This Brown Sugar Peach Salmon cooks up golden brown on the outside and is tender inside, infused with the peach and brown sugar flavors of the marinade.
Grab the recipe down below!
Brown Sugar Peach Salmon
We are at the height of the peach season and putting peaches on everything! One of our favorites is our Brown Sugar Peach Salmon, and OMG, this recipe is a winner.
Dare I say it’s peachy keen? Lame dad joke, but fortunately, my cooking skills are way better than my jokes.
We love salmon and enjoy its versatility because it pairs with so many different food staples.
For this fish recipe, we’re taking advantage of the bounty of peach season and dressing up one of our favorite kinds of seafood with the sweet taste of summer peaches.
I aimed to create a brown sugar base with subtle savory notes for the salmon fillets.
This was accomplished by adding smoked paprika, sea salt (smoked sea salt if you have it, I recommend Maldon smoked sea salt), and freshly cracked black peppercorns. Simple.
During the summer months, it’s only natural to add fresh herbs from the garden to many of the foods we prepare, and we’re currently adding a few garden herbs to a straightforward and tasty salmon dish.
And for this recipe, I clipped several sprigs of fresh thyme and oregano to balance the sweetness of the light brown sugar with the right amount of savory herbaceousness. I think we succeeded.
Plenty of Peaches, Peaches for me
We recently split an order of peaches from The Peach Truck with my sister-in-law, and we needed to use them before they got overripe. This peach-salmon recipe was the first we created using five peaches.
I haven’t made this recipe using canned peaches, and I don’t think I want to, because fresh, sweet peaches are unmatched in flavor and fruit, with plenty of naturally sweet, deep peach flavor.
How to cook peaches
I placed five or six peaches in a small stockpot and filled the pot with tepid water.
I put the pot over medium-high heat and allowed the water to boil.
After a minute, I removed the peaches, gently strained off the hot water, and added cold water.
Then, about five minutes later, the peaches were safe to handle. I made a small insertion using the tip of a paring knife.
What You Will Need
Salmon. For this brown sugar salmon recipe, I used a 2.34-pound salmon filet. I like to make sure I remove as much moisture as possible from the salmon’s surface before adding the seasoning.
Peaches. I love freshly picked summertime peaches. They are so good, sweet, and essential for this easy, nonetheless delicious, simple recipe.
Light Brown Sugar. Smoked Paprika. Sea Salt. Black Peppercorns. Our seasoning mix is an excellent combination of sweet and savory, complementing the delicate flavor of the salmon without overpowering it. The light brown sugar adds sweetness, while smoked paprika, sea salt, and freshly cracked black peppercorns lend subtle smoky flavors.
Fresh Thyme & Fresh Oregano. There’s nothing like fresh herbs, and what’s better is grabbing them from our family garden patch. No garden patch? No worries, local farmers’ markets and grocers have plenty of fresh herbs in the summertime. Cultivating windowsill herb gardens is a small-scale alternative to growing your kitchen herb garden.
Ingredient Checklist for our Brown Sugar Peach Salmon recipe:
6-8 serving size
- 2 pounds of fresh salmon (I used a 2.34-pound salmon filet)
- 5 ripe peaches
- 3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme, divided
- 3-4 sprigs of fresh oregano, divided
- 2 tbsp olive oil (+ additional olive oil for salmon)
- 1/3 cup of light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp of smoked paprika
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black peppercorns (or regular black pepper works)
Directions on how to cook brown sugar salmon with peaches
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Remove the salmon filet from the package and dry it with paper towels. I like to place paper towels on a cutting board, lay the salmon on top, cover it with more paper towels, and gently press down to absorb as much moisture as possible. Drizzle olive oil over the salmon, rubbing it in, then season well with freshly cracked black peppercorns and sea salt. Let the salmon sit on the countertop until you are ready to place it in the baking pan.
- Place the whole peaches in a stockpot and fill it until the peaches are covered with water. Place the pot over medium heat and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the skin loosens easily. Remove the pot from the heat and gently transfer the peaches into a bowl of cold water. When the peaches are cool enough to handle safely, use the edge of a spoon or knife to make a small cut and peel away the skin. Cut the peaches in half. After removing the pit, cut the half slices in half again. Return the sliced peaches to the pot and turn the heat to medium.
- Then add brown sugar, smoked paprika, sea salt, and freshly ground black peppercorns to the pot, thoroughly mix, and bring it to a boil. Add 1 sprig of oregano and 1 sprig of thyme. Allow this mixture to simmer on low for 10 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove the sprig of thyme and the sprig of oregano.
- Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the bottom of a baking pan and brush evenly to coat. I cut my salmon filet in half to fit in my baking pan.
- Spoon the mixture over the salmon, allowing some of the peach slices to rest on top of the salmon and along the sides.
