Kids, adults, teens—try to find one person who can convincingly dispute that teriyaki is anything other than delightful. Whenever I need healthy dinner inspiration, I often turn to Asian flavors, as they impart big-time taste without the need for excess sugars or oils. It was only a matter of time until I tried a Japanese teriyaki salmon recipe, particularly considering the evidence:
How often I use teriyaki sauce to cook chicken (so often that I have a classic stovetop Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry, a Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken, AND an Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken)AND how often I turn to salmon for healthy meals—salmon is rich in omega-3s, protein, and is quick and easy to prepare with little prep time. (Hence, this collection of healthy salmon recipes.)
Cooking Method for Teriyaki Salmon
This recipe is an off-shoot of my forever reliable workhorse of a recipe, Baked Salmon in Foil. Even if you’ve never cooked salmon, when you use this method of foil baking, you can cook it with confidence and success.
Wrapping the salmon in foil then baking it in the oven seals in the salmon’s juices, resulting in marvelously moist fish. It’s the best method to cook perfect salmon every time.Finishing up the cooking by popping the salmon under the broiler caramelizes the sauce and turns it into a sticky teriyaki glaze.Change it up! You can use this same method for a wide range of recipes. Heat lovers, check out this Spicy Salmon recipe.
How to Make Teriyaki Salmon
The beauty of this easy teriyaki salmon recipe is it can be in the oven in fewer than 10 minutes. You don’t even need to marinate the salmon first!
The Ingredients
Salmon. Look for a center-cut fillet of salmon. I prefer wild-caught salmon, because it’s typically lower in calories, higher in minerals, and better quality overall.
Maple Syrup. The sweet component in our homemade teriyaki sauce. It’s caramelizes beautifully in the oven and is a better choice than the corn syrup in store bought sauces.
Soy Sauce. Our salty addition that offsets the sweetness of the maple syrup and brings a delightful umami flavor. I also use it in my Miso Salmon and Bourbon Glazed Salmon.
Oil. The extra-virgin olive oil has a mild, grassy taste. For an extra note of Asian flavor, you could use half sesame oil.Fresh Ginger. It adds zip to our sauce and makes this recipe pop. (The flavor of the fresh ginger is so much better here than garlic or even ground ginger).Black Pepper. One of my favorite components anytime I’m cooking with maple. It gives the recipe savoriness and depth.Green Onion + Sesame Seeds. The final flourishes that give this recipe an extra Asian nod.
The Directions
Storage Tips
To Store. Salmon is always best eaten the day it is made. However, leftover salmon can be kept in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.To Reheat. Let the salmon come to room temperature while heating a skillet on the stove over medium-low to medium heat. Gently rewarm individual salmon portions with a splash of water, covering the skillet. Remove the salmon once it is heated through (this should only take a couple of minutes).
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
Baking Dish. This is the perfect size for making this recipe, or you can use these rimmed baking sheets.Small Whisk. Avoid splashing your teriyaki sauce all over the counter.Measuring Spoons. Ideal for measuring out the ingredients in this recipe.
I cannot overstate how into this healthy teriyaki salmon recipe we’ve become. I hope you love it just as much as we do! Fortunately, it’s easy to make teriyaki sauce with ingredients you can find at any grocery store. This teriyaki sauce is made of more wholesome ingredients! Once the salmon fillet is cooked, slice the fillet into portions (with the skin attached) and transfer the pieces to a plate. As you eat it, the skin will come right off and is easy to avoid. (You’ll have 4-6 salmon filets)
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