This super easy recipe for brown sugar grilled salmon fillets delivers quick delicious taste in little time with a simple marinade of soy sauce and brown sugar. Paprika and pinches of dry spice add a touch of smoky flavor.
Brown sugar adds a sweetness that complements the fish so well. The salmon is lightly grilled until flaky and every bite has that perfect touch of deliciously smoky and sweet flavor. You’ll enjoy making this simple zesty citrus brown sugar grilled salmon anytime you crave an easy and delicious light dinner.
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The salmon fillets grab so much flavor from this quick marinade. This is truly an easy way to prepare tasty and flavorful grilled salmon that cooks up juicy and tender in minutes!
The salmon fillets get soaked in the marinade in a large resealable ziplock baggie and get nice and tasty. The fish then goes straight to the grill for cooking and straight to your plate. It’s a perfect dinner idea for those of you looking for mouthwatering new salmon recipes to try on the grill this week!
If you aren’t using an outdoor grill, you can still prepare the brown sugar grilled salmon in a skillet or grill pan. You’ll get the same tasty results. I will say, though, that the outdoor grill gives the fish a wonderful little smoky finish that we love to taste in grilled foods. In my opinion, grilling is the best option for a sweet and smoky finish on the fish.
Whichever way you decide to cook it, it will only take a few minutes on each side to cook into a healthy, delicious meal. That’s why I love doing easy and light fish dinners like this. They are so simple, healthy, and satisfying. Plus, if you’re trying to stay low carb and eat light for the summer, this one is always a winner.
Start with a Quick Soy Sauce Brown Sugar Marinade
This really has become one of my favorite easy salmon recipes due its simplicity. The hardest part? Whisking a few things together in a bowl to make the marinade, and, yep. That’s it!
Start by grabbing a mixing bowl to combine a few ingredients for the brown sugar salmon marinade. Mix in some sweet and salty flavors by adding brown sugar, soy sauce, orange juice, olive oil, and a little orange zest to the bowl.
To bring in a little smoky love, add in teaspoons of smoky paprika, garlic powder, and white pepper. Whisk everything together until completely combined. The little olive oil splash we added earlier will help the marinade to combine and emulsify together into a nice silky mixture.
I used the white pepper because it adds tons of flavor without overpowering that juicy, sweet, and smoky taste we’re trying to build up for the fish. We want to let all those other flavors shine. I opted to hush down on the crushed peppercorn / black pepper and add in a light white pepper instead.
Try to use a low sodium soy sauce or reduced sodium soy sauce. I like to use the Kikkoman soy sauce with the green cap labeled “less sodium”. It adds plenty of rich flavor and works great in marinades. You should even try it in a grilled chicken teriyaki marinade I made! It worked out deliciously, and it’s another great option if you’re cooking on the barbie for the weekend.
Marinade Your Brown Sugar Soy Salmon Fillets
You’ll want to have your beautiful fresh fish fillets on hand now. If you’re a big fan of salmon, you’ll see this marinade infuses lots of flavor in a little bit of time. If possible, grab a few paper towels and gently press on your fresh salmon fillets to soak up any excess moisture. It’s not completely necessary, but, I feel like it prepares them to soak up and grab all that delicious liquid in the brown sugar and smoked paprika marinade.
I am using four 5 oz individual fillets that I will gently place in a large resealable plastic bag. If possible, I’ll usually reach for a wild-caught pink king salmon or even a nice wild sockeye salmon (like I did in this chili maple salmon recipe). These are the best types of fish for keeping things on the healthy side.
I’ll grab a bowl and then open a large ziplock freezer type bag and place it in the bowl to help support the bag as I fill it.
Place fish fillets in the resealable bag and pour in the brown sugar soy sauce mixture. As you zip the bag shut, try to press on the bag to remove as much air as you can.
Place your bowl with the marinading salmon filets in the fridge for 45 minutes to 1 hour. You can also, if desired, grab a half sheet baking sheet and place the bag with the marinading salmon on top. This will have the salmon fillets sit in a flat position. They’ll make good contact with the marinading liquid as it works yummy magic in the fridge.
Cook Your Brown Sugar Soy Salmon On The Grill
Oil Grill Grate First To Stop The Fish From Sticking
While you pre-heat your grill, you’ll want to rub it with a little oil. I usually prepare mine outside on the gas grill. I’ll just give the grill a quick coating with a non-stick cooking oil spray. You might choose to grab some tongs and rub the grill grate with a paper towel dipped in oil. I find that a good non-stick cooking oil spray is all I need since it has a higher smoke point.
Even delicate, skinless salmon fillets like these will slide right off and onto the plate. No mess. Alternatively, you might opt to grease a sheet of aluminum foil and place that over the grill rack for cooking. I just love me some gorgeous grill marks on my fillets so I place them on the direct heat of the oiled grill. It’s the best way to cook your fillets for a nice grilled presentation.
Grill The Salmon Fillets
Place salmon fillets on the grill and cook on each side for 5 to 8 minutes over medium heat on your pre-heated grill. Let the salmon cook on each side until pale pink, juicy inside, and fish flakes easily with a fork. You can toss out the excess liquids from the marinade and grab a serving platter.
Using a thin spatula like this one, scoop up your brown sugar grilled salmon fillets from the grill. Top off with fresh minced parsley or fresh orange slices, if desired.
**A quick pro tip is to place your fish fillets on the grill presentation side down first. This helps to beautifully brown the very first side that touches down on the grill. When you flip the fillets, the nicest grill marks will be facing up on the plate for serving.
What can i serve with brown sugar grilled salmon?
Serve your salmon fillets over a bed of pasta or fresh greens. Add some grilled asparagus or sweeten the deal with these boozy bourbon grilled peaches for dessert! This sweet, smoky, juicy fish makes the best salmon recipe for an easy and delicious dinner that you’ll keep on repeat..
Zesty Citrus and Soy Sauce Brown Sugar Grilled Salmon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 5oz Salmon Fillets
- 1/4 cup Plus 1 tbsp Brown Sugar – Packed
- 1/4 cup Less Sodium Soy Sauce - I used Kikkoman
- 1/4 cup Orange Juice
- 1 to 2 tsp Orange Zest
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Smoky Paprika
- 1 tsp Granulated Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp White Pepper
Instructions
- Grab a medium bowl and toss in the brown sugar, soy sauce, orange juice, olive oil, and a little orange zest. Next, sprinkle in the teaspoons of smoky paprika, garlic powder, and white pepper. Whisk together to combine.
- Grab a paper towel and gently pat the salmon fillets dry to eliminate excess moisture. Place your salmon fillets in a large resealable or freezer type ziplock bag. Place the bag in a large bowl to hold it in place while you pour the marinade.
- Grab your bowl with the brown sugar soy sauce salmon marinade mixture and pour all of it into the bag with the salmon fillets. Gently massage everything together and seal the bag removing any excess air so the bag is not so puffy.
- Place the bag in the refrigerator for 45 minutes to an hour for marinading.
- Pre-heat your grill and generously grease your grill grate with a cloth dipped in oil or a non-stick cooking spray.
- Place your salmon fillets on the grill and grill on each side for 5 to 8 minutes flipping once in between. Cook until fillets are pale pink, juicy inside, and flake easily with a fork. Serve hot.
