🐟 This Glazed BBQ Salmon Recipe is made with seven simple ingredients in 15 minutes in a single skillet on the stovetop. Smoky and sweet with a little bit of heat, it’s the perfect fuss-free main course for busy weeknights!
Easy BBQ Sauce Salmon Recipe
I make salmon several times a week with recipes like my grilled honey lemon butter salmon, sheet pan Asian salmon and broccoli, and easy teriyaki salmon bowls. However, when I need a quick option that requires minimal fuss and always tastes great, this BBQ sauce salmon is the recipe I turn to.
With a five-star rating, it’s loved by everyone, and for good reason!
- The fish is ready in less than 15 minutes, and you’ll dirty one skillet.
- The glaze is sweet, smoky, and made with a tiny kick of heat, along with brightness from lemon juice that adds a tangy twist.
- My family said the fish was soft and tender and that the glaze just makes the dish. They inhaled it in about 5 minutes flat and asked when I’m making it again!
- I often like to make extras and use leftovers in a cold salad, wrap, or sandwich for a quick, easy lunch.
Ingredients You’ll Need
To make the BBQ salmon on the stove, you’ll need:
- Olive oil
- Salmon filets: I prefer wild-caught salmon, but any kind will work. I look for equal-sized salmon fillets or slice a large piece of salmon into equal pieces for fast, even cooking
- Lemon juice
- Salt and pepper: To amp up the lemon flavor, you can use a lemon pepper seasoning instead of plain black pepper
- Pure maple syrup
- BBQ sauce: I used Sweet Baby Ray’s since it’s easy to find, cheap, sweet, and tangy. However, any kind of bbq sauce will work
- Worcestershire sauce
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Stovetop BBQ Salmon
If you’ve ever been intimidated about how to cook salmon in a skillet, this is a super simple, flavorful, and goofproof method! Here’s how it’s made:
- Sear the fish with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, placing it skin side down in a pan over medium heat.
- Keep the skillet covered until you estimate the salmon is 80 to 90 percent done and the skin has a nice sear. It’s edible and full of nutrients! The exact cooking time will vary depending on the size of your fish.
- Drizzle in maple syrup, bbq sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. There’s no need to whisk the mixture in a small bowl and dirty up another dish!
- Allow the glaze to bubble, thicken, and cook. You’ll know the salmon is done when it reaches an internal temperature between 125°F-130°F at the thickest part when measured with an instant-read thermometer.
- Brush any remaining sauce over the fish, cool at room temperature slightly, and enjoy warm!
Make grilled or baked BBQ salmon
Cover the salmon with the BBQ glaze, and place it on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake in the oven at 375ºF for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork.
You can also cook the fish on an outdoor grill over medium heat. Grease the grill grates, cover the salmon with BBQ sauce, and cook until it flakes easily with a fork.
My Favorite Pairings
Skillet BBQ Salmon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 salmon fillets, about 6 ounces each with skin on
- juice of 1 small/medium lemon
- salt and pepper, or lemon pepper or a pepper blend, to taste
- about 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- about 3 tablespoons barbeque sauce
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Place olive oil in skillet and heat over medium-high heat.
- When oil is warm, add the salmon to sear it with skin-side up (flesh side down).
- Squeeze the lemon juice over the top
- Evenly sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Cover skillet and cook for about 6 minutes, or until fish has a nice sear and is about 80 to 90 percent done.
- Uncover skillet, lower heat to medium, and squirt in the maple syrup, barbeque sauce, and Worcestershire.
- Cover skillet and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes, or until sauce has thickened some, is bubbly, and salmon is cooked through and done.
- Plate the salmon, top with remaining glaze from skillet if desired, and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Easy Salmon Recipes:
Sheet Pan Salmon and Potatoes — This baked salmon and potatoes recipe is ready in 25 minutes, the lemon butter and Dijon mustard add so much FLAVOR, and it’s made on ONE sheet pan! EASY comfort food for busy weeknights!
Honey Lemon-Glazed Salmon Salad — This Honey Lemon-Glazed Salmon Salad is ready in 15 minutes and can easily be meal prepped. My whole family loves this recipe and said it’s their favorite salmon salad I’ve ever made!
Sheet Pan Garlic Butter Salmon — Juicy salmon at home in 30 minutes that’s EASY and tastes BETTER than from a restaurant! The butter is infused with lemon and garlic and adds so much FLAVOR!
Sheet Pan Honey Lemon Salmon — This baked honey lemon salmon is ready in under 30 minutes! It’s impossible to wind up with dry salmon when making this recipe, it’s just that good!
Easy Salmon and Potato Foil Packets — Juicy, moist salmon that’s loaded with flavor! Ready in 30 minutes, zero cleanup, and a foolproof way to cook salmon and look like a gourmet cook!!
Lemon Dill Salmon with Vegetables in Parchment — Tender salmon with vegetables and it’s so EASY, healthy, ready in 20 minutes, and loaded with bold LEMON and dill flavor! Put it on your dinner rotation!
