Quick and easy teriyaki salmon is tender, flaky, and flavorful. The delicious teriyaki marinade needs just 20 minutes to add bold flavors that tastes amazing inside and out. Once cooked, the juicy salmon is tossed in a thickened homemade teriyaki sauce and served over steamed white rice. It's a perfect dinner to make on busy weeknights, and leftovers are great for meal prep lunches the next day. You’ll seriously love our go-to salmon recipe.
Why You’ll Love Teriyaki Salmon
- It's quick and easy. Quick and easy recipe are my jam! This teriyaki salmon is ideal for busy weeknights because the prep is simple, salmon cooks fast, and there are very little dishes (one dish for marinating, and one pan for cooking). It's seriously the best.
- Delicious marinated salmon. The salmon is tender, juicy, and flavorful thanks to the easy teriyaki marinade. Fresh garlic and ginger help it taste bright and enticing. Plus, you can whip up the marinade in advance to save you time when you are busy in the kitchen.
- The easiest teriyaki sauce. Since we just can’t enough teriyaki, this recipe uses the reserved marinade to cook up a dark, thick, flavorful teriyaki sauce. That means there is no waste! And since we are cooking the sauce to the right temperature, it is safe to eat. The teriyaki sauce is great on your teriyaki salmon, but it also makes an amazing addition to steamed rice and steamed vegetables.
Ingredients and Substitutions
To make this easy and delicious teriyaki salmon, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):
- salmon fillets - I recommend using fresh fillets for the best texture and flavor. You can still use frozen fillets because they are so convenient!
- vegetable oil - for frying the salmon.
- soy sauce
- brown sugar - you can also substitute this with honey or maple syrup.
- garlic
- ginger
- sesame oil
- black vinegar - or substitute with mirin.
- cornstarch + water - to thicken the teriyaki sauce.
- white sesame seeds - optional for garnish on top.
- green onions - optional for garnish on top.
How to Make the Best Teriyaki Salmon
- Marinate the salmon. In a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients for teriyaki marinade (soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and vinegar) and mix well until the sugar dissolves. Add salmon fillets into the bowl and toss well to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic cling wrap and let the salmon marinate for 20 minutes at room temperature. (You can marinate them in a large ziploc bag. Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly. Press the marinade around the fillets to coat).
- Cook the salmon. Take the fillets out of the bowl and lightly pat dry on both sides (this will reduce oil spatters when cooking). Set the salmon aside on a plate and reserve the marinade. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat for 2 minutes until the hot oil is sizzling hot. Sear the salmon fillets (skin side down first) for 5-6 minutes on each side until golden brown and fully cooked. Do not move the fillets around during cooking. When salmon is cooked, the flesh will turn opaque and it will flake easily when you insert a fork. Transfer the cooked salmon onto a clean plate.
- Make the teriyaki sauce. Whisk together the reserved marinade, water and cornstarch. Transfer the mixture into the same skillet and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until thickened to a desired consistency, whisking constantly.
- Assemble and serve. Return the cooked salmon to the skillet and toss well to coat evenly with the teriyaki sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions, and serve warm over a bowl of steamed rice.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- The guide to crispy skin: Since we’re cooking these skin-on fillets in a large skillet, you can make crispy salmon skin. Ensure your salmon is as dry as possible and the pan is properly preheated before laying the salmon. Then, cook as usual, and you should end up with crispy skin!
- How to serve. Serve this salmon over Steamed Rice or Vegetarian Fried Rice and a side of Stir-Fried Vegetables. My favourite way is to assemble it in an Asian Rice Bowl with corn, avocado, greens, cucumber, roe, and seaweed.
- How to store: Keep leftover salmon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Teriyaki salmon is also great for meal prep. If so, I recommend storing the fish and rice in meal-sized portions together in meal prep containers.
- How to reheat: Wrap the salmon in tin foil and reheat in a 350 F preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until warmed through. You can also reheat it in the air fryer for 5-10 minutes. Another great way to use leftover salmon is to serve it cold over a salad.
More Salmon Recipes
- Honey Garlic Glazed Salmon
- Miso Salmon
- Greek Salmon
- Grilled Teriyaki Salmon Rice Bowl
- Baked Maple Salmon
- Pistachio-Crusted Salmon
- Sheet Pan Miso Salmon with Bok Choy
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Recipe
Teriyaki Salmon
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 5 servings
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Quick easy teriyaki salmon is tender, flaky, and flavorful, with bold flavors from the delicious teriyaki marinade. Great for dinner or meal prep lunches.
Ingredients
For the teriyaki marinade:
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon black vinegar or mirin
For the salmon:
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 5 (6 oz.) skin-on salmon fillets (about 2-inches wide)
- 3 tablespoons water
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds (for garnish)
- 1 tablespoon green onions, finely chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients for teriyaki marinade (soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and vinegar) and mix well until the sugar dissolves.
- Add salmon fillets into the bowl and toss well to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic cling wrap and let the salmon marinate for 20 minutes at room temperature. (You can marinate them in a large ziploc bag. Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly. Press the marinade around the fillets to coat).
- Take the fillets out of the bowl and lightly pat dry on both sides (this will reduce oil spatters when cooking). Set the salmon aside on a plate and reserve the marinade.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat for 2 minutes until the hot oil is sizzling hot. Sear the salmon fillets (skin side down first) for 5-6 minutes on each side until golden brown and fully cooked. Do not move the fillets around during cooking. When salmon is cooked, the flesh will turn opaque and it will flake easily when you insert a fork. Transfer the cooked salmon onto a clean plate.
- Make the teriyaki sauce by whisking together the reserved marinade, water and cornstarch. Transfer the mixture into the same skillet and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until thickened to a desired consistency, whisking constantly.
- Return the cooked salmon to the skillet and toss well to coat evenly with the teriyaki sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions, and serve warm over a bowl of steamed rice.
Notes
The guide to crispy skin: Since we’re cooking these skin-on fillets in a large skillet, you can make crispy salmon skin. Ensure your salmon is as dry as possible and the pan is properly preheated before laying the salmon. Then, cook as usual, and you should end up with crispy skin!
How to serve. Serve this salmon over Steamed Rice or Vegetarian Fried Rice and a side of Stir-Fried Vegetables. My favourite way is to assemble it in an Asian Rice Bowl with corn, avocado, greens, cucumber, roe, and seaweed.
How to store: Keep leftover salmon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Teriyaki salmon is also great for meal prep. If so, I recommend storing the fish and rice in meal-sized portions together in meal prep containers.
How to reheat: Wrap the salmon in tin foil and reheat in a 350 F preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until warmed through. You can also reheat it in the air fryer for 5-10 minutes. Another great way to use leftover salmon is to serve it cold over a salad.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Marinate Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Seafood
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
Keywords: teriyaki salmon, how to make teriyaki salmon, homemade teriyaki salmon, salmon recipes, asian salmon
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