This delicious salmon recipe is a perfect balance of bold flavors, combining the natural sweetness of pineapple with a hint of heat from spices. It’s a quick and easy dish that’s ideal for weeknight dinners but impressive enough to serve to guests. Whether you’re a fan of tropical flavors or just looking to switch up your seafood routine, this dish is sure to become a favorite!
Why You’ll Love Recipe
My family loves salmon, so I’m always looking for new ways to prepare it, and this Sweet and Spicy Pineapple Salmon is a new family favorite at my house!
All I can say is WOW. Absolutely amazing, thank you for the fresh take on salmon!
McKenna
The salmon is covered in a delicious glaze, made with sweet and spicy Asian sauces and pineapple juice. Whole pineapple rings are cooked in foil, along with the salmon.
Actually, the pineapple might just be my favorite part. I used canned pineapple rings because that’s what I had on hand. But fresh pineapple would be absolutely amazing.
Towards the end of cooking, I turned on my broiler to caramelize the glaze a bit. Then I finished the cooked fish off with a sprinkling of fresh cilantro, for added color and flavor.
My family declared this to be one of the best salmon recipes I’ve made. And I’ve made a lot of salmon!
A side of rice, orzo or even roasted potatoes is a great way to complete this meal. I especially like topping off a serving of rice with the salmon, pineapple, and the glaze.
To accommodate my family of hungry boys, I usually get my salmon at Costco. But if you have a smaller group too feed, you could easily cut down on the glaze and just cook a few salmon fillets this way.
And although I haven’t tried it yet, I think this would be absolutely amazing on the grill. Just omit the foil, baste your salmon while grilling, and grill your pineapple slices separately.
If you happen to have leftovers, they make for some great fish tacos the next day. Just chop up the pineapple and turn it into a salsa. In fact, next time I may add extra pineapple just for that reason.
If you’re looking for an easy but elegant (and also healthy) way to feed your family in less than 30 minutes, this Sweet and Spicy Pineapple Salmon is a must try!
This recipe is fantastic! I don’t usually enjoy eating salmon, and I’ve always been super duper intimidated to cook it! But this recipe is AMAZING.
Erin
What Should I Serve With Salmon?
Green salad, roasted vegetables, grains like rice, quinoa and cous cous, most kind of pasta, mashed potatoes — they all go beautifully with this salmon.
Here are some of our favorite sides to enjoy with this salmon.
Ingredients
- Salmon – For this recipe, opt for fresh, wild-caught salmon if possible– it tends to have a richer flavor and better texture. If you’re using frozen salmon, just make sure it’s fully thawed and patted dry before cooking. A fillet with the skin on helps lock in moisture, but skinless works too.
- Sweet chili sauce – Sweet chili sauce is typically a mix of red chili, sugar, and vinegar, giving you that perfect balance of tangy heat. It’s available in most grocery stores in the Asian foods section.
- Sliced pineapple – Canned pineapple is super convenient and works great in this recipe. Just don’t forget to save the juice for the glaze!
- Rice vinegar – Rice vinegar adds a subtle acidity that keeps the glaze from becoming too sweet. If you don’t have rice vinegar on hand, apple cider vinegar is a good substitute.
- Soy sauce – I recommend low sodium soy sauce, or swap in tamari for a gluten-free option.
- Brown sugar – You can substitute honey or maple syrup if you’re looking for a natural sweetener, but the molasses in brown sugar really enriches the flavor.
- Pineapple juice – The reserved juice from your canned pineapple is the perfect base for the glaze. Its natural sweetness ties everything together. If you’re using fresh pineapple, buy a small can of pineapple juice.
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh cilantro – Chopped cilantro adds great freshness to the recipe. If cilantro isn’t your thing, you can leave it out or swap it for a sprinkle of parsley or green onions for a nice pop of color.
Recipe Tips
- 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.
- Measure your fish at its thickest part, then aim for about 10 minutes of cooking time per inch of thickness
- Use an instant read thermometer to make sure your fish is cooked properly. The recommended internal temperature is 125 degrees. F.