- Then place the salmon in the preheated oven and cook for 30 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer reads 145° F. (Note- the cook time will depend on the thickness of your salmon.)
- After baking, I added the remaining fresh sprigs of thyme and oregano as a garnish.
- Serve.
How Long To Bake Salmon?
At 375 degrees, I baked my salmon for 30 minutes, or until cooked through. It all depends on the thickness of your salmon.
I had a 2.34-pound filet. So if yours is smaller, the salmon will likely cook for a little less time.
What Temperature Does Salmon Need To Be?
Salmon, when done, needs to be read at 145 degrees. I recommend sticking a meat thermometer into the salmon filet to check the internal temperature.
Check the thickest part of the filet for an accurate reading.
If you do not own a meat thermometer, here are a few other ways to tell when your salmon is thoroughly done.
When your salmon is done, it will go from a reddish-pinkish raw color to an opaque color.
Salmon will flake when it is done, and when you go to pull at it with a knife or fork.
Can I Grill Salmon Instead of Baking?
Want to grill instead of bake? You can make this on propane, gas, or a grill like our Masterbuilt Gravity Series 800.
Just adjust the heat as directed. Then use a wood plank to place your filet on. You will grill for 15 minutes, check, and then continue grilling.
I made this on the pellet grill, and it is excellent. You can set it to 375 degrees, which will maintain that temperature while you grill.
Do You Cook Salmon With Or Without The Skin On?
You will find that most recipes cook the salmon skin-side up.
They do this because salmon, like any fish or fresh seafood, can fall apart once cooked.
Keeping the skin on allows the fish to retain shape and moisture.
When the fish is done, you can serve it with the skin on or remove it if you prefer.
It will pull away from the meat pretty easily and can tear a bit, so be cautious if you are looking for a nice presentation value.
Can I Use Frozen Peaches?
If you don’t have access to fresh peaches, go right ahead and reach for frozen peaches. Most peaches are always frozen at their prime, so they should all be sweet and juicy.
The biggest thing is, if you see a slice or two that look less ripe, discard them. You don’t want the peaches to be sour, or it will affect the flavor of your dish. You can also use canned peaches.
Can I Use a Brown Sugar Zero-Sugar Substitute?
Don’t want the added sugar from the simple brown sugar mixture? Go ahead and reach for a zero-sugar brown sugar substitute.
It would work; measure and use it as directed on the package. It might slightly affect the flavor, but overall there should be no issue with using a sugar substitute.
What can you pair with this Brown Sugar Salmon recipe?
This great recipe is excellent for a weeknight dinner.
You can serve it with brown or white rice.
We like to pair this easy recipe with fresh asparagus and savory potatoes.
You can store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate them. The salmon will keep for a few days.
Find new salmon recipes listed below:
Brown Sugar Peach Salmon
Ingredients
- 2 pounds of fresh salmon I used a 2.34-pound salmon filet
- 5 ripe peaches
- 3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme divided
- 3-4 sprigs of fresh oregano divided
- 2 tbsp olive oil + additional olive oil for salmon
- 1/3 cup of light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp of smoked paprika
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black peppercorns or regular black pepper works
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Remove the salmon filet from the package and dry it with paper towels. I like to place paper towels on a cutting board, lay the salmon on top, cover it with more paper towels, and gently press down to absorb as much moisture as possible. Drizzle olive oil over the salmon, rubbing it in, then season well with freshly cracked black peppercorns and sea salt. Let the salmon sit on the countertop until you are ready to place it in the baking pan.
- Place the whole peaches in a stockpot and fill it until the peaches are covered with water. Place the pot over medium heat and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the skin loosens easily. Remove the pot from the heat and gently transfer the peaches into a bowl of cold water. When the peaches are cool enough to handle safely, use the edge of a spoon or knife to make a small cut and peel away the skin. Cut the peaches in half. After removing the pit, cut the half slices in half again. Return the sliced peaches to the pot and turn the heat to medium.
- Then add brown sugar, smoked paprika, sea salt, and freshly ground black peppercorns to the pot, thoroughly mix, and bring it to a boil. Add 1 sprig of oregano and 1 sprig of thyme. Allow this mixture to simmer on low for 10 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove the sprig of thyme and the sprig of oregano.
- Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the bottom of a baking pan and brush evenly to coat. I cut my salmon filet in half to fit in my baking pan.
- Spoon the mixture over the salmon, allowing some of the peach slices to rest on top of the salmon and along the sides.
- hen place the salmon in the preheated oven and cook for 30 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer reads 145° F. (Note- the cook time will depend on the thickness of your salmon.)
- After baking, I added the remaining fresh sprigs of thyme and oregano as a garnish.
- Serve.
Created 8/2021 | Updated 6/2026
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