This is an amazing Glazed Salmon recipe that has layers of flavor and is ready in just 20 minutes. A 4 ingredient chili powder and brown sugar rub seasons the salmon and after it is cooked flaky tender in a skillet, it is coated with a 2 ingredient lime and orange marmalade glaze.

We like serving this Glazed Salmon with rice and a green veggie like roasted broccoli or oven asparagus or green beans.

Ingredient Details

There aren’t many ingredients in this recipe. Just a ton of flavor from a few ingredients. Here is what you need:

Salmon Filets – the recipe calls for skinless salmon filets, but if you are only finding skin-on that works too. Just choose a high quality salmon that is bright pink/reddish in color.

Brown Sugar, Chili Powder, and Cumin – these spices, mixed with a little kosher salt, make a simple and flavorful rub for the salmon filets.

Orange Marmalade – one of the two ingredients in the glaze. The orange marmalade lends a citrus sweetness to the glaze. We also use orange marmalade in this Ham Glaze.

Limes – the second ingredient in the glaze. The lime flavor pairs perfectly with the orange in the marmalade, and the tartness cuts some of the sweetness. It is a perfect match.

Watch The Recipe

How to Make Glazed Salmon

This is a super simple recipe – these are just basic steps to make the Glazed Salmon for more detailed instructions and ingredient measurements, pop down to the recipe card.

Step 1

Pull the salmon out of the fridge and check for bones. Let salmon sit at room temp while you make the rub.

Step 2

Rub the spice mixture on all sides of the salmon filets.

Step 3

Make the glaze.

Step 4

Heat the oil in the skillet and cook the salmon, about 4 minutes, flip and another 3 minutes.

Step 5

Turn the heat to low and spoon the glaze over the salmon filets. Turn the salmon in the glaze to coat.

Step 6

Continue to cook until the salmon reaches 135°F.

Step 7

Serve with the glaze from the pan spooned over the filets.

Recipe Tips To Remember

1. Let the salmon sit at room temp while making the rub and glaze. Helps the salmon cook evenly.
2. Choose a high quality fresh salmon for the best flavor.
3. Rub your fingers across the salmon filet to check for bones. Use tweezers to remove any bones before cooking.
4. Use a marmalade that has visible orange peel pieces for the most flavor.
5. Don’t overcook the salmon, 135°F will give you tender flaky salmon.
6. If you like spice, add red pepper flakes for a little heat.

More Salmon Recipes

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20 Minute Glazed Salmon Recipe + Video

An amazing Glazed Salmon recipe that has layers of flavor and is ready in just 20 minutes. It is made with a 4 ingredient rub and a 2 ingredient glaze!

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 84kcal

Author: Susie Weinrich

Ingredients

• ▢ (4) 6 oz skinless salmon filets
• ▢ 3 tsp. olive oil

For the Rub

• ▢ 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• ▢ ¾ tsp. kosher salt
• ▢ 1 ½ tsp. chili powder - or ancho chili powder
• ▢ 1 tsp. cumin

For the Glaze

• ▢ 4 Tbsp. orange marmalade
• ▢ 3 tsp. fresh squeezed lime juice
• ▢ Lime wedges and red pepper flakes for serving

Instructions

 

• Pat the salmon filets dry with a paper towel and let sit at room temp. while you prepare the rub mixture and the glaze

  (the salmon will cook more evenly and quicker if it rests at room temperature and is not cold in the center).
• For the rub: combine the brown sugar, salt, ancho chili powder and cumin in a small bowl and stir to combine.
  1 Tbsp. brown sugar, ¾ tsp. kosher salt, 1 ½ tsp. chili powder, 1 tsp. cumin
• For the glaze: combine the marmalade and the lime juice in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
  4 Tbsp. orange marmalade, 3 tsp. fresh squeezed lime juice
• Rub approx. 2 tsp. of the rub per filet on all sides of the salmon.
  (4) 6 oz skinless salmon filets
  
• Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat.
  3 tsp. olive oil
• Add the filets to the hot skillet and sauté on the first side for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Flip the filets and cook the other side for approx. 2-3 minutes more.
  
