If it were up to me, salmon every day of the week.

London Lea smiling with a forkful of food in her Austin, TX kitchen.

Honestly. As much as I love my Lemon Dill Salmon and Lemon Baked Salmon in Foil, the sticky-sweet, caramelized goodness of THIS Teriyaki Glazed Salmon might be my favorite of all.

It started with the sauce. Once I learned how easy it was to make my own Teriyaki Sauce at home, it was GAME. OVER. This salmon was the first recipe in my rotation to get the homemade-glaze treatment.

The secret to that caramelized, restaurant-worthy finish is broiling at the end. Just 1-2 minutes under high heat takes the glaze from glossy to bubbly and slightly sticky on top.

Plus, Justin asks for it on repeat. I’m not mad about that on a busy weeknight.

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
4 More Comments
White rice, asparagus, and teriyaki salmon are served for a healthy dinner.
Healthy teriyaki salmon is served from a white baking dish.

Ingredients and Substitutions

For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.

Salmon, honey, brown sugar, sriracha, soy sauce, garlic, and cornstarch are the main ingredients for this teriyaki salmon recipe.
  • 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 the soy sauce or tamari, rice vinegar, brown sugar, honey, garlic, ginger paste, toasted sesame oil, sriracha (if using), and ¾ cup of the water to a small pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low and simmer for 1-2 minutes, until the sugar dissolves.

In a separate bowl, whisk the cornstarch and the remaining 2 tablespoons of water until smooth, then pour the slurry into the sauce and whisk over low heat for 2-3 minutes, until thickened.

Pro Tip: Always use cool or room-temperature water for your slurry. Warm water activates the cornstarch too early and can lead to lumps.

All ingredients are whisked together over the stove in this sweet and sticky marinade.
Cornstarch and water mixture is added to this homemade teriyaki sauce.

Prepare the salmon.

Place the salmon fillets in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, skin-side down, with at least ½-inch space between them.

Drizzle ½ to ⅔ of the teriyaki sauce over the fillets, picking up each one so the sauce gets underneath.

The four pieces of salmon are placed in a baking dish.
The salmon is covered with the teriyaki sauce.

How Do You Get a Glossy Glaze on Teriyaki Salmon?

The secret is the broiler. Bake the salmon at 400°F until just cooked through, then switch the oven to broil and let it go for 1-2 minutes more. The high heat blisters the sugars in the glaze and turns the surface glossy, slightly bubbly, and sticky-shiny on top, the kind of finish you would expect from a restaurant.

Without the broil pass, the glaze sets but stays flat. Do not walk away during this step. Every oven runs hot or slow and the line between caramelized and burnt is about 30 seconds.

Bake and garnish.

Bake the salmon at 400°F, uncovered, for 13-16 minutes, until the thickest portion flakes easily with a fork. Then switch the oven to broil for 1-2 more minutes, watching closely, until the glaze is bubbly and glossy on top.

Pour the remaining sauce over the fillets and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onions, if desired.

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.

Teriyaki sauce is added to the salmon filets before being baked in the oven.

How Long to Bake Salmon (Without Drying It Out)

Salmon goes from perfectly flaky to dry-and-chalky in about 90 seconds. The trick is matching the bake time to the thickness of your fillets, not just the clock.

  • Thin (¾-inch fillets): 10-12 minutes at 400°F
  • Standard (1-inch fillets): 13-16 minutes at 400°F
  • Thick (1¼-inch and up): 16-19 minutes at 400°F
  • Plus the broil: 1-2 minutes at the end for the glossy, bubbly finish

Pull the salmon when it reaches 125°F internal temperature. Carryover cooking takes it the rest of the way to 130°F as it rests, which is the sweet spot for medium-just-cooked-through. If you wait until it hits 145°F (the FDA recommendation) before pulling, it will be 150°F+ by the time you serve it. That is where dry comes from.

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

Can I use a store-bought teriyaki sauce instead of homemade?

You certainly can! However, homemade sauce really has a much better taste.

Do I need to marinate salmon in teriyaki sauce?

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.

Can this be grilled?

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.

How do I store leftovers?

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.

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What to serve with it?

Salmon this rich is begging for something rice-and-vegetable on the plate. Here is how I round it out , sorted by what kind of dinner I am pulling together.

