Teriyaki Glazed Salmon (Baked, Grilled, Sous Vide)

Name: Teriyaki Glazed Salmon (Bake, Grill, Sous Vide)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 pound salmon fillets (2-3 filets or one piece); salt and pepper to taste; 1 green onoin, chopped; 1/4 cup soy sauce ((use low sodium if you have)); 1/4 cup water; 3 tablespoon maple syrup (or honey or brown sugar); 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic ((1 clove)); 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger; 1 tablespoon Chinese wine like Shioxang (or mirin, sherry or fortified wine); pinch of red pepper flakes (optional) (if you like some heat); 1 teaspoon cornstarch (to be added after if marinating); chopped green onions , sesame seeds. chives, thinly shredded nori seaweed or orange zest.

Jump to Recipe

Transform mild fish into a delicious teriyaki glazed salmon with a sweet, garlicky, gingery umami homemade teriyaki sauce—an elegant meal in just 20 minutes.

Choose your cooking method – bake, grill or sous vide. And choose your serving style with traditional plating or teriyaki salmon bowls.

two teriyaki glazed salmon fillets over white rice topped with green onion and sesame seeds on plate..

I forgot how good teriyaki sauce can be. Marinating with it takes extra time (worth it I think), but if you’re in a rush, you can skip it and make half the quantity.

There’s no need to go on and on about this dish. Suffice it to say it’s easy, it looks pretty and it tastes great. Leftover teriyaki glazed salmon is amazing cold or at room temperature.

What to expect

Big bold flavors: The bold, savory Asian flavors in the homemade teriyaki salmon work beautifully with the salmon.

Perfect for weeknight dinners: This baked teriyaki salmon recipe cooks in just 15 minutes…prep to plate. It’s an easy dinner.

Different cooking options included: The easy teriyaki salmon recipe below calls for roasting the salmon. But we’re including two other options in the recipe notes – sous vide and grilling.

Ingredients – tailored to your taste

salmon fillets, green onions, soy sauce, ginger, maple syrup, garlic, salt, pepper, cornstarch, chinese wine.

Salmon: Buy skin-on or skin-off salmon filets or a larger side of salmon if serving more people that you can cut up after cooking. See FAQs for the type of salmon to buy.

Teriyaki glaze and marinade: is made with a few simple ingredients of soy sauce, water, ginger, maple syrup, garlic, and Chinese rice wine like Shaoxing.

Garnish: I like chopped green onions and sesame seeds. You can also use chives, thinly shredded nori seaweed or orange zest.

Marinades substitutions and variations:

Replace the rice wine with mirin, sherry or fortified wine.
Use brown sugar or honey instead of maple syrup.
Add a kick of heat with red pepper flakes.

Step-by-step instructions

Combine teriyaki marinade ingredients except for cornstarch in a small mixing bowl.

salmon fillets marinating in teriyaki sauce in ziploc bag. — Marinate salmon for 20 minutes (optional)

marinated salmon filets on lined baking sheet topped with green onions. — Lay salmon on a lined baking dish. Top with green onions, salt and pepper.

marinated baked salmon filets on lined baking sheet topped with green onions. — Bake just until fish flakes. Do not overcook.

teriyaki glazed salmon over white rice with asparagus and mango on plate. — Plate the teriyaki glazed salmon over rice with vegetables and/or mango.

bowl of rice, cut up cooked salmon, asparagus, mango with teriyaki glaze. — Or flake salmon into pieces and serve with chopped cooked asparagus, white or brown rice and mango.

Tips for cooking with salmon.

Leave the skin on when cooking unless you are poaching salmon. The skin acts as a fatty layer to help protect it from drying out as the salmon cooks.
Don’t overcook salmon. Properly cooked salmon should have an opaque, warm pink center and you will be able to separate the flesh easily with a sharp knife. The rule of thumb is 10 minutes for 1 inch/2.5 cm of thickness.
To easily remove the skin from salmon: After cooking, with salmon skin side down on the pan, wedge a spatula between the skin and the flesh of the salmon. Then lift the salmon right off, leaving the skin on the pan.

What to serve with teriyaki salmon

Serve the salmon over white rice, cauliflower rice, brown rice, noodles or quinoa.

Here are a few of my favorite side dishes to serve with salmon: Chinese stir-fry green beans, roasted bok choy, easy baby cauliflower, citrus salad or fresh mango salad.

Serve it on a plate with sides or as a teriyaki glazed salmon rice bowl with a few veggies or mango cut into small pieces. An example is pictured above.

Recipe FAQs

Is salmon healthy?

Salmon is one of the healthier choices you can make for dinner. A healthy source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, Healthline says salmon provides several health benefits and that at least two servings per week can help you meet your nutrient needs and reduce the risk of several diseases.

What is the best type of salmon to buy?

Raw salmon should be moist and not fishy smelling and have no brown or dry spots. Try to get pieces that are the same thickness, so they cook at the same rate. Apparently Wild Alaskan salmon is the healthiest salmon available. I prefer Atlantic salmon to Pacific salmon because it’s fattier (but the good kind) which makes it juicier. It’s all a matter of taste, though, and what’s available where you live. Frozen salmon is just as nutritious as fresh salmon.

How much salmon do I need per serving?

A healthy portion is considered to be 3-4 ounces (85-113g), but most adults will eat 6-8 ounces (170-227g). So it depends on who you are serving!

What is Shaoxing wine?

Shaoxing wine is an essential pantry ingredient in Chinese cooking and restaurants. It’s a type of Chinese rice wine that adds that authentic flavor to Chinese dishes. It is darker than clear rice cooking wine and has a deeper flavor. And not the same as rice vinegar. Some good substitutes are dry sherry, fortified wine, or mirin.

How to tell when salmon is cooked

The average cooking time rule-of-thumb for juicy salmon is 10 minutes per inch (2.5cm) of thickness. When pierced with a knife it should separate easily and still be juicy and warm pink inside (not dry and flaky white). It’s ready when it is just turning opaque.

The FDA recommends cooking salmon to 145F/62.8C, but in my opinion (and many others), that is way overcooked and results in dry flaky salmon. The best internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer is 130-135F (54.4-57.2C). The temperature will rise a bit with a 5-minute rest.

Shortcuts

Skip the marinating step
Use store-bought teriyaki sauce instead of making your own (if you must!)

Make Ahead

The salmon can be served cool or at room temperature. Make it earlier in the day or a day ahead, cool it then keep it in the fridge in an airtight container. Bring to room temperature before serving.