Honey Pineapple Salmon

If you’re looking for a way to flip the script and up your salmon cooking game (and an easy dinner idea), then our Honey Pineapple Salmon is everything you need to know about your dinner plans tonight.

Our family gets a little excited when salmon is on the menu.

And with good reason: salmon has considerable nutritional goodness, and we’ve got to give it up to those Omega-3s y’all!

But besides salmon being a nutritious powerhouse, it tastes incredibly good, and its versatility is unmatched!

Grab the recipe below.

Note: There is an alternative method that follows the recipe video showing how to caramelize the pineapples. Either recipe method is fine to use. 

The second time we made this recipe, we wanted to add a little razzle-dazzle by caramelizing the pineapples. 

Honey Pineapple Salmon

You know how it is; the monotony of preparing and cooking some of your favorite foods gets tired, and you need to add a little something-something to reignite the foodie love affair.

That’s exactly how I felt when The Mrs. brought home our last slab of salmon.

Of course, I wanted to cook it, but I didn’t want to settle for the same old same old.

I decided to kick it up a notch!

Be sure to try our other Salmon recipes:

Grilled Honey Salmon

Black Pepper & Butter Salmon with Honey

Salmon Tacos

Ceviche With Salmon

I had mango in mind for this recipe, but since we had a pineapple near our fruit bowl that needed to be used, I grabbed it instead.

Suppose you don’t have a fresh pineapple staring at you and smelling all sweet and sultry.

Don’t worry; grab that can of pineapple in your cupboard because canned goods are happiest when used before their expiration date.

Here is a pretty straightforward recipe to pull it together.

Just grab a bowl and combine the coconut oil, sesame oil (you can also add two tablespoons of melted butter, but it is optional), garlic, honey, light brown sugar, and other ingredients, and mix.

Place the salmon in a shallow pan or a large bowl, and pour the marinade over the salmon (skin side up). You can also cut the salmon filet and marinate the pieces in a large zip-lock food-safe plastic bag.

Let the salmon marinate in the fridge for half an hour (30 minutes) to combine the flavors.

I cut my 3-pound salmon in half and placed the two pieces on a cooking sheet lined with parchment paper, but use aluminum foil if you have it.

I was fresh out of aluminum foil and would have preferred using foil instead, but I had to do what I had to do.

What You Will Need To Make Our Honey Pineapple Salmon:

Salmon. I used a three-pound slab of salmon for this recipe, but feel free to use salmon filets.

Pineapple. Using pineapple gives this recipe a touch of sweetness, and that’s not bad! I recommend pineapple tidbits. Save the pineapple juice to make tea or lemonade, or add some to your water to give it a bit of pineapple flavor.

Honey. The natural sweetness of honey pairs well with the pineapple and helps make this salmon recipe shine.

Light Brown Sugar. Adding light brown sugar adds sweetness, but it also helps in the caramelization process because how a dish looks is just as important as how it tastes.

Coconut Oil and Sesame Oil. Warm the coconut oil and add it to the sesame oil (if you don’t have both, use one or the other). This mixture of oils will add a nutty flavor to the salmon and provide an Asian element to the overall flavor. (You can also add two tablespoons of melted butter or ghee, but it’s optional.)

Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice. Adding a bit of fresh lemon juice brightens the marinade and imparts citrus freshness to the salmon. If you don’t have fresh lemons, use orange juice or some leftover pineapple juice.

Garlic. Its unique flavor adds a natural savoriness that never gets old. If garlic isn’t your jam, try shallots, scallions, pearl onions, or a bit of green onion.

Fresh Mint. Mint adds a subtle vibrancy to this recipe. If you don’t have fresh mint, toss in fresh basil, tarragon, marjoram, oregano, or thyme.

Cracked Black Peppercorns. There’s nothing like freshly cracked black peppercorns, but if you only have ground black pepper or ground white pepper, use it and forget about it.

Sea Salt, Kosher Salt, or Flaky Sea Salt: You guys know how much I love flaky sea salt, but if you don’t have flaky sea salt, use sea salt or Kosher salt and let the salt do what it do.

Everything comes together to elevate salmon to a place you’ll want to revisit again and again.

Also, I was out of aluminum foil, so don’t judge.

You Will Love Our Salmon Recipe Because It’s:

Easy

Colorful

Tasty 

Vibrant

Satisfying

Light

Scrumptious

What’s The Healthiest Way To Eat Salmon?

Baking or grilling is one of the easiest and best ways to cook salmon.

This sweet pineapple is topped with pineapple, brown sugar, and honey topping.

The lemon and garlic offer a savory twist to the taste profile.

Baking in the oven gives you a hands-off approach when cooking the salmon.

How To Know When Salmon Is Fully Cooked

Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the salmon.

