This sweet and spicy salmon recipe is baked to tender perfection, with a caramelized crust of delicious sauce on top. It comes together in a matter of minutes and is made from a handful of kitchen staples. It’s easy to modify and impossible not to love! Here’s how to make firecracker salmon.
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Ingredients You’ll Need
What I love most about this firecracker sauce is it comes together with ingredients I usually have stashed in my fridge and pantry! Here’s what to collect:
- The salmon: 1 pound of salmon, cut into 4 pieces. You can also use 4 filets, just make sure they weigh around 1 pound. I prefer skinless salmon here as we won’t be crisping the skin. Wild caught is a must for our family as it contains a lower level of contaminants.
- The sauce: Our sweet and spicy salmon sauce comes together with soy sauce, avocado oil, sriracha, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. You can adjust the sauce very easily, see my tips below!
- The toppings: Top your baked salmon with toasted sesame seeds and freshly sliced green onions for a vibrant fresh pop, and added texture.
Spicy Salmon Rub Variations
Our spicy salmon seasoning is easy to adjust to suit your personal preferences–looking for more heat? More sweet? Fewer carbs? I’ve got you!
- Make it sweeter with more brown sugar or honey, ala honey glazed salmon.
- Make it spicier, or less spicy by adjusting the amount of red pepper flakes and sriracha.
- Make it low carb by substituting brown sugar for your favorite of the keto sweeteners, my pick would be Golden Swerve or Lakanto.
How to Make this Spicy Salmon Recipe
Easy as pie, or baked salmon I should say, this sweet and spicy salmon comes together with the whirl of a whisk and the heat of your oven:
- Whisk together the sauce.
- Set some aside! For an incredible spicy salmon sauce.
- Pat salmon dry and place it on a baking sheet.
- Cover in sauce.
- Cover salmon with foil. Psst–making salmon foil packets is my top trick for keeping the salmon super moist and tender. The steam released while the salmon is cooking stays inside the foil tent and keeps the filets succulently tender.
- Remove the foil and broil for the last few minutes–broiled salmon helps to caramelize the sugars on top.
How to Serve Sweet and Spicy Salmon
You truly can’t go wrong with sides for this firecracker salmon. To name a few of our favorites:
- Rice is a great compliment, opt for a low carb version like broccoli rice or cauliflower fried rice if you prefer.
- Vegetables, great sides for this recipe include sauteed bok choy, pan fried green beans, roasted broccoli, and roasted asparagus.
Leftover Ideas {Think Beyond Reheating…}
This spicy salmon recipe is easy to transform into a whole new meal, with a few steps and a bit of creativity. Here are some of my favorite ways to capitalize on these incredible leftovers:
- Salmon salad is a duh, you can also flake the salmon and use it to make this mayo based canned salmon salad–the added spice would be an incredible addition.
- Make tacos, with shredded lettuce, pickled onions, and sliced avocado.
- Eggs: You can flake the salmon and mix it into a salmon frittata, baked eggs, or scramble.
- Make a salmon bowl with grains, veggies, and fresh herbs on top.
- Rice paper or lettuce wraps with a handful of fresh vegetables are a delicious option as well.
Storing + Reheating
Store your leftover sweet and spicy salmon in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Make sure to stash extra firecracker sauce and green onions on the side. Reheat in the microwave with a damp paper towel on top.
More Salmon Recipes
Spicy Salmon
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 1 pound skinless salmon cut into 4 pieces
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons avocado or vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ginger minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Optional Toppings:
- 1 bunch green onions thinly sliced
- sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare the top rack of your oven so it's 8" from the bottom of the broiler, and preheat your oven to 400 F.
- Whisk together the soy sauce, avocado oil, sriracha, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Set aside a few tablespoons (to use as a sauce later!).
- Pat salmon completely dry, and place it on a rimmed baking sheet, option to line with foil for easy clean up. Drizzle with sauce. Place a sheet of foil on top and tent the salmon, this helps to trap moisture and keep the fish moist.
- Bake in preheated oven on the top rack until the salmon is almost cooked through in the center, about 14 minutes. Remove the top sheet of foil, and crank your oven to broil. Continue to broil until the sugar caramelizes along the surface of the salmon, and the salmon cooks through, about 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions. Enjoy!
