10-Minute Maple-Crusted Salmon

10-Minute Maple-Crusted Salmon

A spicy sweet rub tops salmon fillets that are broiled then drizzled with maple syrup to create a caramelized crust for a healthy, easy dinner ready in under 10 minutes.

Maple-Crusted Salmon

This super simple salmon recipe from Lexi’s Clean Kitchen is one you’ll be digging into time and time again.

It’s simple enough for fast family dinners but so stunningly tasty you’ll be eager to share it for special occasions too.

We start things off with skinless salmon fillets. Of course you could serve with the skin intact too, it’s all a matter of preference with this dish.

I prefer wild caught salmon for it’s more robust flavor and can usually find it readily available just about year round at my grocer’s seafood counter. You can also use flash frozen salmon that will yield just about as tasty of results as fresh.

The salmon is sprinkled with a mixture of kosher salt, raw sugar, paprika and chile powder. Lexi’s original recipe calls for coconut sugar or granulated maple sugar to keep it on the super healthy side. Because I didn’t have either of those ingredients on hand, I used raw brown sugar that hasn’t been stripped of any color or flavor, giving it a natural taste with a hint of molasses.

The spice recipe calls for paprika, but the second time I made this salmon (because seriously, it IS so good) I had run out. So I subbed in Smoked Paprika and it was still lip-smacking delicious.

After the fish gets a short broil in the oven, a drizzle of maple syrup slather sweetens all of those spicy salty bits.

One thing to note…because like I said, I’ve made this recipe more than once…broiling the salmon for the recommended 7 to 9 minutes will give you a very dark crust, looking almost burnt. But that’s where the flavor comes in. The first time I cooked this I didn’t let it cook as long and pulled it before the crust could develop so the texture was more of a glaze.

The second time I cooked this dish, I went for the longer time and enjoyed a wonderfully crusty, spicy but sweet caramelized crust that yes, was dark, but oh so good!

I would suggest you check your cooking time at 6 minutes and then check every minute as it cooks to get the preferred crust. The quick cooking time results in a very moist, tender flake of fish. This my friends, is a keeper, and we have Lexi to thank for all of it.

10-Minute Maple-Crusted Salmon Recipe

A spicy sweet rub tops salmon fillets that are broiled then drizzled with maple syrup to create a caramelized crust for a dinner ready in under 10 minutes.

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon chile powder
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons raw brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds skinless salmon fillets cut into 4 portions
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Instructions

Preheat your oven to broil. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
In a small bowl, mix together the chili powder, paprika, sugar, and salt
Generously sprinkle the chili powder mixture evenly over the tops of the salmon fillets.
Place the salmon on the prepared baking sheet and broil for 6-9 minutes, depending on how thick your fillets are and how crispy you prefer the crust.
Remove the salmon from the oven and brush the maple syrup over the tops to coat the spice rub. Return to the oven and broil for an additional 1-2 minutes until the maple syrup is bubbling and has formed a crust. Serve immediately.