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    Home » Seafood

    Teriyaki Salmon

    Published: Aug 28, 2022 by Nora Rey · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

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    Pan-fried salmon fillets with crispy skin and medium-cooked interior served with homemade teriyaki sauce. It's quick and easy to make in less than 30 minutes!

    In Japanese cuisine, teriyaki is a cooking method that involves grilling or broiling food with a glaze. This thickened sweet and savory sauce can also be used as a marinade.

    You may also want to try other fish recipes like Soy and Ginger Fish or Mackerel in Olive Oil.

    Salmon teriyaki over rice in a bowl served with scallions, sliced avocados, and cucumbers.
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients you’ll need
    • Notes and substitutions
    • How to make this recipe
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Watch how I make it here
    • Other seafood recipes you may like
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Ingredients you’ll need

    Individual ingredients for Teriyaki Salmon.
    Ground pepper is not in the picture.

    Notes and substitutions

    Bottles of cooking sake, sake, and aji-mirin.
    • Salmon: Choose skin-on, center-cut fillets. Their texture is better and stays moist after cooking than the leaner and less tender tail section. If you don't mind the bone, you can also use salmon steaks or cross-sections.
    • Mirin: A sweet Japanese rice wine with a slightly thick consistency. It adds sweetness, depth, and gloss to sauces. You can use "aji mirin" or "sweet cooking rice seasoning," an imitation you're likely to find in the US. It has a lower alcohol content and corn syrup to mimic the taste of real mirin (hon mirin). In a pinch, you can combine sake and sugar. Use water and sugar if you can't consume alcohol.
    • Sake: An alcoholic beverage made from fermented rice that enhances the flavors, tenderizes the meat, and removes fishy odors. You can use inexpensive sake or "cooking sake" with added salt. In a pinch, substitute with Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry. The alcohol content burns off during cooking; if you can't consume alcohol, replace it with water.

    How to make this recipe

    (1)Over medium heat, combine ¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup mirin, ¼ cup sake, 1 teaspoon ginger, 2 garlic cloves, and 1 tablespoon sugar in a small saucepan. (2)When the sauce simmers, add a slurry with 2 teaspoons cornstarch and a tablespoon of water.

    Combining the ingredients for teriyaki sauce. Adding cornstarch slurry to the simmering sauce.

    (3)Let the teriyaki sauce slightly thicken for about a minute. Turn off the heat.

    PRO TIP: Taste the sauce and adjust the salt and sugar levels depending on the brand of ingredients used.

    Pouring the teriyaki sauce into a bowl.

    (4)Dry 4 salmon fillets on paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Set a skillet over medium-high heat. Once it is hot and almost smoking, add oil to lightly coat the pan.

    (5)Place salmon on the pan with their skin side down. Press firmly for a few seconds to keep them from curling. Let the skin crisp up for about 3 minutes.

    Seasoning the salmon fillets. Pan-frying the fillets while pressing against the pan.

    (6)Flip them and cook the other side for 1 to 2 minutes, depending on their thickness.

    Flipped the salmon fillets to cook the other side.

    (7)Spoon teriyaki sauce over the salmon. Add some sesame seeds and sliced scallions.

    Pouring the teriyaki sauce over the bowl of salmon, rice, and vegetables.

    Teriyaki Salmon is great with just about anything—rice, noodles, salad, and steamed or sautéed veggies like cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli.

    Taking a bite of Teriyaki Salmon with a fork.

    Frequently asked questions

    Can I bake or grill the salmon?

    Yes. However, pan-frying is the quickest and most effective method. Salmon is less likely to overcook, and the skin and crust can crisp up.

    To bake, preheat the oven to 425° F (218° C). Rub salmon with oil and season them. Place them skin-side down on a baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, depending on the thickness.

    To grill, preheat the grill to 450° F (230° C). Rub salmon with oil and season them. Place them skin-side down directly on the grates. Cook for 5 minutes with the lid closed, then flip to cook the other side for 3 minutes. The cooking time will depend on the thickness of the salmon.

    Should I marinate the salmon?