• At this point, turn the heat to low and pour the marmalade glaze over the fish filets. Carefully flip the filets with tongs or a spatula until coated with the glaze on all sides.
  
• Once the salmon flakes easily with a fork or the internal temperature registers approx. 135℉ remove the fish from the pan and plate.
• Spoon the remaining sauce over the filets. Serve with a lime wedge. Sprinkle on red pepper flakes for extra heat.
  

Recipe Tips and Notes:

• Let the salmon sit at room temp while making the rub and glaze. Helps the salmon cook evenly.
• Choose a high quality fresh salmon for the best flavor.
• Rub your fingers across the salmon filet to check for bones.
• Use tweezers to remove any bones before cooking.
• Use a marmalade that has visible orange peel pieces for the most flavor.
• Don’t overcook the salmon, 135°F will give you tender flaky salmon.
• If you like spice, add red pepper flakes for a little heat.

Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!

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Serving: 1serving | Calories: 84kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 400mg | Potassium: 78mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 575IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg

Making Tuna Salad Sandwiches is one of the easiest meals to throw together, especially if you keep good canned tuna in your pantry. The nice thing about this recipe is that you probably already have all of the ingredients on hand; canned tuna and onions in the pantry, celery, mayo, relish, and Dijon in the fridge, and seasonings in your spice cabinet. So it can become a last minute dinner or lunch… any time!

This Tuna Salad recipe is so simple mix together and can be served on bread, croissants, crackers or a bed of lettuce. It even makes amazing Tuna Melts!

Simple Tuna Salad Ingredients

• Tuna – read more about canned tuna below.
• Mayonnaise – this is the base for the creamy dressing on your tuna salad sandwich. Use a high quality mayo, not miracle whip, for your dressing. We have found that Hellmann’s and Aldi brand are two great mayo’s!
• Celery – adds a nice crunch to the tuna salad mixture. Make sure to dice the celery so you don’t end up with huge chunks in the mix.

• Onion – we have found that red onion is our favorite in tuna salad. If you have an onion that is really strong, you can cut a chunk off the onion, then rinse it under cool water before dicing it. This rinses away the enzyme that will have the raw onion taking over your dish.
• Pickle Relish – we recommend using sweet pickle relish, but if you prefer a dill pickle relish that will work too.
• Dijon Mustard – mixes perfectly with the mayo to make a creamy tuna salad. It also adds a vinegary tang to the dressing.
• Spices/Seasonings- a mix of onion powder, garlic powder, kosher salt and black pepper is all you need to season up the tuna salad.

Canned Tuna

Since this is the main ingredient in Tuna Salad Sandwiches you want to make sure and buy a high quality canned tuna. We have found that Albacore Tuna has the best flavor and texture combo. Also look for tuna packed in water, not oil for this recipe.

Not all canned tuna brands are created equally. We like to look for brands that are wild caught using sustainable practices, such as pole-and-line, troll.

You might also find some terms to describe the tuna:

• White: This refers to albacore tuna.
• Light: This label can include a variety of tuna species; it’s often skipjack, but may also be a mix of skipjack, yellowfin, bigeye, or tongol.
• Chunk light: This means it is light tuna (see above) in smaller pieces, instead of a packed filet.

Here are some brands that we have found to be amazing:

1. Kirkland Albacore Solid White Tuna (Costco)
2. Bumble Bee Solid White Albacore Tuna (readily available)
3. Trader Joes Albacore Solid White Tuna
4. Sea Tales, Scout, Good & Gather (Target), and Star-Kist has also received high praise from Bon Appetite

WATCH: How to Make this Tuna Salad Sandwich Recipe

How To Make Simple Tuna Salad

These are simple picture instructions for making your Tuna Salad. For more detailed instructions and measurements, skip down to the recipe card.

Step 1

Drain the tuna in fine mesh sieve.

Step 2

Mix the dressing. Add tuna, onions and celery to dressing and stir to combine.