You will want it to read 145 degrees.

It is essential to cook your salmon thoroughly.

Stick the meat thermometer in the thickest part of the salmon to ensure the fish is fully cooked.

How Do You Know If Salmon is Fresh?

The first thing to look at when looking at salmon is the color.

Salmon is meant to be bright colored pink; do not buy dully or light-colored fish that looks like it is going bad.

The other thing to look at is for lines in the fish.

The lines in the salmon indicate that your fish is fresh.

How to make Honey Pineapple Salmon

Serving sizes 5-6

Ingredients:

• A 3-pound slab of salmon, cut in half
• 1 14-ounce can of pineapple tidbits OR pineapple rings, cut into smaller pieces; reserve some pineapple for the top of the salmon
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter or ghee
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar (an additional 1/2 cup of light brown sugar if you plan to caramelize the pineapples; see that step below)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 1-2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small diced onion (this is an optional ingredient- this ingredient is shown in the recipe video)
• 3-4 fresh mint leaves, chopped, for garnish (or herb of choice)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
• 2 tbsp of unsalted butter

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. Remove the 3-pound slab of salmon from the packaging and pat dry with paper towels. Cut the salmon into two even pieces.
3. Take a length of aluminum foil or parchment paper and cover the bottom of a large sheet pan.
4. Place the pineapple tidbits OR pineapple rings on top of the foil in rows of 2, and place the salmon on top of the pineapple. (This is how we made this recipe the first time. In the recipe video, we did place pineapple down first. Just the salmon. Either option is fine)
5. Chop the remaining pineapple rings OR tidbits and add them to a small bowl.
6. Add the pineapple into the bowl, and complete the marinade by adding 2 tablespoons of melted butter, 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, 1/4 cup of pineapple juice, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice,  1 1/2 tablespoons of honey, 1 tablespoon of light brown sugar, minced garlic clove, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, 1/8 teaspoon of white pepper and 1 teaspoon of sea salt. Mix well.
7. Using a spoon, spread the marinade over the top of the salmon, ensuring it gets onto its entire surface. Allow the fish to marinate for a minimum of 15 minutes but no longer than a maximum of 30 minutes in the fridge.
8. Place the sheet pan with the salmon in the oven on the center rack, and bake for 25 -30 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reads 145 ° F. *Cook the salmon to your liking, which may range from a minimum of 25 minutes to a maximum of 30 minutes. To prevent the salmon from drying out, place a length of foil over the salmon to help retain moisture.
9. Remove the salmon from the oven and rest for ten (10) minutes.
10. Garnish with fresh mint, optional
11. Serve.

Note: When we made this recipe again, we made a few changes to our method. Either option is fine, but if you want to follow the recipe in the video, here is the method shown. 

Caramelizing the pineapple topping [optional method] 

We decided to caramelize the pineapple topping. In a skillet on medium heat, add 2 tbsp of unsalted butter, pineapple tidbits (or chopped-up pineapple rings), 1/4 cup of brown sugar, and chopped red onion.  You will cook that until the pineapple mixture has caramelized.

Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, until the pineapple and onions are well-coated with the sugar.

Continue to cook until the pineapple starts to turn golden brown and caramelizes, which should take about 10-15 minutes. 

Once caramelized, remove the skillet from the heat and let the mixture cool slightly before using it as a topping for your dish.

1. Then, continue making the marinade: Complete the marinade by adding 2 tablespoons of melted butter, 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, 1/4 cup of pineapple juice, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 1/2 tablespoons of honey, 1 tablespoon of light brown sugar, minced garlic clove, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, 1/8 teaspoon of white pepper, and 1 teaspoon of sea salt. Mix well.
2. Using a spoon, spread the marinade over the salmon, ensuring it covers its entire surface. Then, add the caramelized pineapple mixture over the salmon.
3. Allow the fish to marinate for a minimum of 15 minutes but no longer than a maximum of 30 minutes in the fridge.
4. Place the sheet pan with the salmon in the oven on the center rack, and bake for 25 -30 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reads 145 ° F. *Cook the salmon to your liking, which may range from a minimum of 25 minutes to a maximum of 30 minutes. To prevent the salmon from drying out, place a length of foil over the salmon to help retain moisture.
5. Remove the salmon from the oven and rest for ten (10) minutes.
6. Garnish with fresh mint, optional
7. Serve.

Storing Leftover Salmon

If you have leftover salmon, allow it to cool and store it in the refrigerator.

You can save the salmon for a few days; reheat it in the microwave when ready.

What Sides Pair with Salmon?

You can pair it with rice, cauliflower rice, quinoa, or other sides.

Alfredo pasta is another dish you can pair with this recipe. 