Bowl-Style Weeknight Dinner

My go-to is Cilantro Lime Rice as the base, Sauteed Cabbage or Roasted Broccoli on the side, and the salmon on top. Bright and simple, lets the glaze be the star.

Bigger Asian-Inspired Spread

Lean into the cluster: Spring Roll in a Bowl as a starter, Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad alongside, and a few Quick Pickled Carrots piled on top of the salmon for tangy crunch. Lemon Garlic Roasted Asparagus works here too if you want a green vegetable with a little char.

If You Love the Sticky-Sweet Teriyaki Vibe

This is the gateway to the rest of the cluster. Once the homemade Teriyaki Sauce is in your fridge, you can pull off Teriyaki Salmon Bites, a Teriyaki Salmon Rice Bowl, or a Ground Turkey Teriyaki Rice Bowl on a weeknight without thinking.

Tap stars to rate!

5 from 7 votes

Teriyaki Glazed Salmon Recipe

By: London Brazil
This easy Teriyaki Glazed Salmon is brushed with my homemade Teriyaki Sauce and baked in the oven until the glaze caramelizes into a glossy finish. Whisk the sauce while the oven preheats. The whole thing is on the table in 25 minutes.
The cooked teriyaki salmon is toped with fresh green onions and sesame seeds.
Yield 4
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 15 minutes
Total 27 minutes
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Equipment

Ingredients 

  • 1 pound salmon cut into 4-ounce portions

Teriyaki Sauce:

  • ⅓ cup soy sauce or tamari
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar or coconut sugar
  • 2 tablespoons honey or pure maple syrup
  • 2 garlic cloves crushed
  • 1 teaspoon ginger paste or minced ginger
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon sriracha optional
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch or tapioca starch
  • ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons water divided

Serving:

  • Toasted sesame seeds optional
  • Green onions optional

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.

To Make Teriyaki Sauce:

  • Add the soy sauce or tamari, rice vinegar, brown sugar, honey, garlic, ginger paste, toasted sesame oil, sriracha (if using), and ¾ cup of the water to a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low and simmer for 1-2 minutes, or until the sugar dissolves.
    ⅓ cup soy sauce or tamari, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon ginger paste, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, 1 teaspoon sriracha
  • Whisk the cornstarch and the remaining 2 tablespoons of water together in a small bowl until smooth, then add the slurry to the saucepan.
    2 tablespoons cornstarch, ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons water
  • Whisk the sauce over low heat for 2-3 minutes, until thickened to your desired consistency. (It will thicken even more once it cools.)

To Make Teriyaki Salmon:

  • Place the salmon fillets in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, skin-side down, with at least ½-inch space between them.
    1 pound salmon
  • Drizzle ½ to ⅔ of the teriyaki sauce over the fillets, picking up each one so the sauce gets underneath.
  • Bake the salmon, uncovered, for 13-15 minutes. Then switch the oven to broil for 1-2 minutes more, watching closely, until the glaze is bubbly and glossy on top. You'll know the salmon is done cooking when the thickest portion flakes easily with a fork.
  • Just before serving, drizzle the remaining teriyaki sauce over the salmon and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onions, if desired.
    Toasted sesame seeds, Green onions
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review letting us know how it was!

Tap stars to rate!

5 from 7 votes

Video

Notes

Broiler tip: Don’t skip the 1-2 minute broil at the end. It’s what turns the glaze from flat-glossy to bubbly-caramelized and gives the salmon its restaurant-worthy shine.
Best salmon for this recipe: Atlantic, King, or Verlasso. Look for fillets about 1 inch thick for the cook times listed.
Storage: Cool to room temperature, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Warm leftovers in a 300°F oven for 6-8 minutes, or eat them cold over a rice bowl. Microwaving works in a pinch but can dry out the salmon.
Make it a bowl: Serve over rice with sauteed broccoli or asparagus and a drizzle of the extra teriyaki sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 306kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 30g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 78mg, Sodium: 1179mg, Potassium: 757mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 14g, Vitamin A: 59IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 31mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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5 from 7 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    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

    Reply

    1. 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!

      Reply

  2. 5 stars
    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

    Reply

    1. 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!

      Reply