Pineapple Mango Salmon Recipe

Make marinade

In a medium bowl, whisk together pineapple juice, mango puree, soy sauce, honey, lime juice, grated ginger, minced garlic, toasted sesame oil, and red pepper flakes until well combined.

Reserve glaze

Pour about 1/3 cup of the mixture into a small saucepan and set aside for reducing into a glaze. The remaining marinade will be used to flavor the salmon.

Thicken glaze

Bring the reserved saucepan mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Mix cornstarch with cold water to make a slurry, then whisk into the simmering liquid. Cook, stirring, until slightly thickened (about 2 minutes). Remove from heat and keep warm.

Marinate salmon

Pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides lightly with kosher salt and black pepper. Place fillets in a shallow dish or zipper bag and pour the remaining marinade over them, turning to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes (no more than 45 minutes to avoid 'cooking' the fish).

Prepare pan and preheat

Remove the salmon from the refrigerator 10 minutes before cooking to take the chill off. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) if finishing in oven, or heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat if pan-searing then oven-finishing. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet and heat until shimmering.

Sear salmon

Remove fillets from marinade (reserve marinade left in dish is discarded). Place salmon skin-side up in the hot skillet and sear without moving for 2–3 minutes until golden. Carefully flip so skin-side is down and sear 1–2 minutes to crisp the skin.

Finish cooking

If using oven, transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and roast for 4–6 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 125–130°F (51–54°C) for medium-rare to medium, or cook longer to desired doneness. If not using oven, reduce heat to medium-low, cover the skillet, and cook 3–5 more minutes until done. Baste with the reserved glaze during the last 1–2 minutes of cooking.

Rest salmon

Transfer salmon to a plate and let rest 3 minutes. Spoon any pan juices and an extra drizzle of the glaze over the fillets before serving.

While the salmon is cooking, toss diced fresh mango and pineapple with chopped cilantro and sliced scallions. Season lightly with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lime juice to taste.

Plate each salmon fillet skin-side down and spoon the mango-pineapple salsa alongside or on top. Garnish with additional cilantro and a lime wedge. Serve immediately with rice or a simple green salad.