Maple Mustard Baked Salmon

Every time someone tells me they don’t like fish, or only eat it deep-fried, I am truly shocked. Fish is a staple food in our house. We eat so many different types and use various cooking methods. Some of our favourites are rainbow trout, tuna, tilapia and salmon. Not only is fish incredibly nutritious and packed with omega-3 fats, it is absolutely delicious when prepared properly. My dad’s Maple Mustard Baked Salmon recipe is one of the easiest ways to cook tasty salmon at home. This recipe is also naturally low in FODMAPs and gluten-free.

I always see so many Valentine’s Day dessert recipes posted the first two weeks of February. There are so many yummy recipes for brownies, chocolate dipped strawberries, etc. Those recipes are a lovely finish to a romantic dinner, but what are you going to make for the main course? Tell your partner you love their heart by cooking them this heart-healthy recipe for dinner!

There are so many health benefits from eating fish. In Canada, many families eat a lot of red meat and poultry, but sadly not too much fish. Fish is a great source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, and also contains protein, iron and vitamin D.¹ Salmon is one of the best sources of omega-3s. Rainbow trout is also another healthy option, and can be used in place of salmon in this recipe. It also contains healthy omega-3 fats, but not as much as salmon. Keep your eye out for local fish in your grocery store or farmers market.

When buying fish look for a filet that has a fairly even thickness if possible. It will be easier to cook the fish evenly compared to a filet with one very thick side and one thin side. The key to cooking fish well is to first measure the thickness of the filet at the thickest part. The cooking time should vary based on how thick the filet is. In general, about 10 minutes per inch of fish is good. The fish will be opaque and flake easily when done. The more often you cook fish, the easier it will be to tell when it is perfectly cooked.

Bright pink uncooked salmon

The salmon will be opaque and flaky when cooked

This sauce is easy to adjust based on the size of your fish. If you buy a jumbo salmon filet from Costco, make more sauce using the same 1:1:1 ratio for the oil, maple syrup and mustard. The extra virgin olive oil in the sauce adds extra healthy fats. Use at least 2 tsp of freshly ground pepper. That may sound like a lot, but it is balanced perfectly by the sweet maple sauce. If you are a pepper lover then add extra. You don’t need to add any extra salt since the Dijon mustard has plenty. I really recommend using greased aluminium foil on your baking sheet. Some of the sauce is going to run off the salmon and will stick badly to a bare baking sheet.

Aluminum foil = easy clean up

Complete this healthy meal with a side of brown rice or quinoa, and a salad or steamed vegetables. If you are going to make brown rice, make sure to get it started before you work on the salmon, since it takes so long to cook. If you are in a rush, quinoa is a better option since it only takes 15 minutes.

This recipe makes great leftovers. I don’t recommend reheating the fish in the microwave (you will stink up your house). Instead, you could reheat it in a frying pan, or eat the salmon cold by flaking over salad or mashing with a bit of mayonnaise. Keep the leftovers in your fridge for up to 4 days.¹

I mentioned at the start of this post that I cook fish many different ways. This Low FODMAP Maple Mustard Baked Salmon is my all time favourite fish recipe. My second favourite is fish tacos, which I hope to also post a recipe for soon.

Low FODMAP Maple Mustard Baked Salmon

My dad’s Maple Mustard Baked Salmon recipe is one of the easiest ways to cook tasty salmon at home. This recipe is also naturally low in FODMAPs and gluten-free.

4.70 from 10 votes

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Course Main Dish

Servings 6 small servings

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 lb fresh salmon or rainbow trout
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• 3 tbsp dijon mustard smooth not grainy
• 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
• 2 tsp freshly ground pepper or more

Instructions

 

• Mix the oil, maple syrup, mustard, ginger and pepper together in a small bowl. Let sit at least 10 minutes (ideally 2 hours) to let the flavours combine.
• Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Cover your baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lightly grease the foil with oil or an oil spray.
• Place the salmon on the prepared baking sheet. Spoon the maple mustard sauce over the salmon as evenly as possible. Some of the sauce will drip off the sides of the salmon.
• Measure the salmon’s thickness at the thickest point. Bake the salmon for 10 minutes per inch of thickness. The salmon is done when it flakes easily and the centre of the thickest part has just turned an opaque pink. If the centre is still a bright translucent pink, cook the salmon for another couple minutes.
• Put leftovers in a container in the fridge as soon as they have cooled off. Keep for up to max 4 days.

Notes

• There is no FODMAP serving size limit for this recipe. The ingredients do not contain FODMAPs.
• Be careful to buy regular dijon mustard and NOT honey dijon. Check the ingredients list of the dijon mustard for any added FODMAPs (e.g., onion or garlic powder). In Canada, the President's Choice dijon mustard is one example of a brand with only low FODMAP ingredients.

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What’s your all-time favourite way to eat fish?

Lauren

References

1. Eat Right Ontario, 2016. http://www.eatrightontario.ca/en/Articles/Cooking/Food-Preparation/All-about-fish.aspx