Cajun Brown Sugar Salmon
Cajun Brown Sugar Salmon ~ sweet and spicy glazed salmon, so easy and on the table in 20 minutes!
Salmon for dinner at home is a weekly goal of mine, for health reasons and all that. And all I need for motivation is for it to be easy. I mean really easy. Nothing complicated, especially on a weeknight.
Cajun Brown Sugar Salmon is what I usually make. It's a perfect combination of sweet and spicy, takes maybe five minutes to prep, and bakes in the oven for 12 minutes ~ done! Need I say more?
HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED
Just three ingredients, guys! Salmon, brown sugar and Cajun (or Creole) seasoning. As it bakes in the oven, the Cajun spiced brown sugar glazes the salmon. It's a really easy and foolproof way to make salmon at home. Oh, and super tasty.
I usually buy a large piece of skinless salmon and cut my own fillets. I just use how many I'm feeding for dinner, which lately is just the two of us. The rest goes in the freezer and I have it on hand for next week.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
It's so easy, like this:
- Mix some dark brown sugar and some Cajun seasoning together in a bowl. Lightly season the salmon fillets with salt, then place a spoonful or so of the sugar mixture on the salmon.
- Rub the mixture all over both sides of the salmon.
- Arrange fillets on a baking sheet and bake at 400º for 12 minutes ~ done!
I'm a big fan of just baking salmon simply with a couple of additional ingredients. Like brown sugar mixed with Dijon mustard and spread on the salmon. Or maple syrup and whole grain mustard. See where I'm going with this? Check this easy recipe for Roasted Salmon Glazed Two Ways.
Lately though, I keep turning to this Cajun glazed salmon. I love Cajun spices and mixed with brown sugar it's just the perfect sweet-spicy combination.
A note about Cajun seasoning ~ I use an unsalted blend from my grocer and that makes a big difference in how much salt to add to dishes. If your brand has salt, keep that in mind so your fish isn't too salty. Or you can easily make your own Cajun/Creole spice blend, like this one from Immaculate Bites.
Okay friends, go forth and make salmon more often at home. It's good for you and you'll feel good for having made it. It ain't hard. Enjoy, Kelly🍴🐦
I love Cajun seasoning, so much so that I cook with it quite frequently around here. You'll want to give those dishes a try, too!
- Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta with Sausage
- Creamy Cajun Pork Chops
- Skillet Cajun Chicken Thighs
- Cajun Macaroni Salad
- Cajun Southern Fried Corn
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Cajun Brown Sugar Salmon
Ingredients
- 2-4 salmon fillets, skinless, about 6-8 ounces each
- 4 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons Cajun/Creole seasoning
- Kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400º
- Mix brown sugar and Cajun seasoning in a small bowl. Lightly salt both sides of salmon fillets. Place a heaping tablespoon of brown sugar mixture on top of each piece of salmon. Gently rub all over both sides of salmon until evenly coated.
- Place seasoned salmon on foil-lined baking sheet. Bake in middle of oven for 12 minutes, take out of oven and let rest for 3 minutes. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- This recipe is easily adaptable to one or more pieces of salmon. The amount above is a good starting point for 4 salmon fillets.
- Feel free to add more or less Cajun/Creole seasoning to your taste. Two teaspoons is good for us.
- Watch the salt! The Cajun seasoning I use has no salt, so I need to season with salt. If you use a spice mix with salt, adjust accordingly.
- You can use salmon with skin on. When cooked, the flesh will easily remove from the skin with a spatula. I just prefer skinless salmon for this recipe.
- You can also use one larger piece of salmon instead of fillets. You may need to adjust the cooking time a minute or two longer.
Nutrition
So easy and delicious!
This is my go-to salmon recipe. Love it for everyday or company.
This is my most favorite salmon recipe! Been using it for the past year and it’s a favorite every time we have it! Thanks so much!
Is there any way I can make this with canned Wild Caught Salmon. ??
Salmon fillets have become too expensive.
I don’t think canned salmon would work.
Would I ruin the recipe if I were to add mustard I love salmon and I want to try this recipe please give me your advice
Yes you can, Naytasia. I've made salmon with just brown sugar and Dijon mustard, so adding a little Cajun seasoning would definitely work.
@Kelly,
Ooh your awesome thanks so much
This is without a doubt my favorite salmon recipe!!! And so EASY to make!!!!
Thank you for letting me know! We just had it last night and my husband said the same thing. We love it, it's our go-to salmon recipe all the time.
Is there a different time and temperature for frozen salmon, or do you usually just thaw it then cook it?
I've only made this with fresh salmon, I don't think this recipe would work with frozen, so I would thaw it first.
This was super easy and turned out great!! I’ve been wanting to eat more salmon but haven’t found a recipe I’ve liked until this one! Even my sister who is a picky eater enjoyed it!
Glad you liked it, my picky eaters love it, too!
I usually don't leave ratings but holy moly was this ever DELICIOUS. I drizzled some honey and added some garlic on top of the salmon before tossing in the oven and wow, this is phenomenal. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much! I like your tweaks to the recipe, too ?
Oh my God!! This is INCREDIBLE. It takes literally two minutes to make and is one of the best things I’ve ever put in my mouth...
Can I grill this too instead of oven?
I'm sure you can grill it, do you mean on an outdoor grill? If so, I would grill it over indirect heat so it doesn't burn.
Can you use light brown sugar?
Yes, definitely!
I made this for my meal prep recipe but it smelled so good that I had to sample it early. Holy goodness it’s amazing. A perfect blend of sweet and heat but it doesn’t overpower the salmon. Great recipe!!
It's so good and so darn easy! Glad you tried and liked it!
This is a very delicious recipe. Exactly what you'd expect, the perfect blend of sweet and spicy flavour. Will definitely make this again.
This is one of the easiest, tastiest, and dare I say healthiest recipes in the world.