Step 3

Build Tuna Salad Sandwiches.

Variations

Mediterranean – In place of the celery and relish, mix in chopped olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and capers. Serve on toasted sourdough or in a warm pita.

Avocado Lovers – Swap part of the mayo with mashed avocado, add lime juice, and tuck it into whole-grain bread.

Spice of Life – Add in diced jalapeños, a pinch of cayenne, or a drizzle of sriracha.

Pickle – Instead of the relish, add in chopped dill pickles or use dill pickle juice for acidity.

Italian Style – Leave out the relish and add chopped banana peppers and a pinch or two of oregano. Serve on ciabatta with lettuce.

Serving

There are a few ways you can serve and eat Tuna Salad. The most classic is building a Tuna Salad Sandwich. Use bread or croissants and layer with lettuce, salted and peppered tomato slices and scoops of tuna salad (pictured above).

Some other options are:

• Tuna Melt
• Scoop up tuna salad with crackers, like Ritz Crackers or Club Crackers
• Lightly dress lettuce with vinaigrette (House Vinaigrette from Aldi is our favorite), then add scoops of tuna salad on top.

Storing

Just like chicken salad, tuna salad gets better in the fridge (within reason!!). Store in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 4 days.

Recipe Tips to Remember TL;DR

Too long didn’t read, here are the things to remember when making the best Tuna Salad recipe:

1. Use a high quality Chunk White Albacore Tuna, see the list above.
2. Buy tuna packed in water, not oil.
3. Thoroughly drain the water from the tuna for the most flavor.
4. Dice the onions and celery so they are not huge chunks in the mix.
5. Use a high quality mayonnaise for best flavor (Hellmann’s or Aldi Brand).

More Sandwich Recipes

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I would love to hear your review, especially if you have tips and tricks to add! Pop down to the comment section and connect with me

Rate This Recipe→

Simple Tuna Fish Salad Recipe

A super simple Tuna Salad Recipe that is great for Tuna Salad Sandwiches! Canned Solid White Albacore Tuna is mixed with celery, onions and a little relish in a mayo and Dijon dressing.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 360kcal

Author: Susie Weinrich

Ingredients

Tuna Salad

• ▢ 4 cans (4-5 oz each) chunk white albacore tuna - packed in water, drained well
• ▢ ¾ cup mayonnaise
• ▢ ¾ cup celery - finely diced
• ▢ ¼ cup red onion - heaping cup, finely diced
• ▢ ¼ cup sweet pickle relish
• ▢ 1 ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Serving

• ▢ Bread
• ▢ Lettuce & Tomato

Instructions

 

• Place the tuna in a fine mesh sieve and press down with the back of a fork or spoon to drain as much liquid from the tuna as possible. (The key to a really good, flavorful tuna salad is to make sure your tuna is completely drained of all liquid).
  4 cans (4-5 oz each) chunk white albacore tuna
• After draining, leave the tuna in the sieve and set it aside to continue to let it drain while you prepare the other ingredients.
  
• In a medium size bowl combine the remaining ingredients (mayo, celery, onion, pickle relish, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt & pepper) and stir to thoroughly combine.
  ¾ cup mayonnaise, ¾ cup celery, ¼ cup red onion, ¼ cup sweet pickle relish, 1 ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• Add in the drained tuna and fold it into the mayo mixture until combined.
  
• To serve, cut a croissant in half or lightly toast your bread of choice. Top with a generous amount of tuna salad, lettuce, tomato and cheese (optional).
  

Recipe Tips and Notes:

Recipe Tips to Remember: 

1. Use a high quality Chunk White Albacore Tuna, see the list above.
2. Buy tuna packed in water, not oil.
3. Thoroughly drain the water from the tuna for the most flavor.
4. Dice the onions and celery so they are not huge chunks in the mix.
5. Use a high quality mayonnaise for best flavor (Hellmann’s or Aldi Brand).

Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!

Jump to Comments

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 360kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 939mg | Potassium: 337mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 225IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg