This 15-minute brown sugar garlic salmon is tender, flaky, and finished with the most irresistible glaze. The flavor is unreal, and it’s hands-down one of our favorite ways to make salmon.
If you’re a salmon fan and always looking for easy new ways to enjoy it, don’t miss my Maple salmon, Creamy dill salmon, or this cozy Japanese-style salmon risotto.
Easy brown sugar garlic salmon
This brown sugar garlic salmon quickly climbed to the top of my list – it’s fast, foolproof, and seriously delicious. The salmon is lightly scored on the surface and seared until golden in garlic butter – YUM! – then finished with a sweet-savory glaze made from brown sugar and soy sauce.
It’s tender, flavorful, and melts in your mouth with every bite. Honestly? This might be the best way to cook salmon, ever.
The quick details for success
Ingredients
- Salmon fillets – skin off or on
- Salted butter
- Garlic
- Lemon juice
- Black pepper and sweet paprika
- Vegetable oil
- Brown sugar
- Low sodium soy sauce
Ingredients – for topping
- Scallions
- Chili pepper
- You could also add sesame seeds or cilantro
Step 1
Start by making the garlic butter and scoring the salmon in a diamond pattern. Be careful not to cut all the way through, just score the surface so the garlic butter can soak in and flavor every bite.
Step 2
Top the salmon with the garlic butter and pan-sear it until crispy – about 4 minutes. By then, your kitchen will smell amazing.
Step 3
Pour in the brown sugar–soy sauce glaze and spoon it over the salmon as it simmers. Top with scallions and chili pepper, or go wild with sesame seeds, cilantro, or whatever toppings you love. Let everything simmer for 3 minutes, and you’re done.
Let me guide you through the recipe with this step-by-step VIDEO or follow along on YouTube!
Step 4
Time to serve! I love this salmon with sushi rice seasoned with sugar, rice vinegar, and a pinch of salt, but white or brown rice works great too. You can also try it with fried rice.
And don’t skip the side salad! It’s perfect with steamed asparagus, an Asian-style cucumber salad, or roasted carrots with miso dressing.
Storing tips
- Fridge: Store leftover salmon in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
- Freezer: Place the salmon in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
- To reheat: Warm gently in a skillet over medium heat—just until heated through. Avoid boiling, as that can dry out the fillets. A gentle simmer is all you need to keep the salmon tender and flaky.
Brown Sugar Garlic Salmon
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp salted butter
- 6 garlic cloves - pressed
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp sweet paprika
- 3 tbsp lemon juice - more for sprinkling
- 4 skinless salmon fillets - or skin-on
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- ½ cup low sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 scallions - chopped, for topping
- 1 chili pepper - deseeded and chopped
Instructions
- Combine butter with pressed garlic, lemon juice, pepper and paprika.
- Pat the salmon fillets dry and score a diamond pattern, be careful not to cut through. Divide the garlic butter among salmon fillets, only the scored side, and spread out.
- Deseed and chop the chili pepper. Chop the scallions.
- Combine soy sauce with brown sugar.
- Heat oil over high, place salmon with the buttered side down. Sear for 2 minutes per side. Add prepared sauce and spoon it over the salmon.
- Top with scallions and chili pepper, simmer for 3 minutes. Serve immediately!
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