Honey Dijon Salmon — EASY, ready in 20 minutes, juicy, tender, and so FLAVORFUL from the honey, Dijon, and lemon juice!! If you’re trying to incorporate more fish in your diet, this is THE RECIPE to make!
Chile Lime Salmon with Mango Avocado Salsa — Tender and INCREDIBLE salmon with mango salsa that’s bursting with Mexican FLAVORS to complement the fish! So EASY and ready in 15 minutes!
I made this and we loved it! Very tender salmon and the sauce was perfect! Great recipe!
LOVE your recipes! Planning to make this tomorrow night but am nervous to make salmon in the skillet, imalways do it in the oven with whatever a marinade I’m using. Will this glaze work with salmon baked in oven, or do I need to not be so skittish about doing salmon in the skillet? Just so easy to pop it in and walk away that short while when it’s in the oven/afraid to over or under cook in the skillet!
There’s more than one way to make salmon…oven-roasted on a sheet pan, roasted in parchment paper, in a skillet, etc. The way I wrote this recipe is the way I made it and I can’t really comment as to how it will translate into a method I didn’t use. Good luck!
I too pinned your recipe. But I had to let you know I made it. My hubbie loved it, as salmon is one of fav meals. We have been married for more yrs than I am old (heehee) and I have never made salmon for him. I hate any fishy fish. But I have made it twice and he would eat it a couple times a week atop salad. Thanks so much for the recipe! (It didn’t smell at all.)
So glad he’s pleased and that posting the recipe helped you make it for him for the first time ever in many many years – that’s wonderful to hear! Glad it’s a winner in your house!
This looks delicious! I’m curious – have you ever tried freezing this?
Thanks!
No I have not. I think fish prepared like this though is probably best eaten right when you prepare it, or even 1-2 days later if you refrig the leftovers but since I’m not really a big fish eater, I can’t say for sure.
I have used frozen salmon fillets that are pkged individually and they were great for the hubbie. Doesn’t take very long to fix.
I don’t like seagood but I have to admit this does look good
That’s a big sacrifice to make salmon and have your whole home smell fishy for a few days!! My parents and I love fish, but we all hate the smell of it indoors, so my mom made a rule that we could only grill it outdoors on the barbeque. With how much my dad loves to grill, he didn’t mind at all, but it meant that we didn’t eat very much fish during the rainy winter months! ;)
Grilling it. PERFECT solution. Now, if only I had outdoor living space and a grill. Next place maybe :)
I actually was so desperately craving fish last summer but didn’t have a grill, so I took my little panini press outside and plugged it into an outlet. I sealed the fillets up in foil and “grilled” them for a few minutes until the fish was flaky. No fishy smell inside & perfectly cooked! Maybe that could work for you until you’re able to have a patio & grill. :)
Great tip for smell containment!
Yes!!! Love it Averie. Love, love, love it! My wife doesn’t eat ANY fish, and won’t cook it. Won’t even come near it. Saving for a lonely night.. Thank you!!
This looks so good and I love how simple and fast it is to cook. Thank You!!
Always looking for great fast dinners.
https://www.laramealor.com/woot-woot-wednesday-7-things-must-fail-miserably-successful/
LOL – I have salmon for our supper and was just thinking, “How can I make something different with this tonight?” Well, I owe you a supper recipe –
What timing! Well, if you try it, LMK! :)
I’ve been waiting for you to post this recipe, Averie – ever since you mentioned how much your fam loved it. And the photos are stunning! I have yet to photograph fish. Maybe someday! But I can imagine it being much different than gooey chocolate chip cookies lol. I simply love the combination of maple and BBQ together. A great pair for salmon, that’s for sure! This is a must try.
I actually hadn’t photographed any in years! In some of my related links I have made fish in the past, but it’s been eons. In so many ways, savory food *can* be easier if it’s the right savory than sweets. But some savory food, i.e. mashed potatoes, cheesy things, comfort foods can just look gloppy, white, mushy, or orange as you know! This wasn’t too bad although it was more glare-ey after I saw the images on my computer than I had hoped. But 4 weeks later, oh well :) Thanks for the pin and the sweet comment!
I LOVE the fact that this is fast AND one pot.. my ideal dish seriously!!! And looks amazing.. making this for dinner ASAP. Thank you !! :)
Dinner asap is my idea of dinner :)
You are so kind to smell up your kitchen for your fan! I’m sure they appreciate it! I know I appreciate you posting this – it looks wonderful! And wonderfully easy…bonus!
I love making fish for dinner. It cooks up in no time and it’s super healthy. Love this recipe, Averie!
This is stunning, Averie! Just saw it on FB and ran over to see more. Cannot wait to make at home.
Thanks for sharing and glad you like it!
This salmon looks amazing Averie ~ must try it ASAP!!
look at just how juicy it is! I mean girl it looks amazing