Baked Salmon Orange Glaze (Printable)

Salmon fillets baked with a vibrant orange and ginger glaze for a light, flavorful meal.

# What you'll need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 salmon fillets (approx. 5.3 oz each), skin-on or skinless
02 - 1/2 tsp salt
03 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Orange Glaze

04 - 1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
05 - 2 tbsp honey
06 - 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce (gluten-free if needed)
07 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
08 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
09 - 1 garlic clove, minced
10 - 1 tsp orange zest

→ Garnish (optional)

11 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
12 - 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
13 - Orange slices

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
02 - Pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides evenly with salt and black pepper. Arrange fillets skin-side down on the baking sheet.
03 - Combine orange juice, honey, soy sauce, vinegar, grated ginger, minced garlic, and orange zest in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until glaze thickens slightly. Remove from heat.
04 - Brush each fillet generously with the prepared orange glaze, reserving some glaze for serving.
05 - Bake fillets in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until salmon is just cooked through and flakes easily. Target internal temperature is 125–130°F for medium doneness.
06 - Remove from oven, brush with additional glaze, and sprinkle with green onions and toasted sesame seeds if desired. Serve immediately garnished with orange slices.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It actually cooks faster than takeout, but tastes like you've spent hours on it.
  • The glaze works as both a marinade and a last-minute brush, so you can go simple or go deep.
  • Salmon stays buttery and forgiving, so there's real room for error without ruining dinner.
02 -
  • If you let the glaze simmer too long, it will reduce to syrup and burn on the salmon—four to five minutes is the sweet spot where it thickens without turning bitter.
  • Don't skip patting the salmon dry; wet fish won't brown properly and the glaze won't cling the way it should.
  • The internal temperature matters more than timing because salmon thickness varies—use a meat thermometer if you have one, or trust the fork-flake test if you don't.
03 -
  • If you have time, marinate the salmon in half the glaze for up to thirty minutes before baking—it deepens the flavor and makes the fish even more tender.
  • Orange zest is worth buying a microplane for; it grates so finely that it distributes evenly through the glaze without those tough little shreds.

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