Every broiler is different. Watch through the window and pull the pan the moment the top caramelizes.
- Use thicker fillets. Thin tail pieces overcook under the broiler. If you have some, bake them 2 minutes less.
- Keep the glaze separate. Don’t brush a used, raw-fish brush back into the bowl of glaze you’ll serve later; set aside the serving portion first.
- Line the pan with foil. Caramelized sugar is hard to scrub off.
Variations
- Brown sugar and bourbon: replace the lemon juice with 1 tablespoon bourbon.
- Maple brown sugar: use half brown sugar and half maple syrup.
- Spicy: add 1 to 2 teaspoons sriracha or chili-garlic sauce to the glaze.
- Brown sugar rub (no glaze): mix 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt and a pinch of cayenne, rub it on, and bake at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes without broiling.
- On the grill: grill the fillets skin side down and brush with the glaze for the last 2 minutes; see how to grill salmon.
Brown Sugar Salmon vs Candied Salmon
Both are sweet, but they’re different dishes. This brown sugar salmon is a quick weeknight main course: whole fillets, a sauce-like glaze, and about 20 minutes in the oven. Candied salmon is a cured, slow-cooked snack: bite-size pieces cured with salt and brown sugar, then cooked low and slow with a maple glaze until the outside is chewy and glossy and the inside stays tender. Make this one for dinner and candied salmon for a party platter.
Air Fryer Brown Sugar Salmon
Short on time or oven space? Preheat the air fryer to 390°F (200°C). Season the fillets and air fry them skin side down for 5 minutes, then brush with the glaze and air fry 2 to 4 minutes more, until caramelized and 145°F (63°C) inside. Line the basket with a perforated parchment liner so the sticky glaze doesn’t glue the fish to the basket, and don’t crowd it; cook in two batches if needed.
Turn It Into Meal-Prep Bowls
Brown sugar salmon keeps well for a few days, which makes it great for packed lunches. Divide warm rice or quinoa among four containers, add the salmon, steamed broccoli or edamame, and sliced cucumber, and keep the reserved glaze in a small separate container. Refrigerate right away and eat within 3 to 4 days. Reheat the rice and salmon gently, or enjoy the bowl cold with a squeeze of lime.
What to Serve With Brown Sugar Salmon
- Steamed jasmine rice or fried rice
- Roasted broccoli, green beans or asparagus
- A crunchy cucumber salad with rice vinegar
- Mashed or roasted sweet potatoes
For a complete dinner on one pan, try our one pan salmon with vegetables, or browse more salmon recipes.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days.
- Reheat covered in a 275°F (135°C) oven for about 15 minutes, or eat it cold over a rice bowl or salad.
- Freeze cooked salmon for up to 2 to 3 months for best quality.
These times follow the FoodSafety.gov cold food storage chart. For cooking temperatures, see the safe minimum temperature chart.
Brown Sugar Salmon FAQs
How long do you bake salmon at 400°F?
About 10 to 12 minutes total for 1-inch fillets, including the minute or two under the broiler, until it reaches 145°F (63°C).
Can I use light or dark brown sugar?
Either works. Dark brown sugar has more molasses, so the glaze is deeper in color and flavor.
Can I make the glaze ahead?
Yes. Whisk it up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate it. Stir before using.
Why did my glaze burn?
It went on too early or broiled too long or too close to the element. Glaze only at the end, and watch the broiler closely.
Brown Sugar Salmon Recipe Card
Calories are an estimate per fillet (farmed Atlantic salmon with glaze) based on USDA FoodData Central values.
Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C), rack 6 inches below the broiler. Line a sheet pan with oiled foil.
- Whisk the glaze ingredients until the sugar dissolves; set aside a third for serving.
- Pat the salmon dry, rub with oil, season with salt and pepper, and bake 8 minutes.
- Brush the salmon with the glaze.
- Broil on high 1 to 3 minutes, watching closely, until caramelized and the salmon reaches 145°F (63°C).
- Brush with the reserved glaze, garnish and serve.
