Teriyaki Salmon
This Teriyaki Salmon is a simple yet flavorful, restaurant-quality meal. Fresh salmon steaks or filets are marinated in a homemade teriyaki sauce, baked until tender and flaky, then topped with a sweet and tangy teriyaki glaze.
This oven-baked teriyaki salmon recipe is as simple as could be…but it tastes like you ordered it at a fancy seafood restaurant!
The homemade marinade of salty soy sauce, sesame oil, sweet brown sugar, and savory garlic and ginger infuses tons of flavor into the fish.
It’s baked for just 15 minutes at a high heat, and the result is a tender, juicy, flavorful, flaky bite that practically melts in your mouth.
This teriyaki salmon is enjoyed as a light lunch with a salad or over a bed of white rice with steamed vegetables.
How to Make Teriyaki Salmon
You’ll find the exact measurements and full instructions in the recipe card near the bottom of the page.
This mouthwatering teriyaki salmon recipe does require a 30 minute marinade, but the actual hands-on time is so minimal! Here’s a quick summary of the recipe:
- In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, brown sugar, garlic paste, and ginger paste. Place the salmon pieces into a bag or bowl, then pour half of the marinade over the top. Marinate, turning occasionally, for 30 minutes or up to 3 hours.
- Remove the salmon from the marinade and place on a lined or greased baking sheet or baking dish. Bake at 450ºF for 15 minutes, then remove and cover the baked teriyaki salmon in foil. Let rest for 5 minutes.
- Transfer the other half of the marinade (the half you didn’t use to marinate the salmon) to a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, then whisk in a slurry made with cornstarch and water. Simmer at a low boil until thickened.
- Serve the salmon on a platter topped with the prepared sauce, toasted sesame seeds, and green onions.
Tips and Notes
- Leave the skin on. I like to leave the salmon skin on for cooking to create a heat barrier. Once it’s done, I gently peel it off. If you prefer to remove the skin before cooking, that will work too.
- Split the marinade. You’ll use half of the mixture to actually marinate the salmon, then you’ll use the rest to make your teriyaki sauce.
- Preheat the oven. For the perfect texture, the oven should be nice and hot before you add the salmon.
- Check the temp. Make sure you monitor the temperature of the salmon carefully as it cooks and remove it from the oven as soon as it reaches an internal temperature of 145ºF. This will ensure that it doesn’t dry out.
- Let it rest. After the fish filets are cooked, remove them from the oven, cover with foil, and let them rest for at least 5 minutes. This lets the flavor and moisture settle back into the meat before you slice into it.
Storage
Leftover salmon will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Leftover teriyaki sauce should be stored in a separate airtight container in the fridge.
To enjoy again, cover the salmon in foil and bake at 350ºF until heated through. The sauce can be warmed on low on the stove or in the microwave.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Good to Season Salmon With?
While there are plenty of tasty ways you can season salmon, a teriyaki marinade may just be my favorite.
It’s salty, sweet, tangy, and a little bit spicy—all the flavor you could want in a salmon dinner!
Do You Cover Salmon When You Bake It?
Nope, there’s no need. The salmon is cooked quickly at a high heat, so there’s no real risk of it drying out, especially after marinating.
Ingredients
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon(s) sesame oil
- 2 tablespoon(s) rice vinegar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tsp. garlic paste
- 1 tsp. ginger paste
- 1 ½ – 2 pounds salmon, steaks or filets
- 1 tablespoon(s) cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon(s) water, cold
- Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
- Sliced green onion, for garnish
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, brown sugar, garlic paste, and ginger paste.½ cup soy sauce1 tablespoon(s) sesame oil2 tablespoon(s) rice vinegar¼ cup light brown sugar1 tsp. garlic paste1 tsp. ginger paste
- Place salmon piece(s) in a Ziploc bag or bowl/dish with sides. Pour half of the marinade mixture over the salmon, reserving the other half to thicken on the stovetop for a serving sauce.1 ½ – 2 pounds salmon
- Marinate the salmon, turning occasionally, for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 hours. Preheat the oven to 450°F, and line a sheet pan or baking dish with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Remove salmon from marinade, and place on the prepared sheet pan or baking dish. Discard the marinade in the Ziploc bag.
- Bake for 15 minutes, until the fish registers 145°F in the center. Remove from the oven, cover with a piece of aluminum foil and allow to sit for 5 minutes longer.
- Transfer the reserved marinade to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat.
- Make a slurry by stirring the cornstarch into the water until it dissolves.1 tablespoon(s) cornstarch1 tablespoon(s) water
- While whisking, pour the cornstarch slurry into the simmering sauce on the stovetop and cook 1-2 minutes at a low boil until the sauce has thickened.
- Place the salmon on a serving platter. Garnish with the prepared teriyaki sauce, toasted sesame seeds, and a sprinkle of sliced green onions.
- See post for storage options.
