Teriyaki Salmon

This easy baked Teriyaki Glazed Salmon recipe has the best sweet and tangy sauce! Salmon is coated with a homemade glaze featuring soy sauce, brown sugar, and honey, and then cooked in the oven until flaky and tender. Serve this seafood main dish along with rice and steamed veggies for a delicious and healthy dinner!

Homemade food is pretty much always superior to store-bought.

And once I learned how easy it was to make Teriyaki Sauce at home it was GAME. OVER.

You can skip making your own sauce at home and just buy the store-bought bottle, but you’d TOTALLY be missing out! This simple Asian sauce quickly became the focal point of ALL of our dinners for the week.

From Teriyaki Chicken Stir-Fry and Beef Teriyaki Foil Packets to this Teriyaki Shrimp Stir Fry, the obsession grew and grew.

And then finally, the recipe to end all recipes… this Teriyaki Salmon.

I’ve been a salmon lover for eons, but this sticky sweet, super flaky, and perfectly tender filet of fish is like no other.

Since it’s baked in the oven with a slightly acidic sauce, it literally falls apart in your mouth!

Serve it up over a bed of white rice with some steamed asparagus or broccoli and you’ve got the BEST teriyaki salmon bowl that’s ready in just 30 minutes!

Ingredients

To make this easy Teriyaki Salmon recipe you need:

• Salmon. Roughly one pound of salmon is needed, cut into 4 equal filets. Fresh, farm-raised fish is ideal, but wild or previously frozen also works, depending on preference.
• Soy sauce. This salty staple makes up the bulk of the flavor in the sauce. If needed, find a gluten-free sauce or use Tamari sauce.
• Rice vinegar. With it’s sweet and subtle taste, it creates a nice balance in flavors.
• Brown sugar. Add that signature sweetness with brown sugar. You can also use coconut sugar if you want to keep it refined sugar-free.
• Honey. The natural sweetener offers the perfect flavor. Pure maple syrup may also be used.
• Garlic. Fresh garlic cloves are best, but garlic powder may be substituted at ⅛ teaspoon per fresh clove.
• Ginger paste. This is generally sold in tubes or jars in the produce section of your grocery store. Minced ginger will also work.
• Sesame oil. Make sure you look for toasted sesame oil – it has a much deeper and richer flavor.
• Sriracha sauce. This is optional, but adds a nice heat.
• Cornstarch. This is the ingredient that helps to thicken the sauce. You can also use tapioca starch.

Note: Store-bought teriyaki sauce can also be used for this recipe, but the homemade kind listed below tastes much better. For more information on how to prepare fresh garlic, see How to Mince Garlic.

How to Make Teriyaki Salmon

The basic steps for making Teriyaki Salmon are simple to follow. Please see the recipe card below for more detailed ingredient amounts.

Make the Sauce

Add all of the sauce ingredients, with the exception of the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water, to a small pot and bring it up to a boil. Once bubbling, reduce the heat to low and simmer the sauce until the sugar dissolves.

Whisk frequently during this stage to prevent the sauce from burning.

Once the ingredients are fully incorporated, make your cornstarch slurry. In a small, separate bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and the 2 tablespoons of cool or room temperature water.

Don’t use warm water for the slurry, as it will activate it too soon and create lumps in the mixture. Whisk the slurry with a fork until fully dissolved.

Finally, add the cornstarch mix to the sauce and stir very well. This cornstarch slurry helps to thicken up the sauce without having to overboil it.

Continue whisking the sauce until the sauce thickens, then turn off the heat. Note that it will continue to thicken, and eventually congeal, as it cools, so reheating may be necessary if not immediately using it.

Prepare the Salmon

Place your prepared salmon filets in a large baking dish, set skin-side down to prevent sticking.

Lay the pieces with at least ½-inch space between them. This will ensure that all sides of the salmon get the same amount of heat, allowing it to cook evenly and also get full distribution of the sauce.

Measure out half of your teriyaki sauce and drizzle it over the salmon, spreading it evenly with a large spoon. Pick up the filets to ensure the sauce gets underneath as well.

Bake and Garnish

Preheat your oven to 400°F.

Bake the salmon, uncovered in the pan, for 13-16 minutes. You will know the salmon is done when the thickest portion of the flesh flakes easily with a fork.

Keep a close eye on the salmon starting about the 12-minute mark to ensure that it doesn’t overcook and dry out.

Pour the remaining sauce over the filets after they are done baking, and garnish it all with toasted sesame seeds and green onions. Enjoy!

Best Salmon to Use

Sustainably farm-raised Verlasso is an ideal option with a delicate, buttery taste, but Atlantic and King salmon are very similar!

Wild-caught salmon tends to be much healthier and nutrient-rich, but farm-raised salmon is fattier, with better flavor.

Fresh salmon is preferred for flavor and texture, but outside salmon season, you may only be able to find previously frozen.

Meal Prep and Storage

• To Prep-Ahead: Make the teriyaki sauce ahead of time. Since it will congeal once stored, you will need to heat it up in the microwave or on the stovetop before baking with the salmon.
• To Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
• To Freeze: Place in a freezer-safe airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
• To Reheat: To avoid drying out the salmon, reheat at low temperatures. Bake at 275°F, loosely covered in foil, for 7-19 minutes. Or, microwave at reduced power in 30 second intervals until warm.

Dietary Modifications

The recipe you’ll find below is already low-carb and dairy-free as written. Here are some adjustments and substitutions you can make to help it fit your other dietary requirements:

• Keto: Replace the sugar and honey with a non-nutritive sweetener or leave it out completely.
• Gluten-Free: Look for a gluten-free Tamari or soy sauce.
• Whole30: Omit the honey and sugar.
• Paleo: Skip the sugar and use all honey instead. Also, use tapioca starch in place of the cornstarch.

FAQs

Expert Tips and Tricks

• Choose mild and fatty. The type of salmon makes a big difference on the finishing taste of the dish. A mildly flavored and somewhat fatty salmon will tase the best.
• Make it from scratch. Mix up your own homemade teriyaki sauce for the best flavor.
• Keep a close eye. Check on the salmon so it doesn’t overcook and dry out.
• Turn it into a bowl. Serve over rice or cauliflower rice along with steamed or roasted asparagus, broccoli, and carrots.
• Go low and slow. Reheat leftovers at a low temperature to avoid drying it out.

What to Serve with Teriyaki Salmon

This dish goes fabulously well with any of the following recipes:

• Instant Pot White Rice
• Roasted Asparagus
• Boiled Carrots
• Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
• Roasted Broccoli
• Air Fryer Cauliflower