Easy Salmon Marinade Recipe | The Recipe Critic

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A great salmon marinade makes your fish flavorful, tender, and juicy! This recipe gives each filet the perfect balance of savory, sweet, and tangy flavors.

Most of my favorite meat recipes start with a good marinade. And I love experimenting with different ingredients to create new flavors, especially during grilling season! Here are some of our go-to marinades that you’ll definitely want to try: pork chop marinade, shrimp marinade, and chicken marinade!

Reasons You’ll Love This Marinade Recipe

Easy to Prepare: Requires just a few simple ingredients.
Delicious: Delivers big flavor with minimal effort. Enjoy tender, juicy salmon that’s perfect every time.
Versatile: Ideal for salmon, chicken, or steak. While store-bought marinades are convenient, homemade always tastes better!

What Ingredients are in Salmon Marinade?

You’re going to love how easy this salmon marinade recipe is! It’s made with simple ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen. Just check the recipe card below for all the exact measurements.

Soy Sauce: Adds a savory and umami flavor to the marinade that enhances the taste of the salmon.
Lemon Juice: A little acidity is a must in marinades. It provides fresh flavor and also helps to tenderize the salmon.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Ensures the marinade coats the salmon completely while adding plenty of moisture.
Honey: The sweetness from the honey balances the savory flavor from the soy sauce.
Garlic: Fresh garlic infuses the salmon with an incredible savory taste!
Fresh Parsley: Love adding fresh herbs for depth of flavor.
Salmon: This marinade makes enough to fully coat 2-3 pounds of fresh salmon.

The top view of ingredients in glass bowls and individually labeled.

How to Make Salmon Marinade and Cook Salmon

Homemade marinade is super simple to make! All you have to do is mix all of the ingredients, and then add everything to a large ziplock bag! Below, you’ll find instructions for making the marinade and also 4 different ways to cook your salmon:

Make the Marinade: Combine all the ingredients in a large ziplock bag or a large bowl.
Marinate the Fish: Add the salmon, ensuring the fish is completely covered with the marinade. Let it marinate for 30-60 minutes. Avoid letting it marinate for longer than an hour, as fish can start to break down and become mushy after too long.

Choose Your Cooking Method

Air Fryer: Spray the basket of the air fryer with pan spray and place the salmon skin side down. Cook at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes, or until the fish reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
Oven: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or non-stick foil. Place the salmon skin side down on the baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the fish reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
Skillet: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat before adding the salmon skin-side up. Let the salmon sear for 4-5 minutes before flipping it skin side down. Cook for an additional 3 minutes.
Grill: Preheat the grill to 500 degrees Fahrenheit and either brush or spray with oil. Place the salmon skin side down for 6-8 minutes. When it is ready to flip, it should easily release with a fish spatula. Flip the fish and cook over indirect heat for 2-4 minutes, until the fish reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

The top view of a ziplock bag of marinade. — Mix the salmon marinade and place it in a Ziplock bag.

Variations and Substitutions

This sweet and savory salmon marinade is a game-changer, making your fish tender and juicy with incredible flavor. Here are some easy tweaks to tailor it to your taste:

Switch up the Citrus: For a fun twist, try swapping the lemon juice with lime or orange juice. Each one adds its own unique zing!
Change the Herbs: Feel free to mix in different herbs like rosemary, thyme, cilantro, or dill. Fresh herbs are great, but if you’re using dried, go with 1 teaspoon for every tablespoon of fresh.
Alternative for Soy Sauce: If you need to switch out the soy sauce, go for gluten-free or low-sodium soy sauce, or try liquid aminos for a similar taste.
Make it Spicy: Craving some heat? Add a pinch or two (or more, if you like it hot) of crushed red pepper to spice things up.
Sweetener: Honey does a great job balancing the saltiness of the soy sauce, but you can swap it with brown sugar or agave. If you need to skip the sweetener, that’s okay too—just know it adds a nice touch!

The top view of salmon filets in marinade in a ziplock bag.

How to Store Salmon Marinade

You can get a head start by whipping up your marinade a day in advance. Just remember, don’t add the fish to it until about an hour before you plan to cook. If you let the fish soak for more than 60 minutes, the marinade will start to break down the fillet’s structure, leaving you with mushy fish.

In the Refrigerator: Your homemade marinade will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks if you keep it in an airtight container in the fridge. But be careful! Once the marinade has been in contact with raw meat or fish, you’ll need to toss it out to avoid any food safety issues.
In the Freezer: For longer storage, you can freeze your marinade. Just pour it into a freezer-safe ziplock bag, and it will keep for 3-6 months. When you’re ready to use it, let it thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature.

Cooked salmon filets on a plate garnished with green onions.

More Marinade Recipes

A tasty marinade can take your meal from ordinary to extraordinary! It infuses the protein with flavor, tenderizes it and makes the meat perfectly juicy and tender.

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Make the Marinade

Combine all the ingredients in a large ziplock bag or a large bowl.
Add the salmon, ensuring the fish is completely covered with the marinade. Let it marinate for 30-60 minutes. Avoid letting it marinate for longer than an hour, as fish can start to break down and become mushy after too long.
Cook according to your preferred cooking method.

Different Salmon Cooking Methods

Air Fryer: Spray the basket of the air fryer with pan spray and place the salmon skin side down. Cook at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes, or until the fish reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
Oven: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or non-stick foil. Place the salmon skin side down on the baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the fish reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
Skillet: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat before adding the salmon skin-side up. Let the salmon sear for 4-5 minutes before flipping it skin side down. Cook for an additional 3 minutes.
Grill: Preheat the grill to 500 degrees Fahrenheit and either brush or spray with oil. Place the salmon skin side down for 6-8 minutes. When it is ready to flip, it should easily release with a fish spatula. Flip the fish and cook over indirect heat for 2-4 minutes, until the fish reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

Calories: 1951kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 205gFat: 100gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 28gMonounsaturated Fat: 50gCholesterol: 499mgSodium: 13365mgPotassium: 5064mgFiber: 2gSugar: 40gVitamin A: 703IUVitamin C: 26mgCalcium: 183mgIron: 14mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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