Easy bourbon salmon requires a quick marinade for the salmon filets in a soy sauce, bourbon and brown sugar mixture before being roasted to perfection!
I'm a bourbon lover through and through.
It's my go-to drink of choice. Often it's an old fashioned cocktail but I also love just a good bourbon and diet Ginger Ale to sip on.
I'm also a huge salmon lover. It's definitely my favorite fish. We try to eat it weekly.
So you can imagine that if you put some bourbon and salmon together in a recipe, I’m in my happy place. 😉
Granted, this easy bourbon salmon doesn’t actually taste like bourbon, so it’s OK if that’s not your thing. (I used to be scared of bourbon myself. I've since gotten over that obviously.)
The bourbon just helps highlight all the delicious sweet and savory flavors in the marinade.
This is an easy weeknight dinner, too.
The salmon only needs to marinate for about 30 minutes (a little longer is OK, too) and then it takes just 10-15 minutes in the oven.
You might also want to check out my 15 minute bourbon chicken recipe for another quick and delicious dinner. That sauce is heavenly!
Or try the hands-off version with this crock pot bourbon chicken.
OK, let's get cooking.
Now, I’ve got some notes, tips and substitutions coming up below on how to make bourbon salmon. Just tryin’ to be helpful.
If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
Recipe Notes:
- Recipe prep: I line my baking sheet with aluminum foil. It makes clean-up super fast!
- Cook time: Thin filets, like I have here, only take 10 minutes in the oven. The cooking time will depend on the thickness of your filets (and your desired degree of doneness).
- Grill: You can also cook this bourbon salmon on the grill for about the same amount of time if you prefer.
- Marinade: I save the marinade to brush on the salmon filets before they bake and halfway through the cooking time. I discard the rest since it's been in contact with raw salmon.
- Soy sauce: If you do want an extra splash of sauce, you can drizzle some soy sauce over these when serving. I do that because I LOVE soy sauce.
- Toppings: I also like to sprinkle the salmon with a squeeze of lime juice, some green onions and sesame seeds when serving.
As for serving, I like pairing this salmon with perfect brown rice and some steamed broccoli. Use your favorite sides to round out your meal.
Oh, and you can substitute tamari for the soy sauce if you need this to be gluten free.
I hope you give this easy bourbon salmon a try next time you need a quick weeknight fish dinner.
Enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
Easy Bourbon Salmon
Ingredients
- 4 (6-oz.) salmon fillets
- ¼ cup bourbon
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced (or substitute 1 teaspoon ground ginger)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Optional garnishes:
- Lime wedges, sesame seeds, chopped green onions
Instructions
- Whisk all of the marinade ingredients together in a small jar until the sugar is dissolved and the honey is incorporated.
- Add to a large ziplock bag. Add salmon fillets and let them marinate for at least 20-30 minutes, turning once.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
- Remove the salmon from the bag and place on the prepared baking sheet. Pour a little of the remaining marinade into a small bowl.
- Brush the salmon with some of the marinade and put into the oven. Bake for 5-7 minutes and then brush with the marinade again. (Discard the rest of the marinade.)
- Bake for another 5-7 minutes or until done; it will spend on the thickness of your fillets.
- Serve salmon sprinkled with a squeeze of lime juice, green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.
Mike | Chili Pepper Madness
These look great. We're always cooking with salmon. It is definitely one of my favorite fish. And Maker's Mark for the glaze - oh yes! Excellent choice! I see more salmon in my very near future. =)
Kathryn
Me too, Mike! We try to eat it at least once a week - so yummy and so good for you! And if I can slip a little bourbon in my dinner, well, all the better 🙂