Orange Salmon
This Orange Glazed Salmon is an easy to make one pan meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights. It requires just a handful of ingredients and takes less than 30 minutes to make start to finish. The salmon is seared and then coated in a delicious sweet and sticky orange sauce. This Orange Salmon recipe is also Grain Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free and Specific Carbohydrate Diet Legal.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS ORANGE SALMON
- This Orange Glazed Salmon is quick and easy enough to make for weeknight dinner for the family, but fancy enough to serve at a dinner party to guests who you want to impress
- The salmon is pan seared until it forms a nice crust and then is coated in the most delicious sweet and sticky orange sauce
- This easy salmon dinner requires less than 10 ingredients that you will likely already have in your pantry or fridge.
- It takes less than 30 minutes to make start to finish with minimal chopping!
- This Paleo Orange Salmon is also Grain Free, Gluten Free and Dairy Free but you would never know!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS ORANGE SALMON
This delicious salmon with orange sauce only requires a handful of ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry and fridge. You can find a full list of ingredients in the recipe card below.
- Salmon – look for salmon fillets that are moist and springs back when pressed with your finger. It shouldn’t have a strong ocean smell, this often means it’s not fresh. See below for further details
- Orange Juice – you can use a carton of orange juice or fresh-squeezed orange juice
- Orange Slices – thinly sliced fresh oranges becoming slightly caramelized when cooked in the sticky sauce
- Garlic – I recommend using fresh garlic, not jarred which doesn’t have the same bold flavor
- Ginger – chopped or grated fresh ginger both work for this dish, just don’t use ginger powder, it’s not the same!
- Coconut Aminos – Feel free to swap the coconut aminos for soy sauce or tamari (gluten free soy sauce) depending on your diet/food allergies.
- Apple cider vinegar – The vinegar helps to cut through the sweetness of the sauce. I like using apple cider vinegar but rice vinegar would also work well in this sauce.
- Honey – feel free to swap it for maple syrup. This recipe requires a liquid sweetener, unfortunately a powder/granular sugar such as stevia or a firm sugar such as dates won’t create the delicious sticky sauce.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING SALMON
When purchasing salmon, there are several key factors to keep in mind to ensure that you are getting a high-quality and fresh product.
- Appearance: Look for salmon that has a vibrant and shiny color, as this indicates that it is fresh. The flesh should be firm to the touch and not slimy and check the salmon skin to ensure that it doesn’t have any brown spots.
- Smell: A fresh salmon should have a clean and mild odor, without any strong or fishy smell.
- Source: Consider where the salmon comes from, as this can impact its quality and flavor. Wild-caught salmon is typically considered to be of higher quality than farmed salmon, as it is less likely to contain antibiotics and other chemicals although wild salmon is usually more expensive than farmed.
- Type: There are several types of salmon, each with its own distinct flavor and texture. Some of the most common types include King, Sockeye, Coho, and Atlantic salmon.
- Sustainability: Choose salmon that has been sustainably sourced, as this helps to support responsible fishing practices and protects the environment.
CAN I USE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF FISH?
You definitely can! A white fish such as halibut, mahi mahi or Chilean Sea Bass would all be a great alternatively to salmon. Depending on the type and thickness of the alternative fish you choose, you may need to reduce the cook time in the recipe to ensure the fish isn’t overcooked. If you aren’t a fan of fish, large shrimp or scallops would be delicious!
HOW TO MAKE THIS EASY SALMON RECIPE
This Orange salmon is an easy recipe that even a rookie in the kitchen can make.
- Generously season the salmon with salt and pepper and sear them skin side up in a large pan with olive oil on medium-high heat until a golden brown crust forms. Set the salmon filets aside on a plate. The salmon cooks more at the end so don’t stress if it’s not cooked through
- Add the sauce ingredients to the pan on the stove top and leave to simmer for 5 minutes until it has reduced by half.
- Return the salmon fillets to the pan, spoon the sauce overtop and leave to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until the salmon is cooked through. You can use a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the salmon to check if it’s cooked through. For salmon you are looking for an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.
WHAT SHOULD I SERVE WITH THIS ORANGE SALMON?
Rice is a great choice to serve alongside this Orange Glazed Salmon to absorb any excess sauce. I like cauliflower rice but if you aren’t on a grain free, paleo or low carb diet then regular rice (such as jasmine rice) would work well too. Cauliflower mash (or potato mash) would also be a great base to serve this salmon over for a heartier meal. If you would like to add some green veggies, try a side of steam or roasted broccoli, grilled asparagus, or green beans.
CAN I MAKE THIS ORANGE GLAZED SALMON IN ADVANCE?
If you would like to prepare this orange salmon a few hours in advance, I recommend slightly undercooking the salmon and leaving the sauce and salmon in the fridge. Bring the pan out of the fridge 20 minutes before serving to give it time to warm up, before quickly reheating it on the stove on medium heat.
WHAT ABOUT LEFTOVERS?
Leftover salmon with orange sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I recommend reheating it in a pan on the stove on high heat until just warmed through. Be sure not to overcook the salmon, it can quickly become dry and chalky. If the sauce is too thick after being stored in the fridge, add a splash of orange juice to thin it out.
Here are a few more salmon recipes that you might enjoy…
- Pistachio Crusted Salmon
- 12-Minute Herb & Mayo Salmon
- Garlic Honey Mustard Salmon
- Easy Spinach Stuffed Salmon
- Salmon Nicoise Traybake
- Coconut Ginger Salmon
- Sheet Pan Teriyaki Salmon
- Sesame Salmon
If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Orange Salmon
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2 tsp olive oil (or avocado oil)
- 2 tbsp chopped ginger
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2/3 cup orange juice
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos
- 3 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 an orange cut into slices and then halved
- 1 tbsp chopped scallions
Instructions
- Generously season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Add the oil to a pan over medium high heat, and once hot, add in the salmon fillets skin side up and cook them for 4 minutes until a crust forms before flipping and cooking for an additional 2 minutes. Remove the salmon from the pan and set them aside on a plate.
- Add the garlic and ginger to the skillet and saute for 2 minutes before adding in the orange juice, coconut aminos, honey and apple cider vinegar. Add in the orange slices and leave the sauce to simmer for approximately 5 minutes until it has reduced and thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Return the salmon to the pan and spoon some of the sauce over each of the fillets. Leave the salmon to cook for a 2-3 minutes until cooked through. Arrange half an orange slice from the sauce over each of the salmon fillets and garnish with chopped scallions before serving.
Nutrition
This was amazing with chicken also!
So good! Love the flavours and it was so simple to make.
I am not on any particular diet–just love delicious food. I have made this twice. My husband was over the moon. It is out of this world!
Absolutely delicious. I’m not a huge salmon fan but trying to incorporate it more often into my meals. This was a great way to cook the fish and the sauce is just phenomenal. Will for sure be making this again.
Delicious! Will definitely make again. So easy too!
10/10! Was a huge hit with my husband and kids and it was so easy to make. Will definitely make it regularly.