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This Baked Pineapple Salmon is an easy one-pan dinner that’s ready in just 20 minutes. Tender salmon is baked with juicy pineapple and coated in a sweet and savory Thai-inspired glaze made with sweet chili sauce, hoisin, garlic, and fresh citrus. It’s a quick, healthy salmon recipe that’s perfect for busy weeknights but impressive enough for guests.
Why You’ll Love This Baked Pineapple Salmon
- Made with simple pantry ingredients
- Ready in just 20 minutes
- One-pan recipe with easy cleanup
- Sweet, savory, and slightly tangy
- Perfect for weeknight dinners
- Naturally high in protein
- Family-friendly
Why Does Pineapple Go Well with Salmon?
Pineapple pairs beautifully with salmon because its natural sweetness balances the rich, buttery flavor of the fish. As it bakes, the pineapple caramelizes and releases juices that help keep the salmon moist while adding a fresh, tropical flavor to every bite.
Pineapple Salmon
The contrast between the buttery, flaky flesh of the fish and the juicy pineapple slices is just absolutely awesome. Best of all, you don’t need to live in Thailand or another tropical country to make this dish. It works really well with canned pineapple slices because we’ll be saving the juice from the can to make our sauce! The slices of pineapple add a really nice tropical touch to the presentation of this recipe. With a delicate garnish of cilantro, you have yourself a full, healthy, delicious meal ahead of you.
Ingredients for Baked Pineapple Salmon
To make this delicious salmon dish, you’ll need:
- Large salmon fillet
- Salt and pepper
- Butter
- Sweet chili sauce
- Hoisin sauce
- Lemon juice
- Garlic
- Pineapple Slices
- Lime or lemon wedges
- Cilantro
As you can see, these are all pretty basic ingredients. You probably have many of them in your pantry and fridge already, especially if you’ve been making other Asian-inspired dishes.
How To Make Baked Pineapple Salmon
- It’s really easy to make this dish! The first thing to do is preheat your oven to 375°F | 190°C and line a baking sheet with some non stick foil. This allows the fish to go into a nice, hot oven and get cooking as soon as it’s in the oven space.
- Now, place your salmon in the middle of the sheet. Season it with the salt and pepper. Next, you’re going to put pineapple slices underneath the salmon, all around the edges. Keep your pineapple juice in the can for later.
- Now take a bowl. In the bowl, whisk together the sweet chili sauce, melted butter, garlic, hoisin sauce, lemon juice, and about a quarter cup of pineapple juice. Pour this flavorsome mixture right onto the salmon.
- Next, put the salmon dish in the oven for about fifteen minutes. You can broil your salmon for the last five minutes. Once the edges of the salmon are a little blackened, you’ll know you’re pretty much done.
- Once the salmon is done, you can garnish it with cilantro. This will add heaps of texture and taste to your salmon.
What is the Sauce Made Of?
The sauce that we’ve mixed together is very reminiscent of the sauces used in Thai cuisine. Often, you’ll find Thai sauce made from a mixture of fish sauce, sugar, tamarind paste, and vinegar. The flavor profile here, using sweet chili sauce, hoisin, lemon juice, garlic, butter and pineapple juice, is very similar, and much easier to make if you don’t have an Asian grocer handy with tamarind paste on hand.
Helpful tips
- Pineapple slices, rather than chunks or crushed pineapple, are best in this recipe. The slices are really easy to stick right in there under the salmon. Pineapple chunks, and especially crushed pineapple, can be overly wet and messy. That makes serving harder, when compared to the ease of simply serving everyone a pineapple slice with their salmon. Any kind of canned pineapple will do the job here, but we do strongly recommend slices.
- We strongly encourage you to simply lay the salmon in a single piece along the baking tray. If the salmon is too long, cut the end off, and place it on the side so it can cook, too. You want your salmon to cook simultaneously and evenly. If some of the salmon has folded under, it will wind up underdone. You don’t want that.
- If you don’t have any non stick foil on hand, you can spray the baking sheet. Doing so before laying down the salmon will prevent the salmon from sticking to the sheet! The cleanup will be a little trickier without the foil to catch all the sauce, but this will do in a pinch.
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Baked Pineapple Salmon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds side of salmon
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 can pineapple slices, drained and reserve 1/4 cup of juice
- 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
- 4 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- Lime slices, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F | 190°C. Line a baking sheet with nonstick aluminium foil.
- Place 2 1/2 pounds side of salmon on the sheet and season with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Arrange 1 can pineapple slices underneath the salmon.
