Just tender salmon and that sweet-savory glaze—so good.
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.
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!
Made this glaze to go with salmon my husband caught yesterday. Added a bit of chili garlic sauce. Was amazing! He called it “restaurant quality” lol
– Jz
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Cornstarch. This is the ingredient that helps to thicken the sauce. You can also use tapioca starch.
- 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.
Step-by-step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Make the sauce.
Add all the sauce ingredients—except the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water—to a small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sugar dissolves, whisking often so nothing burns.
In a separate bowl, whisk the cornstarch and cool water until smooth, then pour the slurry into the sauce and stir well. Keep whisking until it thickens, then remove from the heat. It will continue to thicken as it cools, so you may need to rewarm it before using.
Pro Tip: Always use cool or room-temperature water for your slurry. Warm water activates the cornstarch too early and can lead to lumps.
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.
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.
Bake the salmon at 400°F, 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.
Pour the remaining sauce over the filets after they are done baking, and garnish it all with toasted sesame seeds and green onions. Enjoy!
Pro Tip: Keep a close eye on the salmon starting about the 12-minute mark to ensure that it doesn’t overcook and dry out.
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.
FAQs
You certainly can! However, homemade sauce really has a much better taste.
Generally, 4-ounce salmon filets will be cooked through within 13-16 minutes when baked at 400 degrees. However, the baking time varies depending on the type of salmon used. Farm-raised is fattier and has a more forgiving time range and is less likely to burn. Wild salmon such as coho and sockeye will take less time and needs to be watched closely.
You can but you don’t have to. If you decide to, make sure to marinate it no longer than 30 minutes. The acidity of the soy sauce could potentially break down the protein fibers in the salmon and give it a mealy texture.
Yes! Place salmon on a grill preheated to 400° and cook for 6-8 minute, skin side-down, or until the flesh begins to flake. There’s no need to flip the salmon halfway through.
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Alternatively, place in a freezer-safe airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
What to serve with it?
This dish goes fabulously well with any of the following recipes:
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Teriyaki Glazed Salmon
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Ingredients
- 1-1 ¼ pounds salmon cut into 4-5 oz. portions
Teriyaki Sauce:
- ⅓ cup soy sauce gluten-free, or Tamari sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey or pure maple syrup
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste or minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil toasted
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce optional
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch or tapioca starch
- ¾ cup + 2 Tbsp. water divided
Serving:
- Toasted sesame seeds optional
- Green onions optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
To Make Teriyaki Sauce:
- Add all of the ingredients except for the starch and 2 tablespoons of water to a medium-sized saucepan over high heat. Bring sauce to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 1-2 minutes or until sugar begins to dissolve.⅓ cup soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon ginger paste, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce optional
- Make a starch slurry by whisking together the starch and water in a small bowl until smooth. Add starch slurry to the saucepan.2 tablespoons cornstarch, ¾ cup + 2 Tbsp. water divided
- Whisk sauce for 2-3 minutes over low heat until it is thickened to your desired consistency. (Sauce will thicken even more once it cools.)
To Make Teriyaki Salmon:
- Place the four salmon filets into a 13 x 9 inch baking dish that has been lightly sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.1-1 ¼ pounds salmon
- Drizzle ½ to ⅔ of the teriyaki sauce over all of the filets, making sure to pick up each one so the sauce gets underneath.
- Bake salmon, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 13-16 minutes. You’ll know the fish is done cooking when the thickest portion flakes easily with a fork.
- Just before serving, drizzle the remaining teriyaki sauce over all of the salmon and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and green onions. Enjoy!Toasted sesame seeds, Green onions
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Video
Notes
- Teriyaki sauce: This recipe makes enough Teriyaki Sauce to drizzle over a bowl full of rice and veggies. Double or triple as needed, for more servings.
- Salmon: 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.
- Reheating: Reheat leftovers at a low temperature to avoid drying it out.
- Serving: Serve over rice or cauliflower rice along with steamed or roasted asparagus, broccoli, and carrots.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made this glaze to go with salmon my husband caught yesterday. Added a bit of chili garlic sauce. Was amazing! He called it “restaurant quality” lol
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Jz! That sounds like a good addition. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
I swear, my kids will only eat salmon if it’s glazed with something sweet. This recipe was a godsend for us this weekend. We had a bunch of salmon we had to eat before our next order arrived (we buy shop regularly on this market: https://qualityseafooddelivery.com/salmon/), and the kids weren’t in the mood for “healthy food.” I found this recipe, gave it a shot, and they loved it! I’ll keep it in mind next time we have to force salmon at the dinner table LOL
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Christine! It’s so awesome your kids loved this version of salmon. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!