Maple Soy Glazed Salmon (Printable)

Sweet maple soy glazed salmon with crisp vegetables and fluffy rice, ready in just 20 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Salmon

01 - 4 salmon fillets (about 5.3 oz each), skin-on or skinless
02 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Maple Soy Glaze

03 - 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
04 - 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
05 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
07 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

→ Vegetables and Rice

10 - 1 cup jasmine or basmati rice
11 - 2 cups water
12 - 1 cup broccoli florets
13 - 1 cup snap peas, trimmed
14 - 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced
15 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

→ Garnish

16 - 2 tablespoons sliced green onions
17 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
18 - Lime wedges

# How To Make:

01 - Rinse rice under cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine rice and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 12 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together maple syrup, soy sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, sesame oil, minced garlic, and freshly grated ginger until well combined.
03 - Season salmon fillets lightly with salt and black pepper on both sides.
04 - Heat vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add salmon, skin-side down if applicable, and cook for 3 minutes without moving.
05 - Flip salmon fillets carefully. Pour the maple soy glaze over the salmon and continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes, spooning the glaze over the fish frequently, until salmon is cooked through and the glaze becomes thick and glossy.
06 - Steam or sauté broccoli florets, snap peas, and sliced bell pepper until crisp-tender, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Season lightly with salt.
07 - Divide cooked rice among serving bowls. Top with sautéed vegetables and glazed salmon. Drizzle any remaining glaze from the skillet over the plated components.
08 - Garnish each bowl with sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and lime wedges. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Twenty minutes from start to finish means you can actually have a restaurant-quality dinner on a Tuesday night without the takeout guilt.
  • The glaze tastes fancy enough to impress but comes together in one tiny bowl while your rice cooks.
  • Salmon practically cooks itself, so there's almost no way to mess this up even if you're new to fish.
02 -
  • Don't flip the salmon too early or too often—that first 3 minutes skin-side down is what gives you that sear, and moving it around just makes it stick and fall apart.
  • The glaze will thicken as it cools on the plate, so even if it looks a little loose in the pan, it'll set up beautifully by the time you're eating.
  • Pat your salmon completely dry before cooking; any moisture on the surface prevents searing and causes steaming instead, which defeats the whole purpose.
03 -
  • Toast your own sesame seeds in a dry skillet for 2 minutes if you have time—they taste noticeably more complex than pre-toasted, and it's genuinely worth the tiny effort.
  • If you're cooking for someone with a soy allergy, tamari (which is usually gluten-free and sometimes soy-free depending on the brand) can substitute, though the flavor shifts slightly toward more ginger and garlic prominence.
  • Make double the glaze amount and save the extra in a small jar—it keeps for a week and transforms roasted vegetables or chicken just as beautifully as it does salmon.
Go Back