- In a small bowl whisk together 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce, 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted, 4 tablespoons hoisin sauce, 3 garlic cloves minced, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and 1/4 cup reserved pineapple juice. Pour the mixture over the salmon.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until flaky and cooked through. You can broil for the last 5 minutes until the edges are charred.
- Garnish with 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro.
- Serve with Lime slices.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Pineapple slices, rather than chunks or crushed pineapple, are best in this recipe. The slices are really easy to stick right in there under the salmon. Pineapple chunks, and especially crushed pineapple, can be overly wet and messy. That makes serving harder, when compared to the ease of simply serving everyone a pineapple slice with their salmon. Any kind of canned pineapple will do the job here, but we do strongly recommend slices.
- We strongly encourage you to simply lay the salmon in a single piece along the baking tray. If the salmon is too long, cut the end off, and place it on the side so it can cook, too. You want your salmon to cook simultaneously and evenly. If some of the salmon has folded under, it will wind up underdone. You don’t want that.
- If you don’t have any non stick foil on hand, you can spray the baking sheet. Doing so before laying down the salmon will prevent the salmon from sticking to the sheet! The cleanup will be a little trickier without the foil to catch all the sauce, but this will do in a pinch.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I will be making this, this weekend. Can I use parchment paper instead of the foil?
Parchment paper is a great alternative as it creates a non-stick surface and helps to prevent the salmon from sticking to the baking dish. Simply place the salmon and pineapple on a piece of parchment paper, wrap it securely, and place it in the oven to bake. The parchment paper will help to keep the salmon moist and flavorful.
What is good to serve with this as a side?
Hey Bridgett! Great choices for sides with Baked Pineapple Salmon include steamed or roasted vegetables like asparagus or broccoli, a light salad, coconut rice, or quinoa. These sides complement the sweet and savory flavors of the salmon without overpowering it.
Looks delicious can you make it in an air fryer? Thanks
Hey Anne!
Start by preheating your air fryer to 375°F (190°C). Season the salmon with salt and pepper on both sides. If there’s enough room, arrange the salmon and pineapple slices together in the air fryer basket; if not, cook them separately. For the sauce, mix sweet chili sauce, butter, hoisin sauce, garlic, lemon juice, and pineapple juice in a bowl, and brush some of it onto the salmon, keeping the rest aside. Place the salmon in the air fryer and cook for 10-12 minutes until it’s flaky and done, adjusting the time as needed for your air fryer model and the salmon’s thickness. Meanwhile, cook the remaining sauce in a skillet over medium heat until it thickens, which you’ll drizzle over the cooked salmon.
I am looking forward to making this. Watching the video it looks like you have removed the skin from the salmon but the instructions don’t mention anything about skinning the fish??
When I buy a side of salmon at the store the skin is still on. Should I try to remove it for this recipe?
Hi Jerri! It’s definitely a personal choice whether to keep the skin on or off the salmon. I prefer to remove the skin for this particular dish, as you might have noticed in the video. When you’re buying salmon, especially a side, it usually comes with the skin on, but you can ask your local supermarket’s seafood department to remove it for you at the time of purchase ( this is what I did). This can save you a step at home!
Can I freeze or refrigerate this sauce for the future?
Hi Jody! Yes, you can definitely refrigerate or freeze the sauce to use later. For refrigeration, store it in an airtight container and use it within 3-4 days. For freezing, place the cooled sauce in a freezer-safe container and it should be good for up to 3 months. Just thaw it in the fridge overnight and reheat when you’re ready to use it.
This recipe is PHENOMENAL! So tasty. I smoked the salmon on a cedar plank, and it was truly one of the best meals I’ve ever had! My family loved it paired with a sticky rice.
Thank you for your wonderful feedback, Taylor! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe. Pairing it with sticky rice sounds perfect!
Making this for the second time tonight. Ever bit as delicious as it was the first time I made it. Would give it 10 stars if I could…thank you!!
I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed it just as much the second time around, Lisa! Thank you so much for the high praise, and I really appreciate your feedback!
So quick. So easy. So delicious. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Quinn! Thank you for your kind words and for trying out the recipe! 😊
This was really good! I made my own chili sauce and subbed soy sauce for the hoisin sauce. I loved it!
Hi Margo! I’m so glad you loved it! 😍 Your homemade chili sauce and soy sauce swap sound delicious — I bet that added a nice kick! Thanks so much for sharing your twist! 💛