Teriyaki Salmon
This Teriyaki Salmon is coated in a sticky, sweet and tangy teriyaki glaze and then baked in the oven until it’s flaky and succulent. This salmon recipe is an especially quick and easy dinner.
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My family loves salmon for dinner, so I’m always trying to find new, delicious twists on our go-to Baked Salmon recipe. What better way to dress up a weeknight salmon dinner than with a simple, homemade Teriyaki Sauce glaze! The teriyaki sauce is tangy, sweet and thick, with a touch of fresh ginger flavor. It’s easy to make, with just a handful of simple ingredients. Other than the fresh ginger, I usually have everything on hand that I need to make it. Once you’ve made the teriyaki sauce, all that’s left to do is brush it over the salmon and bake until the fish flakes easily with a fork and is nice and moist.
This recipe comes together in just over 30 minutes start to finish, so it’s perfect for any night of the week. We like to serve the salmon with rice and a green vegetable for an easy, delicious meal that the whole family will enjoy.
Ingredients
- Salmon: Leave the skin on the salmon. The fish will release easily from the skin after baking.
- Soy Sauce: Use low sodium soy sauce so that the sauce doesn’t turn out too salty. To make this recipe gluten-free, replace the soy sauce with gluten-free tamari, gluten-free coconut aminos or gluten-free soy sauce.
- Brown Sugar and Honey: To sweeten the sauce, I like to use a combination of brown sugar and honey for more depth of flavor. Pure maple syrup can be substituted for the honey.
- Rice Vinegar: Adds a bit of sour flavor to balance out the sweet and salty flavors.
- Sesame Oil: Adds mild sesame flavor.
- Fresh Ginger and Garlic: Fresh ginger and garlic will give you the best flavor.
- Cornstarch and Water: To thicken the sauce. You’ll stir the cornstarch and water together to make a slurry.
- Green Onions and Sesame Seeds: For serving. The mild onion flavor of the green onions is a nice counterpart to the sweet and tangy teriyaki sauce.
If you love these flavors, you might also enjoy our Teriyaki Chicken recipe!
How to Make Teriyaki Salmon
Here’s an overview of how to make this easy teriyaki salmon recipe. Find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card below.
- First, make the teriyaki sauce by combining the soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger and garlic in a saucepan. Bring it to a simmer over medium heat and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook, whisking until the sauce thickens.
- Place the salmon fillets in a baking dish. Pour the teriyaki sauce over the salmon.
- Bake at 375° F until the salmon is cooked through to your liking. The cook time will depend on the thickness of your salmon fillets.
Recipe Tips
- Be careful to not cook the salmon beyond 145° F, since this can cause it to dry out. The USDA recommends an internal temperature of 145° F for salmon, but some prefer it cooked to 125-130° F.
- The teriyaki sauce can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- Grease the baking dish before adding the salmon for easier clean up.
- If you like spice, you can add a few pinches of crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce.
What to Serve with Teriyaki Salmon
- Rice: Perfect for soaking up extra sauce! I usually make a batch of Instant Pot Brown Rice to serve with this teriyaki salmon. Also see How to Cook Rice or How to Cook Brown Rice.
- Potatoes: If you prefer potatoes instead of rice, try Mashed Potatoes or Roasted Red Potatoes.
- Vegetables: Vegetable side dishes that pair well with this meal include Steamed Broccoli, Roasted Green Beans and Grilled Asparagus.
More Salmon Recipes
If you love salmon as much as we do, you might also enjoy these salmon recipes:
Teriyaki Salmon
Ingredients
Teriyaki Sauce
- ½ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey, or pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger*
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ cup water
Salmon
- 4 salmon fillets, skin on, about 6 ounces each
- sliced green onions and sesame seeds, optional, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- Combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger and garlic in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring with a whisk, until the sauce comes to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water. Whisk this cornstarch slurry into the sauce in the pan. Cook, whisking constantly, for 1-2 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Place salmon fillets skin side down in the baking dish. Pour the teriyaki sauce over the salmon, using a spoon to spread it over the top of each piece of fish. (some of it will drizzle down into the dish).
- Bake for 12-20 minutes, until cooked through to your liking. When it's done, the salmon should flake easily with a fork. Thicker salmon steaks will take longer to cook through than thinner salmon fillets. (The USDA recommends an internal temperature of 145° F for salmon, but some prefer it cooked to 125-130° F.)
- When serving, spoon on some of the sauce from the baking dish. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds, and enjoy!
Notes
- Fresh ginger will give you the best flavor. However, if you don’t have fresh ginger on hand, you can substitute 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger.
- If you like spice, you can add a few pinches of crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce.