Variations To Pineapple Salmon

• Swap the pineapple with mangos – a great fruit to pair with this seafood recipe.
• You can also use olive oil if you don’t have coconut oil. I find that melted butter is a great option.
• Instead of cooking it in the oven, you can grill this salmon. If you have a pellet grill, you can control the temperature. You can use the wood planks for cooking the salmon, which helps prevent sticking and your fish from drying out. You can buy them at the store or online.

Caramelized Pineapples

We recently made this recipe (see recipe video for a step-by-step guide) again but decided to switch things up by caramelizing the pineapples and adding onion!

If you want caramelized pineapple, add a can of well-drained pineapple tidbits and 1 small diced red onion to a skillet over med-high heat, add 1/2 cup of light brown sugar and 2 tbsp of unsalted butter, and cook until the pineapple begins to brown.

Now that you have the recipe, there’s only one thing to do with it: When you make it for your family, come back and let us know how it went.

As always, if you have any questions, feel free to drop us a line.

Here are more recipes using salmon:

Salmon Potato Bake Dinner Recipe

Smoked White Salmon Chili

Creamy Spinach Salmon Soup

Citrus + Pomegranate Salmon

Honey Pineapple Salmon

If you're looking for a way to flip the script and up your salmon cooking game (and an easy dinner idea), then our Honey Pineapple Salmon is everything you need to know about your dinner plans tonight.

4.48 from 53 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: 0

Calories: 432kcal

Author: D. Durand Worthey

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going to sleep

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x4x5x

• A 3-pound slab of salmon cut in half
• 1 14- ounce can of pineapple tidbits OR pineapple rings cut into smaller pieces; reserve some pineapple for the top of the salmon
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter or ghee
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar an additional 1/2 cup of light brown sugar if you plan to caramelize the pineapples; see that step below
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 1-2 large garlic cloves minced
• 1 small diced onion this is an optional ingredient- this ingredient is shown in the recipe video
• 3-4 fresh mint leaves chopped, for garnish (or herb of choice)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400° F.
• Remove the 3-pound slab of salmon from the packaging and pat dry with paper towels. Cut the salmon into two even pieces.
• Take a length of aluminum foil or parchment paper and cover the bottom of a large sheet pan.
• Place the pineapple tidbits OR pineapple rings on top of the foil in rows of 2, and place the salmon on top of the pineapple. (This is how we made this recipe the first time. In the recipe video, we did place pineapple down first. Just the salmon. Either option is fine)
• Chop the remaining pineapple rings OR tidbits and add them to a small bowl.
• Add the pineapple into the bowl, and complete the marinade by adding 2 tablespoons of melted butter, 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, 1/4 cup of pineapple juice, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice,  1 1/2 tablespoons of honey, 1 tablespoon of light brown sugar, minced garlic clove, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, 1/8 teaspoon of white pepper and 1 teaspoon of sea salt. Mix well.
• Using a spoon, spread the marinade over the top of the salmon, ensuring it gets onto its entire surface. Allow the fish to marinate for a minimum of 15 minutes but no longer than a maximum of 30 minutes in the fridge.
• Place the sheet pan with the salmon in the oven on the center rack, and bake for 25 -30 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reads 145 ° F. *Cook the salmon to your liking, which may range from a minimum of 25 minutes to a maximum of 30 minutes. To prevent the salmon from drying out, place a length of foil over the salmon to help retain moisture.
• Remove the salmon from the oven and rest for ten (10) minutes.
• Garnish with fresh mint, optional
• Serve.

Notes

Caramelizing the pineapple topping [optional method] 

We decided to caramelize the pineapple topping. Add 2 tbsp of unsalted butter, pineapple tidbits (or chopped-up pineapple rings), 1/4 cup of brown sugar, and chopped red onion in a skillet on medium heat.  You will cook that until the pineapple mixture has caramelized.

Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, until the pineapple and onions are well-coated with the sugar.

Continue to cook until the pineapple starts to turn golden brown and caramelizes, which should take about 10-15 minutes. 

Once caramelized, remove the skillet from the heat and let the mixture cool slightly before using it as a topping for your dish.

Then, continue making the marinade: Complete the marinade by adding 2 tablespoons of melted butter, 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, 1/4 cup of pineapple juice, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 1/2 tablespoons of honey, 1 tablespoon of light brown sugar, minced garlic clove, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, 1/8 teaspoon of white pepper, and 1 teaspoon of sea salt. Mix well.

Using a spoon, spread the marinade over the salmon, ensuring it covers its entire surface. Then, add the caramelized pineapple mixture over the salmon.

Nutrition

Serving: 6g | Calories: 432kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Sodium: 2334mg | Potassium: 188mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 44g | Vitamin A: 1116IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg

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