With an easy glaze, Broiled Paprika Salmon is tender, juicy, and full of flavor. Best of all, it comes together in under 20 minutes. This is truly the best way to cook salmon, and the most requested recipe that I make when serving a large family gathering!

Broiling salmon fillets is an incredibly versatile, fast way to cook this delicious fish, and paprika might be the ideal flavoring for this method. Also used in blackening seasoning, paprika darkens as it cooks, giving this salmon a great flavor and a beautiful golden crust. Even better, this is a minimal mess way to prepare salmon.

I recently made 4 pounds of salmon cooked this way for a big family gathering. I served it right on the sheet pan and the only clean-up I had to do was pull the foil off the sheet pan after dinner. We actually used it in tacos and taco salads, and everyone said it was their favorite meal I’ve ever prepared.

If you’re wondering what to serve with paprika salmon, I’ve got a few ideas. You can serve it in tacos as I mentioned above (always a hit). But truly, all it needs is a vegetable like roasted broccoli or broiled asparagus (toss it with some oil and salt and broil it on the same pan as the salmon). It’s also delicious served over a salad like a classic Caesar, arugula salad (use it instead of steak). Or try a fresh side dish like Panzanella or lemony potato salad. And don’t forget to whip up some Garlic Bread Hawaiian Rolls to complete the meal (I promise you will be glad you did).

Super easy! Here’s how. 

How to Make Broiled Paprika Salmon

Oven broiled salmon gets a golden, seared top and a tender, perfectly cooked center. Here’s how to do it.

1. Prepare the broiler. Preheat the broiler about 10 minutes before cooking. Move an oven rack so that it is about 6 to 8 inches beneath the broiler.
2. Prepare a sheet pan. Line a sheet pan with foil. Spray it lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Don’t skip this step as it will make clean-up super easy. 
3. Score salmon. Place salmon skin-side down on the sheet pan. Use a sharp knife to score the salmon a few times, slicing about halfway through the flesh. (See below for more details.)
4. Add seasoning. Generously season the salmon, pressing some of the seasoning down into the slits. 
5. Turn on the oven / exhaust fan. Fish cooked under the broiler can splatter and smoke. 
6. Broil. Broil the salmon until it flakes easily with a fork in the thickest part, 6 to 12 minutes.
7. Enjoy!

Why Score Salmon

Scoring salmon (or any fish) before cooking it is one of the best secrets for cooking great fish. Focus on cutting about halfway through the fish in the thickest parts of the fillet.

This works well for two reasons:

1. Even cooking. By making cuts in the thicker parts of the fish, you help the heat to penetrate the fish there more quickly, insuring that the thicker parts finish cooking at the same time as the thinner parts of the fillet.
2. More flavor. When you season the fish, you can press some extra seasoning down into the slices, getting more flavor into the center of the fish. 

How Long to Broil Salmon

Most salmon fillets will broil in 6 to 12 minutes. The cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the fillet. Check the thickest part of the fish to know if it is finished cooking. It should flake easily with a fork and should register about 130°F.

If making glazed salmon, be sure to watch the glaze as the salmon cooks to prevent burning. 

Ideal Temperature for Cooked Salmon

The USDA recommends cooking salmon to 145°F. I find that you should actually remove the salmon when an instant read thermometer registers 130°F. This avoids overcooking. It will continue to cook for another minute or two in the residual heat of the sheet pan and will usually reach nearly the USDA recommendation. 

Ingredients

• Salmon – Any type of salmon will work. Use either one large cut of salmon or with small pre-cut fillets.
• Mayonnaise – This may seem like an unusual ingredient, but trust me. The mayonnaise acts as a binder, holding the seasonings onto the fish as it cooks and helping the fish to stay moist and tender. The finished dish does not taste like mayonnaise. 
• Paprika – This is great any type. I tested it both ways and didn’t have a preference between paprika vs smoked paprika. The smoked paprika just adds extra smoky flavor. 
• Honey – A touch of sweetness balances the tangy, savory flavor of the paprika.
• Worcestershire Sauce – This adds great savory flavor to the marinade. It’s okay to skip it if you don’t have it, but the flavor is great. 
• Salt, Black Pepper, Garlic Powder – Use these to add even more flavor. Be sure to use garlic powder (not garlic salt which will make the dish too salty). 
• Lemon or Lime Wedges – Salmon is always best when it’s finished with fresh lemon juice or lime juice, so be sure to serve it with some wedges and / or squeeze them over the top of the finished dish. 

A word about Mayonnaise

Let’s just address the elephant in the kitchen here. Mayonnaise. Trust me on this. The mayonnaise works better than any ingredient I tested to help the flavorful ingredients to stick and the salmon to stay tender. Any trace of mayonnaise flavor cooks off and anyone you serve this to would never guess it’s in there. Kenji López-Alt calls mayonnaise “the secret ingredient that improves meat [including fish] every time”, and it is now my “secret” marinade weapon. 

FAQs

Love Salmon?

Here are a few more of my absolute favorite ways to prepare it.

Salmon Burgers with Creamy Lemon Herb Sauce

Blackened Salmon with Citrus Salsa Verde

Salmon Sushi Bowls

Baked Salmon in Foil