    Marinades typically contain ingredients like sugar that tend to burn quickly. It's best not to marinate for crispier skin or crust. As simple as salt and pepper will bring out its flavors. The thick teriyaki sauce will easily cling to the fish and make it more flavorful.

    How can I tell if salmon is cooked?

    Salmon should flake easily with a fork when cooked. A knife can be inserted into the thickest part to check if it is still translucent. You can always use a thermometer; it should read around 125° F (52° C) for medium-cooked salmon. Remove them from the heat before they appear fully cooked. The residual heat will continue to cook them.

    Should I buy fresh or frozen salmon?

    Unless you have access to fresh-caught salmon, buying frozen salmon is always a smart choice. There's a good chance that the fish at your supermarket was previously frozen, too. They are flash-frozen at sea to preserve their flavor and quality.

    How to thaw frozen salmon?

    The easiest method that requires anticipation is thawing it in the fridge overnight. If you need it sooner, you can submerge the salmon in its packaging or a resealable bag in lukewarm water. I do not recommend thawing in the microwave as it changes the texture of the fish or partially cooks it.

    Watch how I make it here

    Other seafood recipes you may like

    • fried calamari
      Fried Calamari (Calamares)
    • Soy and ginger fish on a plate
      Soy and Ginger Fish
    • Easy Paella in a pan
      Easy Paella
    • Tuna belly with tomato mango salsa
      Tuna Belly with Tomato-Mango Salsa
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    📖 Recipe

    Salmon Teriyaki on a bowl served over rice with scallions, avocado, and cucumbers

    Teriyaki Salmon

    Pan-fried salmon fillets with crispy skin and medium-cooked interior served with homemade teriyaki sauce.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Asian, Japanese
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 310kcal
    Author: Nora Rey
    Cost: $15-$20

    Equipment

    • A skillet
    • A small saucepan

    Ingredients

    • 4 salmon fillets (6-8 ounces each) skin-on, center-cut
    • ¼ cup soy sauce regular or light
    • ¼ cup mirin
    • ¼ cup sake sub:cooking sake
    • 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
    • 2 cloves garlic finely grated or minced
    • 1 tablespoon sugar sub:any kind
    • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
    • Neutral-flavored oil for pan-frying

    Instructions

    • Over medium heat, combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, ginger, garlic, and sugar in a small saucepan.
    • When the sauce simmers, add a slurry with cornstarch and a tablespoon of water.
    • Let the teriyaki sauce slightly thicken for about a minute. Turn off the heat.
    • Dry salmon with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
    • Set a skillet over medium-high heat. Once it is hot and almost smoking, add oil to lightly coat the pan.
    • Place salmon on the pan with their skin side down. Press firmly for a few seconds to keep them from curling. Let the skin crisp up for about 3 minutes.
    • Flip them and cook the other side for 1 to 2 minutes, depending on their thickness.
    • Spoon teriyaki sauce over the salmon. Add some sesame seeds and sliced scallions.

    Video

    Notes

    • Taste the sauce and adjust the salt and sugar levels depending on the brand of ingredients used.
    • To bake, preheat the oven to 425° F (218° C). Rub salmon with oil and season them. Place them skin-side down on a baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, depending on the thickness.
    • To grill, preheat the grill to 450° F (230° C). Rub salmon with oil and season them. Place them skin-side down directly on the grates. Cook for 5 minutes with the lid closed, then flip and cook the other side for 3 minutes. The cooking time will depend on the thickness of the salmon.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 310kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 35gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 998mgPotassium: 876mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 68IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 27mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @recipesbynora or tag #RecipesByNora!

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    Comments

    1. Bim

      December 30, 2021 at 1:46 pm

      5 stars
      This is so yummy and healthy. I made this for dinner and my family loved it, finished every thing. One question, is it fine if I use the store bought teriyaki sauce? Will the taste be the same? Thank you Nora.

      Reply
      • Nora

        January 27, 2022 at 9:32 pm

        There are some good brands out there, but making it is so easy and simple. You should give it a try. =)

        Reply

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