Bourbon Glazed Salmon Recipe

If you're looking for an easy weeknight dinner that packs in some serious flavor, this bourbon glazed salmon recipe by personal chef turned food blogger Molly Pisula is just what you need. In under half an hour, you can make the glaze to brush over the surface of the salmon, roast the fish, and have dinner ready on the table. "My favorite thing about this recipe is how easy it is to make," says Pisula. "I like to make the glaze in advance, so when it's dinner time, I can just paint it on the salmon and have dinner on the table in fifteen minutes!"

This recipe mostly uses pantry staples that you may already have at home, so other than buying the fish, you might not even need to make a grocery run before you start cooking. And unlike some other easy dinner options, roasted salmon is chock-full of nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids and B vitamins (via Healthline).

For this recipe, you'll need four (6-ounce) center-cut salmon fillets. You'll also need maple syrup, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, crushed red pepper, minced garlic, and brown sugar. Pisula recommends using light brown sugar for this recipe, but you can use dark brown sugar if it's all you have. If you opt for the latter, you'll get more caramelization on the glaze.

You'll also need tamari, a Japanese sauce made from fermented soybeans which is similar to soy sauce but also slightly different. "My recipe calls for tamari rather than traditional soy sauce, but you can use soy sauce if that's what you have," Pisula says. "Tamari is typically darker and richer than traditional soy sauce, and it is also gluten-free."

Last but certainly not least, you'll need some mid-range, not-too-fancy bourbon. Anything especially high-end will be buried by the other flavors in the glaze, whereas if it's too cheap it will ruin the dish. Pisula uses Knob Creek but says that any decent bourbon will do.

Whisk the brown sugar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, crushed red pepper, and minced garlic together in a small saucepan. Pour the bourbon into the saucepan, making sure to whisk it with the rest of the ingredients as you pour. Bring the saucepan to a simmer on medium-high heat, then decrease the burner to medium-low and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. The sauce will gradually thicken into a glaze and reduce to a volume of roughly ⅓ cup of liquid.

Strain the glaze into a bowl using a fine-mesh sieve and set it aside. Preheat the oven to 425 F and line a baking sheet with non-stick foil. Transfer the salmon fillets to the foil-lined sheet and spread the glaze evenly over the top and sides of the fish with a pastry brush. Be sure to save a few tablespoons of glaze for serving. Roast the salmon in the oven for 8 to 13 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets and your preference. When the salmon fillets are almost cooked to your liking, move the sheet pan to a rack just below the broiler and broil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the glaze bubbles and begins to caramelize.

That's it! The salmon is done and dinner is ready to enjoy. Serve the fish with the reserved glaze on the side and chopped scallions sprinkled on top if you wish. Since the flavors in this recipe are so strong, Pisula recommends keeping it simple when it comes to the sides you might pair with this entree. "I love it with rice and a simply prepared green vegetable like broccoli or green beans. But you could also serve with a baked potato or with quinoa, farro, or really any other grain," Pisula says. Whatever you choose to serve with this salmon, take comfort in the fact that it tastes fantastic and reaches the dinner table with minimal effort.