Peach Salmon – One Pan 30 Minutes!

Looking for a new way to serve salmon? Even the pickiest people will love this ona-pan peach salmon recipe. The filets are marinated in a thick, juicy sauce of peach preserves, bourbon, and honey with a kick of hot sauce and then seared to create a caramelized crust.

This is a melt-in-your-mouth dish that will please any palate. The salmon is served with fresh caramelized peaches for the best sweet and savory pairing.

The total cooking time is only 12 minutes, with just about 10 minutes of prep time. Letting it marinate is the longest time. But it is worth every minute because all the flavors infuse into the salmon and meld together to create a fusion of incredible tastes.

This easy yet scrumptious recipe is something you will proudly serve at a dinner party or just for a weeknight meal with the family. Easy to make does not mean less flavor; this dish is bursting with flavors and aromas.

I love recipes with minimum prep work and specifically wanted to cook everything in one skillet. This is such a versatile recipe that can be served with white rice, creamy grits, orzo, or just a salad on the side.

Why you will love this recipe

• So many amazing flavors: Marinated in peach preserves, bourbon, balsamic vinegar, honey, and other umami ingredients, this salmon is full of flavor.
• Cook it in 12 minutes: This whole dish takes about 30 minutes or less from start to finish. Most of that time is spent waiting for it to marinate.
• Easy cleanup: It can all be cooked in an oven-safe skillet, so there is only one pan to wash afterward.
• Common items: Many of the ingredients are already in your kitchen, and others will be easy to find.

What you’ll need to make peach salmon

Special items:

• An oven-safe skillet – I use a cast iron skillet to cook everything in. 
• Bowls
• Cooking utensils

Ingredients:

• Salmon fillets – This nutritious fish is full of Omega 3 fatty acids to lower blood pressure and tastes incredible too. You’ll need four fillets with the skin on. Make sure they are similar in size, so they cook evenly.
• Extra virgin olive oil – I use the highest quality since it is light and adds a bit of extra flavor.
• Peaches – Pitted and thinly sliced. I recommend freestone peaches because they are easiest to pit and slice. Yellow peaches are the best for this recipe, and I prefer Elberta peaches, which are the most common.
• Parsley – The soft Mediterranean herb has a clean fresh taste with a hint of pepper.

For the marinade:

• Peach preserves – Marinating these fillets in preserves gives them a concentrated peach taste with natural sweetness. Peach jam will also work nicely, and I have a recipe below in the FAQs section to try.
• Bourbon – Any kind of bourbon is fine so use your favorite. If not using bourbon, add another ¼ cup of preserves or jam.
• Extra virgin olive oil – For the same reason as before, this oil adds a bit of flavor and helps the marinade stick to the salmon and balances out the other ingredients.
• Soy sauce – It has salt in it, making it an excellent brine but use low sodium so it does not add too much. It also has a tangy umami taste with sweet and bitter undertones.
• Balsamic vinegar – tenderizes and adds a sweet and rich flavor with a deep layer of succulence. 
• Honey—Honey’s ability to attract and hold moisture helps the meat stay moist as it cooks, which is a major benefit. It also acts like glue to hold everything together, tenderizes, and adds sweet flavor.
• Hot sauce – This is optional but to be honest, it does not make the fish taste spicy. If you are worried about spiciness, leave out the red pepper flakes instead. The hot sauce adds a tiny kick that is not really spicy.
• Lemon zest – Zest your own for the best taste. It provides essential oil that gives it a more pungent flavor.
• Lemon juice – Use freshly squeezed lemon juice from the lemons you zest. This will add so much more refreshing lemony taste to your fish.
• Dijon coarse ground mustard – Brightens up the fish with extra tart and tangy flavor as well as a bit of texture from the ground seeds.
• Garlic – Be sure to mince your own garlic cloves just before using to get the most robust and vivid garlicky taste.
• Red pepper flakes – Add some heat and flavor to your salmon with red pepper flakes. Those who do not like spicy food can leave these out.
• Smoked paprika – Instead of regular paprika, this adds a smoky and earthy taste to your fish with hints of fruitiness.
• Salt
• Pepper

How to make peach salmon?

1. Make the marinade: First, mix the preserves, bourbon, oil, soy sauce, vinegar, mustard, red pepper flakes, garlic, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. This makes about one and a half cups of marinade. Put half of it in the refrigerator for later.
2. Marinate the salmon: Then, put the salmon in a large baggie and pour the rest of the marinade inside. Seal and mix so the salmon is covered well. Chill in the fridge for up to an hour.
3. Preheat the oven: After, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F while you prepare the fish.
4. Sear the salmon: Now, add oil to an oven-safe skillet on medium-high heat. When it is hot, place the marinated fillets skin side up in the skillet. Cook for three minutes or until they are seared golden brown.
5. Add peaches: Flip and add peaches, cooking for three more minutes until the peaches soften and the salmon skin is slightly seared.
6. Bake the salmon: Next, remove the skillet and pour the reserved peach marinade into the skillet over the top of everything. Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the salmon is cooked through. The internal temperature should be 135 degrees F when they are done. They will continue to cook as they rest.
7. Serve immediately: Remove from the oven and let them rest for 10 minutes to allow the juices to soak back into the meat. 

