Hundreds of years ago in Japan, cooks began bathing fish in a combination of soy sauce and rice wine, and grilling it over coals. In the 20th century—with sugar often standing in for the rice wine—teriyaki dishes became popular in the United States. This simple recipe shows you how to make healthy, flavorful teriyaki salmon your own.
Teriyaki Salmon Ingredients
Let’s look at some of the key ingredients in teriyaki salmon, and a few substitutions you can make.
- Soy sauce: It isn’t teriyaki if it doesn’t include soy sauce, although tamari, which is a wheat-free variant of soy sauce, could also be used (and can make the dish gluten-free). Opt for the best soy sauce brand, which our test Kitchen found in a taste test.
- A sweetener: This recipe calls for brown sugar or honey, but you can also use pineapple juice, or get super classic and make your teriyaki sauce with mirin. On the other hand, you could try using maple syrup. It’s a bit avant-garde, but maple is a great flavor match for this dish.
- Sesame oil: The nutty notes that come from sesame oil make this teriyaki salmon really special. Use toasted sesame oil for teriyaki dishes because it’s extra flavorful.
Directions
Step 1: Make the marinade
In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic and oil. Mix until blended.
Step 2: Marinate the salmon
Pour 1/4 cup marinade into a large shallow dish. Add salmon; turn to coat. Refrigerate up to 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade (you’ll use it later).
Step 3: Bake
While the salmon is marinating, preheat the oven to 400°F. Drain the salmon, discarding the marinade that was with it in the dish. Place salmon, skin side down, on a greased baking sheet. Bake until fish flakes easily with a fork, 10 to 12 minutes.
Step 4: Put on the finishing touches
Brush the finished salmon with the reserved marinade. If you’d like, garnish the salmon with sliced green onion and sesame seeds for extra color and crunch.
Teriyaki Salmon Marinade Variations
Don’t be afraid to experiment with marinade ingredients. Use tamari instead of soy sauce, and splash in a combo of mirin and sake in place of the brown sugar. Don’t have garlic? You could use scallion or green onion instead. Freshly grated ginger, orange zest and pineapple juice are all delicious additions, too.
How to Store Teriyaki Salmon
Fish is best when it’s fresh, so store leftovers in a snap-lid glass container and eat within a couple days.
If you want to get creative with teriyaki salmon leftovers, try putting it in an omelette, or use all of your dinner fixings and make up a hearty “bowl” for lunch. One of the best things about this salmon is that it’s amazing served cold. A cold soba salad with leftover salmon makes a perfect lunch, and you can use teriyaki salmon in lettuce wraps, too.
Teriyaki Salmon Tips
What type of salmon fillet should you use?
Choosing sustainable seafood is tricky these days, so check out our comprehensive guide to salmon shopping. We love the fresh-tasting, ethically farmed salmon from the Faroe Islands.
Salmon belly is the fattiest kind of fillet at the market and isn’t usually used for baking. It’s more common to use top loin or second-cut pieces if you’re planning to cook the fish all the way through. Try to avoid the thinner tail-end pieces, as they’re not as meaty.
Don’t wash salmon (or any other fish) prior to marinating—it’s a good way to potentially spread bacteria around your kitchen. Your fish will be safe to eat once it’s cooked.
Can you use store bought teriyaki sauce?
Yes! If you have the bottled sauce, but not the ingredients, go for it! We sampled some of the most popular teriyaki sauce brands, to point you towards the best ones.
What should you serve with teriyaki salmon?
Teriyaki salmon is amazing with all kinds of dishes, but sushi rice is a go-to side.This salmon would also be amazing with soba, store bought or homemade udon or some good ramen noodles.
As for veggies, think bok choy, a crisp cucumber salad or a quick mixed-vegetable stir-fry. If you have extra time, whip up a batch of Japanese pickles!
