Baked Teriyaki Salmon (+ Broiled | Air Fried | Pan-Fried)

Combine healthy, homemade, sweet, and tangy teriyaki glaze with flaky, tender, juicy salmon for quick, simple, and delicious baked teriyaki salmon that’s perfect for busy midweek meals! Methods for broiled, pan-fried, and air fryer teriyaki salmon are also included!

If you’re looking for a restaurant-quality meal with just minutes of hands-on prep and a simple, practically fool-proof recipe, then why not try this simple baked teriyaki salmon recipe?! With a combination of juicy, flaky salmon covered in a sweet and tangy homemade teriyaki glaze for salmon (either as a thin marinade or thicker glaze). