This tender and fresh brown sugar soy sauce salmon recipe is so easy to make! Just season the salmon, mix the sauce then drizzle on top, and bake!
Also, be sure to check out my popular 6 easy salmon marinade flavors!
Why I Love This Recipe
This recipe has really incredible reviews! A tender flaky salmon is covered in a sweet and tangy sauce that is so easy to make.
The salmon is baked in the oven, while covered in foil. This will ensure it's perfectly cooked without drying it out. The sauce ingredients are melted together on the stove and then drizzled over the salmon to create a deliciously sweet flavor.
Recipe Reviews
- "Delicious! My husband (who rarely eats fish) went back for seconds!" - Megan
- "So yummy and healthy. I’m definitely going to make it again." - Ana
- "Honestly the best salmon marinade I have made." - CJ
- "This recipe is fabulous. Would recommend for stress-free entertaining. Marvellous cold next day" - Lindsay
- "easy and so delicious! I had leftovers for my husband tomorrow. Five stars" - Mimmy
- "My kids said it was the best salmon they had ever eaten" - Kimberly
See More Recipe Reviews Here
Recipe Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs salmon fillet – plus olive oil, salt and pepper for seasoning
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 4 garlic cloves - minced
- 3 Tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ cup salted butter
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
How To Make Brown Sugar Soy Sauce Salmon
Full ingredients and instructions are also in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post.
STEP 1: Let Salmon Rest
Let the salmon sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
STEP 2: Make Brown Sugar Sauce
In a saucepan, add ½ cup soy sauce, ½ cup brown sugar, 4 minced garlic cloves, 3 Tbsp lemon juice, ¼ cup salted butter, ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp ground black pepper over medium-high heat.
Let simmer until the butter is melted and the sugar has dissolved about 2-3 minutes. Stir occasionally during the process to prevent sugar from burning.
STEP 3: Add To Baking Dish
Add the salmon to a large dish or baking sheet skin side facing down. Brush the top with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
STEP 4: Pour Sauce Over
Now pour the sauce overtop of the salmon and cover the dish with foil. Bake for 10-25 minutes (depending on the size of the salmon – see notes). Remove the foil and broil for the last 2-3 minutes if desired. This will help to caramelize and crispen the salmon (it's an optional step).
STEP 5: Serve
Add salmon to a large serving plate. Sprinkle with fresh chopped green onion if desired. The extra sauce in the pan can be drizzled over rice or pasta.
How Long To Cook Salmon
The cooking time for salmon will vary depending on the thickness of the fillet. Measure the thickest part of your salmon. It will take approximately 10 minutes for every 1" of thickness. For example, my salmon is about 2" thick and took 23 minutes to bake. This time will vary so it's best to check on it early to avoid overcooking.
Salmon Cooking Times:
| Temperature | Thickness | Time (covered with foil) |
| 375°F | 1" | approx 10-12 minutes |
| 375°F | 1 ½ " | approx 15-17 minutes |
| 375°F | 2" | approx 20-22 minutes |
| 375°F | 2 ½" | approx 25 minutes |
How do I know when salmon is cooked?
Baked salmon will flake easily with a fork. Just place the fork in the salmon and try to remove a piece. If it flakes off easily, then it's cooked. You can also use a meat thermometer to check the temperature. It should reach 145F internally.
Recipe Tips
- Let the salmon sit at room temperature for 10-20 minutes before cooking. This will ensure the salmon cooks quicker and more evenly.
- This recipe works well with a large salmon fillet that is approximately 1 ½ to 2 lbs. Choose a salmon fillet that looks fresh, is bright pink in color, and has an even thickness throughout.
- The fish will continue to cook once you remove it from the oven, so it's better to undercook just slightly than to overcook it.
- This recipe can also be used with any white fish including cod, halibut, and tilapia.
- Use leftover sauce on top of rice or pasta. It's super yummy!
How To Store
- Refrigerate - Store the salmon in an airtight container, or tightly wrapped in plastic for 3-4 days.
- Reheating - Salmon can be reheated in the microwave, in the oven, or pan-fried to reheat. Be careful not to heat it too long as it can overcook the salmon.
- Serve Cold - Leftover cooked salmon can also be served cold. This is especially great for when serving in salads.
Have A Question?
- Got a question about this recipe? Leave a comment below—I’m happy to help!
- Tried this recipe? Share it with friends and leave a star rating below—I’d love to hear what you think!
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Brown Sugar Soy Sauce Salmon
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs salmon fillet - - plus olive oil, salt and pepper for seasoning
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 4 garlic cloves - minced
- 3 Tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ cup salted butter
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Let the salmon sit at room temperature 10-15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Add the salmon to a large dish or baking sheet skin side facing down. Brush the top with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- In a saucepan, add ½ cup soy sauce, ½ cup brown sugar, 4 minced garlic cloves, 3 Tbsp lemon juice, ¼ cup salted butter, ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp ground black pepper over medium-high heat. Let simmer until the butter is melted and the sugar has dissolved, about 2-3 minutes. Stir occassionally during the process to prevent sugar from burning.
- Now pour the sauce overtop of the salmon and cover the dish with foil.
- Bake for 10-25 minutes (depending on size of salmon - see notes). Remove the foil and broil for the last 2-3 minutes if desired. This will help to carmelize and crispen the salmon (it's an optional step).
- Add salmon to a large serving plate. Sprinkle with fresh chopped green onion if desired. Extra sauce in pan can be drizzled over rice or pasta.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Info
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving.
John Robert says
Insanely delicious, nutritious and easy as can be. Thanks! ❤️
Janice says
My new favorite salmon recipe. Absolutely love it! Thank you
Susan Reynolds says
This recipe is so good! I made it last week and my husband loved it so much he went out and bought more salmon and asked me to make it again.
Chelsea says
My family loves this recipe! Thank you! My five year old calls it mom’s fish dinner and she would eat it every night if I would let her!
I do make a few changes but the bases of this recipe is so good! I double the sauce ingredients and substitute the lemon juice for honey Dijon and it is just amazing. Again thank you♥️
Cyndi says
this is my FAVORITE RECIPE for Salmon, thank you for sharing ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Mimmy says
This recipe was so easy and so delicious!! I had pieces of salmon but I still use the amounts indicated. I love the combination of flavors here. It cooked for 10-12 minutes. It was perfect ? I served with brown rice, avocado and plenty of sauce. Thank you ! It’s a keeper. Five stars ⭐️ for me.