Macadamia Crusted Hot Honey Salmon

Tender, juicy salmon with a light and crunchy topping will make you want to muddle up a mojito and dance the conga. Macadamia Crusted Hot Honey Salmon is a celebration of tropical flavors and fresh, vibrant ingredients.

It might be synonymous with SpongeBob’s house, but sweet and tart pineapple pulls double duty in this easy and colorful recipe. Not only does it star in the sweet and spicy salsa, but it also create the perfect plank to grill your salmon on.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Macadamia Crusted Hot Honey Salmon is all about utilizing fresh flavors and maximizing the texture of the salmon. Quick, easy, and delicious, this is a glazed salmon recipe your entire family will love.

• Accessible Ingredients – Whether you’re pulling out a couple frozen salmon fillets or picking up fresh salmon from your seafood market, there aren’t any hard-to-find ingredients required to make this dish. Combining fresh produce with a few pantry staples makes this a recipe easily made any night of the week.
• Easy Process – Unlike many recipes for grilled fish, there is no need to flip the salmon. Just put it on its pineapple plank, close the lid to your grill, and make your salsa.
• Texture – This recipe gives you that tender, flaky bite of fish while also packing crispy crunch. You get that the best of both worlds.
• Meal Prep – The pineapple salsa for this recipe can be made ahead of time. It also stores well and just gets better as it refrigerates.
• Quick Cooking – This salmon grills indirect, which keeps it moist, but takes less than 20 minutes making it a delicious and healthy meal perfect for any night of the week.

Ingredients

Put on your favorite beach tunes and fire up the grill. This tropical salmon and salsa recipe only requires a few simple ingredients.

• Salmon Fillets – You can use either skin on, or skinless fillets for this recipe. I like using ASC certified salmon. That means that the salmon has been responsibly raised, meeting the highest standards for farm raised seafood.
• Unsalted Butter – Because there is soy sauce in the glaze for this salmon, unsalted butter allows you to control the amount of sodium in the finished dish.
• Hot Honey – A little spicy and a little sweet, this single ingredient packs a ton of flavor. My favorite is a datil pepper honey that is infused with the fruity heat of the datil pepper. Be sure to check the labels of your honey as some hot honeys include other ingredients such as vinegar which will affect the final flavor profile.
• Soy Sauce – Salty, savory, and bursting with umami, soy sauce balances out the sweetness in the glaze. I always use less sodium soy sauce but use what you like. You can also use coconut aminos, tamari, or Gluten Free soy sauce for this.
• Ginger – Spicy, warm, and aromatic, freshly grated ginger pairs well with both the salmon and also the honey. Keep your ginger in the freezer to extend its shelf life and also make it easy to grate.
• Lime Zest – The oils in the lime zest perfume the glaze while bringing the sunny burst of citrus.
• Panko Breadcrumbs – These light and airy Japanese breadcrumbs create a delicate crust on top of the salmon. Use plain panko for this recipe.
• Macadamia Nuts – Buttery, rich, and crunchy, macadamia nuts not only add texture to the topping they also add a little richness.
• Pineapple – Tangy, tart, yet sweet, the entire pineapple gets used for this recipe. The rind gets cut into planks for the planked pineapple while the fruit gets grilled for pineapple salsa.
• Red Bell Pepper – Naturally sweet, red bell pepper balances the heat in the salsa while also adding color.
• Red Onion – Aromatic and savory, red onion adds crunch and balances the sweetness in the salsa.
• Habanero – The fruity heat of the habanero pairs well with the sweet components in this dish. You can control the heat by both removing the seeds from the chile and also by adding just a little or a lot. The tangy sweetness of the pineapple does temper the heat.
• Cilantro – Citrusy, fresh, and herbaceous, cilantro wakes up all of the flavors in the salsa.
• Honey – Just a little drizzle of honey balances the natural tartness of the grilled pineapple in the salsa.
• Salt and Pepper – With the bold flavors of the salmon glaze and the fresh flavors of the grilled pineapple salsa, you don’t need a lot of extra seasoning.
• Flaky Sea Salt – A little sprinkle of flaky sea salt on the finished salmon adds both texture and enhances all of the flavors.
• Lime Wedges – A squeeze of lime over the grilled salmon and salsa adds brightness.

How to Make Macadamia Crusted Hot Honey Salmon

With just a few easy steps you will be bringing the taste of the tropics to the dinner table. So, get the charcoal going and let’s grill some salmon!

• Plank – Trim the top and bottom off of your pineapple. Use a sharp knife to cut the outer skin off of the pineapple, creating 2-4 planks. Cut the flesh of your pineapple into 1/4″-1/2″ slices. You can remove the core at this time if you like or cut around it after grilling.
• Fire – Prepare your grill two-zone cooking. If grilling on a charcoal grill, bank your charcoal to one side creating a hot zone and cool area. If using a gas grill don’t like all of your burners, leaving a cooler zone. Allow your grill grates to fully heat.
• Glaze – While your grill is heating prepare your glaze for the salmon. Melt together the butter, hot honey, ginger, and soy sauce. Mix to combine. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime zest. Pat your salmon fillets dry and generously brush them with the glaze. Lightly season the salmon with salt and pepper.
• Top – Place the salmon fillets on the pineapple planks. Mix together the panko breadcrumbs and the macadamia nuts. Sprinkle the topping over the salmon.
• Grill – Place the planked salmon on the cooler side of the grill. Brush the pineapple rounds with olive oil and season both sides with salt and pepper. Place them over direct heat. Allow the pineapple to grill 2-3 minutes per side until just lightly charred. Remove the pineapple from the grill and close the lid of your grill. Let the salmon cook for 12-18 minutes or until you have reached your desired temperature. I like to pull my salmon at 135 degrees. Remove the salmon from the grill and discard the pineapple planks.
• Salsa Time – Chop up all of your ingredients for the salsa and add to a bowl. Drizzle with honey and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper and allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.
• Finishing Touch – Sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt over the top of the crusted salmon. Serve with the grilled pineapple salsa and lime wedges. Don’t forget the tropical drinks!

Variations

While the sweet and spicy flavors of this recipe pair well with salmon, they also work with other types of fish. Use this same method for snapper, grouper, or even mahi-mahi.

In addition, you can also use regular honey for this recipe for a little less heat.

Tips From the Beach

When it comes to cooking salmon, your instant read digital thermometer is your best friend. A lot of times when people say they don’t like seafood, especially a fish that is a fattier fish like salmon rich in Omega – 3 fatty acids, overcooking it can draw out the oils and give it a “fishier” taste. Cooking it to 135 degrees will give you tender and moist salmon and also the best flavor.

In addition to not overcooking your salmon, always know the source of your salmon. Look for either farm raised salmon the is certified by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council as responsibly raised, or chose salmon that is wild caught, but sustainably sourced.

If you’re looking for more easy seafood tips, make sure you check out how to split a lobster tail. And for more information on salmon check out the differences of Wild Caught Salmon vs. Farm Raised Salmon.

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