Expert tip

Can I cook my salmon to a lower temperature?

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends cooking salmon until the thickest part of the meat is 145 degrees F on a meat thermometer. However, according to Cook’s Illustrated, the best temperature for cooking farmed salmon is 125 degrees F for a firm texture with good silkiness. However, wild salmon should only be cooked to 120 degrees because it is leaner and will dry out.

Restaurants cook salmon from rare to well-done. Rare is less than 120 degrees F, medium-rare is 125 to 130 degrees F, medium is 135 to 140 degrees F, and well-done is 145 degrees F or more. I have found that cooking salmon to 145 degrees F or more makes it way too dry. So, I take mine out when it is 135 degrees F and let it finish cooking as it rests.

Just like any kind of meat, salmon needs to rest for about 15 minutes after it is cooked so the juices can be incorporated back into it where they belong. During this time, the temperature continues to rise and will easily reach 140 to 145 degrees F. If you cook it to 145 degrees F, it will continue to rise to 150 or more, which is too dry and will make eating your salmon difficult.

Recipe variations and add-ins:

• No alcohol: If using no alcohol is important, use bourbon extract or non-alcoholic bourbon.
• More fruits: Add other fruits to the mixture like nectarines, plums, apricots, cherries, or mangoes.
• Extra spicy salmon: Make it spicier with some chopped jalapenos and cayenne pepper.
• Sweeten it up: Make your salmon a little sweeter with some brown sugar and cinnamon added to the marinade.

Serving suggestions:

Peach salmon goes great with all sorts of side dishes. Here are some ideas I love.

• I enjoy serving it over white rice with steamed broccoli or asparagus on the side.
• Serve with a glass of my sweet and tangy homemade peach sangria.
• The kids and other non-drinkers can enjoy a glass of this peach smoothie instead.
• A salad would go great with this entrée. Make something easy with just greens and vegetables or go all out with fruits, nuts, and cheeses as well. I usually serve it with this pear salad.
• For a delicious side dish, my fall pasta salad would be perfect. It is full of different flavors like butternut squash, broccoli, cranberries, goat cheese, and red onions.
• This decadent peaches and cream ice cream is a rich way to end the meal on a peachy note.

Frequently asked questions

Can I cook this without searing the salmon?

Are you in a hurry and want to skip the searing step? That is okay. It only takes about five minutes, and it helps keep all the delicious juices inside the meat where they belong. It also creates an attractive, tasty caramelized coating for a crunchy golden-brown crust. Remember, just one part of enjoying the meal is the taste. Attractiveness, aroma, and texture are also important. Skipping this step may also cost an extra few minutes of baking time.

How do I know when my salmon is done?

The most accurate way to tell is to use an instant-read thermometer. Poke it in the thickest part of the meat, and the internal temperature will be 145 degrees F when it is finished. Don’t have a meat thermometer? Try checking for flakiness.

However, I remove mine from the oven when it is 135 degrees F and let it finish cooking as it rests. Press it gently with a fork, and it should easily flake apart. Also, the color changes from translucent red to opaque pink. If you can still see through it, let it cook for a few minutes more.

Can I use peach jam instead of preserves?

Absolutely, in fact, I have a recipe for homemade peach jam that would work wonderfully in this recipe. It is much better than the ones in the store that are filled with preservatives. Jam and preserves are both made with fruit, sugar, and pectin, but preserves often have whole pieces of fruit, whereas jam usually has pieces or halves. Jam is actually better for this recipe because it is easier to combine.

Can I use a different kind of liquor?

Many different kinds of liquor can replace bourbon. It is a type of whiskey, so using any kind of whiskey would work. Canadian whiskey has some of the best choices. Rum is one of many people’s favorite choices. The spiced and dark varieties are good because they are sweet and have similar spices in them. They also both have hints of oak because they are aged in oak barrels. Brandy is another one that works well. There are many varieties, so the choices are endless.

How to store:

• Refrigerate: Wrap salmon in plastic, place it in aluminum foil, and leftovers can be refrigerated for three days.   
• Freezing: Place wrapped leftovers in a freezer bag that can be frozen for up to six months.
• Defrost: Thaw overnight in the fridge for the best flavor and texture.
• Reheating: Reheat the oven to 375 degrees F for 10 minutes.   

More salmon recipes:

Recipe tips:

• Searing the salmon is essential because it locks in the juices and flavor.
• The USDA recommends cooking salmon to 145 degrees F internal temperature, but I cook mine to 135 degrees F. The temperature will continue to rise to 145 degrees as it rests.
• Another way to tell if salmon is done is to see if it flakes when you press it gently with a fork.
• Also, the color will change from translucent to opaque when finished cooking.
• The peach jam will work just fine instead of peach preserves. It does not have whole fruit in it, but my recipe includes fresh peaches, so that does not matter.
• Any liquor besides bourbon is also okay for this recipe. Whiskey, rum, and brandy are some great choices.