This easy teriyaki salmon is pan-fried to perfection and served with a homemade teriyaki sauce. It’s the right amount of sweet and sour, and it’s a healthy meal when served with rice and vegetables.
I’ve been eating tons of salmon lately. It is hands down my favorite fish to eat. It’s mild and super easy to prepare. What’s not to love about this salmon? It’s soft and flaky, and it’s topped with a sweet and sour teriyaki sauce.
This teriyaki glazed salmon is the perfect dinner when you are short on time but want something amazing. You can even make the sauce ahead of time and put it in the fridge until you’re ready to cook. The salmon get’s marinated in a simple homemade teriyaki sauce then pan fried. The sauce compliments the salmon perfectly and is sweet, tangy and thick. Half of the sauce get’s reserved for marinating and the other half for glazing the salmon during cooking.
I love making my own teriyaki sauce at home. I used the same homemade teriyaki sauce as my Easy Teriyaki Beef Meatballs and my Teriyaki Baked Salmon. This sauce is really easy to prepare and is amazing on chicken as well.
Teriyaki salmon is a popular Asian-inspired salmon dish that is both delicious and easy to make. The tender, flaky salmon is glazed in a sweet and salty teriyaki sauce that perfectly complements the fish This teriyaki salmon recipe can be made in the oven, on the grill, or stovetop in just 20-30 minutes With simple ingredients like soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger, you can create a restaurant-quality teriyaki salmon right at home.
Ingredients You’ll Need
To make teriyaki salmon, you will need:
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Salmon fillets – Look for individually portioned 4-6 oz salmon fillets without skin, Wild caught salmon like sockeye or coho work best
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Soy sauce – Use a gluten free soy sauce or tamari for a gluten free version Low sodium soy sauce helps control saltiness.
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Brown sugar – Adds sweetness to balance the soy sauce. Adjust to your taste.
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Rice vinegar – Provides acidity to brighten the sauce. Rice wine vinegar is ideal.
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Garlic and ginger – Gives the sauce flavor. Fresh is best but powders work too.
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Sesame oil – Adds nutty sesame flavor.
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Cornstarch – Thickens the sauce so it coats the salmon.
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Green onions & sesame seeds (optional garnish)
How to Make Teriyaki Salmon
Follow these simple steps for irresistible teriyaki salmon every time:
Step 1: Make the Teriyaki Sauce
First, make the easy homemade teriyaki sauce. Combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger and sesame oil in a small saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolves.
Remove half the sauce and set aside to marinate the salmon. With the sauce still in the saucepan, bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes to thicken slightly. Turn off heat.
Step 2: Marinate the Salmon
Place salmon fillets in a sealable plastic bag or baking dish. Pour over half of the teriyaki sauce. Turn salmon to coat. Marinate for 20-30 minutes, turning bag occasionally.
Step 3: Cook the Salmon
For oven baked salmon, preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange fillets on a foil-lined baking sheet skin-side down. Bake 12-15 minutes until fish flakes easily.
For grilled salmon, preheat grill to medium-high heat. Oil grates. Add salmon skin-side down and grill 8-12 minutes until opaque and flaky.
For pan seared salmon, heat 1 Tbsp oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add fillets skin-side up. Cook 4-5 minutes per side until browned and cooked through.
Step 4: Finish with Teriyaki Glaze
When salmon is nearly finished cooking, reheat the reserved teriyaki sauce. Add cornstarch slurry (1 tsp cornstarch + 1 Tbsp water) and stir until thickened, about 1 minute.
Brush cooked salmon generously with glaze. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds if desired. Serve immediately.
Tips for the Best Teriyaki Salmon
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Choose fresh wild salmon for the best flavor and texture. Farmed salmon tends to be fattier.
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Let the salmon marinate for at least 20-30 minutes to soak up lots of flavor.
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Use a meat thermometer to check doneness. Salmon is perfect at 140°F.
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Bake, grill or pan sear salmon. All methods work great. Adjust cook times as needed.
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Make extra teriyaki sauce to serve alongside or use as a veggie dip!
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Cook the sauce to reduce and thicken for the best glazing consistency.
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Keep leftover salmon refrigerated for 2-3 days. Reheat gently before serving.