How to Make Sweet and Spicy Pineapple Salmon
Step 1
Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly coat it with non-stick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
Step 2
Prepare the salmon: Lay the salmon in the center of the foil-lined baking sheet. Season both sides of the salmon with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange the pineapple slices around the edges of the salmon, then fold the edges of the foil up slightly around the salmon to help contain the glaze as it bakes.
Step 3
Make the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the sweet chili sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, and pineapple juice until the sugar is dissolved and everything is well combined. Pour the glaze evenly over the salmon.
Step 4
Cook the salmon: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the salmon is just about cooked through. The salmon should be opaque and flake easily with a fork.
Step 5
Broil for extra caramelization: Switch the oven to broil and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Keep a close eye on the salmon to prevent burning!
Step 6
Garnish and Serve: Remove the salmon from the oven and carefully open the foil edges. If desired, sprinkle with freshly chopped cilantro. Serve immediately.
FAQs
Should I use salmon with the skin on, or off?Either one works. I usually buy the Costco salmon with no skin and cut it into filets. But skin on salmon works just as well. When I use skin-on salmon, prepare the fish with the skin side down.
How do I know when my salmon is done?The best way is to use an instant read thermometer. The internal temperature should be 125 degrees. F. Cooked salmon should be opaque and pink or orange in color, and should be flaky but still moist. If the salmon flakes when you gently press down on the top of the fillet with a fork or your finger, it’s done.
Can I use fresh pineapple in this recipe?Absolutely, if you have it on hand and have time to cut a fresh pineapple.
Be sure to save this recipe to your favorite Pinterest board for later.
More Salmon Recipes to Try
- Chili Lime Salmon Tacos
- Soy Sauce and Brown Sugar Grilled Salmon
- Brown Sugar Lemon Butter Garlic Salmon
Sweet and Spicy Pineapple Salmon
Ingredients
- 2-2.5 lbs. salmon
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 8 oz. cans pineapple slices, drained (reserve juice for glaze)
- 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/4 cup pineapple juice
- Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Lay 2-2.5 lbs. salmon on foil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange 2 8 oz. cans pineapple slices, drained (reserve juice for glaze) around edges of salmon. Fold edges of foil up around the salmon and pineapple.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 1/4 cup pineapple juice. Pour glaze over salmon.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes. Switch oven to broil and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, or until edges of salmon just begin to blacken.
- Sprinkle with Chopped fresh cilantro before serving, if desired.
Video
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11 comments
Dorothy P.
I came across this recipe about 2 years ago. I make it at least twice a month. I used to make it 4-5x/mo, but the price of salmon is really high now. This is the most delicious, easiest, quickest salmon recipe ever! My family practically begs for it. Did I say it’s easy? I do mean EASY, QUICK and oh so DELICIOUS! Thank you, Danelle!
Erin
This recipe is fantastic! I don’t usually enjoy eating salmon, and I’ve always been super duper intimidated to cook it! But this recipe is AMAZING. I only had fresh pineapple, which I sliced and put on the salmon. Then, I squeezed an orange for orange juice in the sauce/glaze (which was DELICIOUS, and I will be doubling next time). I would feel confident enough in this recipe to serve it for company. It’s THAT good. I’ll be making this again very soon.
Mary
I made this for dinner last night. I am not a fan of salmon, but this was delicious. I didn’t have chili sauce, so I winged it with some harissa, honey, and hot sauce. I also only had chunk pineapple, but that worked out fine. The fish was moist and tender even where it was browned on the edges. The roasted pineapple and ‘chili’ sauce was a nice condiment.
Lissa
What is sweet chili sauce?
Danelle
You can find it in the Asian section of the grocery store. Near soy sauce.
McKenna Murphy
All I can say is WOW. Absolutely amazing, thank you for the fresh take on salmon! My husband and I love salmon, so we eat it on average twice a week. We cycle through the same 5-6 recipes of salmon so this was a refreshing new take! Will definitely be including this in the rotation!! YUM
Bobby
Hi do y’all have any wine pairing recommendations?
Gina
Sake which is Japanese rice wine. Try the nigiri sake it’s unfiltered and delish
Em
I’ve made this like 4 times and I love it! Thanks
Donna
Great recipe. Had 3 lbs of salmon, doubled the glaze. Full of flavor.
Pamela
I made this tonight. It was very good. Great recipe. Thank you.