Salmon is smothered in a sweet and spicy brown sugar and lime sauce, then baked and sprinkled with fresh cilantro in this quick and healthy dinner.
We eat a lot of salmon at my house–and I mean a LOT–and this Sweet Cilantro Lime Salmon is one of our favorite ways to prepare fish.
People are often intimidated by the idea of cooking fish, but it’s honestly one of the quickest, easiest and tastiest ways to get dinner on the table in a hurry.
This recipe was a hit with my family!! Will definitely make this again!! ~ Monica
Baking salmon only takes about 15 minutes, and when it’s smothered in a sweet and savory sauce like this version, you can have a delicious, nutritious, restaurant-quality meal on the table in no time.
Even better, my boys devour this stuff! I usually by my salmon at Costco, and it’s such a big piece, I always think we’ll never finish it. And I’m always wrong.
And we love this cilantro lime salmon so much, we finished it off in record time!
Basically all you do is put your salmon filet on a parchment lined baking sheet, whip up the glaze, pour it over your fish and pop it in the oven.
About 20 minutes later, you’re salmon is done! Easy peasy! Just add a simple side like rice or green beans (or both!) and you have a complete meal in about 30 minutes.
I like to switch to the broiler during the five minutes or so of cooking. The heat from the broiler kind of caramelizes the glaze and adds great color and flavor.
You can also cook this salmon on the grill. I recommend 6-8 minutes per side on medium heat.
However you cook your salmon, a meat thermometer is the best way to know when fish (or any meat) is safely cooked. For salmon, look for it to reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees. Enjoy!
Be sure to save this Sweet Cilantro Lime Salmon recipe to your favorite Pinterest board for later.
Tips for Cooking Fish
Choosing fresh fish: Rather than shopping for a certain type of fish, buy the fish that looks the freshest. Similar types of fish can usually be substituted in a recipe.
If you were planning to use cod in a recipe, for example, you can easily substitute orange roughy or snapper.
Cooking time: Measure your fish at its thickest part, then aim for about 10 minutes of cooking time per inch of thickness.
Is it done? To test fish for doneness, insert a knife into the flesh at the thickest part. It should be just barely translucent in the center.
Even if it doesn’t look quite done, the fish will continue to cook after you remove it from the heat, so make sure not to overcook it.
Here’s what you’ll need to make Sweet Cilantro Lime Salmon
- Salmon
- Olive oil
- Lime juice
- Brown sugar
- Produce: garlic, cilantro
- Spices: red pepper flakes, salt and pepper
Sweet Cilantro Lime Salmon
Ingredients
- 1.5-2 pounds salmon
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place salmon on baking sheet and season with salt and pepper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, brown sugar, garlic and red pepper flakes. Pour mixture over salmon.
- Cook for 15-20 minutes or until salmon is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. If desired, turn on broiler during last 5 minutes of cooking to caramelize the glaze. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro before serving.
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Nutrition
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Who Dished It Up First: Adapted from Creme de la Crumb
3 comments
Alyssa
Literally JUST made this and it’s the best! The cilantro ties it all in. I would say to double the amount of glaze for a thicker layer but otherwise it’s delicious.
Monica Sackuvich
This recipe was a hit with my family!! Will definitely make this again!!
Danelle
Thanks so much Monica! 🙂