Full Teriyaki Salmon Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs salmon fillets, cut into 4-6 oz portions
- 1⁄4 cup soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp water
- 2 green onions, sliced (garnish)
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds (garnish)
Instructions
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Make teriyaki sauce: Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic and ginger in saucepan. Heat over medium to dissolve sugar, 2-3 minutes. Remove half sauce and reserve for marinating. Simmer remaining sauce 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened. Turn off heat.
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Marinate salmon: Place fillets in a sealable bag or dish. Pour over half of teriyaki sauce. Marinate 20-30 minutes, turning bag occasionally.
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Cook salmon using your preferred method (oven, grill or skillet) until opaque and flaky inside.
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Finish teriyaki glaze: Reheat reserved sauce. Add cornstarch slurry and stir until thickened, about 1 minute.
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Brush cooked salmon with glaze. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.
Enjoy this easy yet delicious teriyaki salmon recipe! The homemade teriyaki sauce doubles as a dipping sauce for the salmon and veggie sides. For delicious veggies to serve with this meal, try steamed broccoli, sautéed bok choy or veggie fried rice. Add a side of rice or quinoa to round out the plate. This Asian-glazed salmon is sure to become a new favorite weeknight dinner!
What to serve with Easy Teriyaki Salmon
- This teriyaki salmon recipe tastes great with either white or brown rice to soak up all the sauce. For a low carb option try cauliflower rice or quinoa.
- Steamed vegetables
- Ham Fried Rice
- Chow mein noodles
- Lo mein
- Vegetable Fried Rice
- Stir Fried Vegetables
- Salmon bowl with teriyaki sauce (This is my new favorite way to serve salmon) Pickled carrots and cucumbers were put in bowls with sushi rice. The teriyaki salmon was put on top with a drizzle of spicy mayo.
How to make Teriyaki Sauce
It’s really simple to make your own Homemade Teriyaki Sauce. It’s also a great way to adjust how sweet and salty the sauce is. To make your own teriyaki salmon marinade at home you’ll need:
- Soy sauce: I always use low sodium soy sauce. You can use regular soy sauce with a little water added to it to make it less salty.
- I like to use freshly grated ginger, but ground ginger can be used instead if I need to.
- Garlic: I love adding garlic to my homemade teriyaki sauce. If you don’t have fresh garlic, you can use garlic powder instead.
- Light brown sugar makes the teriyaki sauce taste sweet. If you like your teriyaki a little sweeter, add more honey to taste.
- You can find rice wine vinegar in the international or Asian section of your grocery store. It adds the perfect acidity to the sauce.
- Sesame oil: Adds a wonderfully nutty flavor to this sauce!
- Cornstarch slurry: 1 teaspoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon cold water. This thickens up the sauce!.
Quick and EASY Salmon Teriyaki Recipe
FAQ
Is it better to bake or stove top salmon?
How should you cook salmon?
What goes well with teriyaki salmon?
How to cook salmon in a frying pan Gordon Ramsay?
How do you cook salmon teriyaki?
Whisk together the teriyaki ingredients in a small bowl. Preheat your oven to 400°F and pat the salmon dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper. Set an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat, then coat the bottom with about a tablespoon of oil.
How do you marinate salmon in teriyaki sauce?
Add soy sauce to a small mixing bowl. Add brown sugar, vinegar, corn starch, garlic, and pepper. Whisk until well combined. Place 4 uncooked salmon fillets in a plastic food storage bag. Add half of the teriyaki sauce. Marinate the fish in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Remove the fish from the bag. Place the marinated salmon in a baking dish. Bake.
What kind of salmon is teriyaki?
Salmon Fillets: King salmon, sockeye salmon, and Coho salmon are considered among the best tasting salmon; wild-caught Pacific salmon are the healthiest ( source ). The salmon is simply seasoned with salt and pepper, then seared in olive oil. Soy Sauce: Soy sauce is the foundation of the teriyaki sauce.
Can you make teriyaki sauce with salmon?
We used a wild-caught Sockeye Salmon (more on selecting salmon and it’s affect on how long to bake salmon below). The homemade teriyaki sauce is so simple but so good (which is great on chicken too!). P.S. Use a gluten free soy sauce like Tamari brand (Amazon affiliate link) to make it gluten free!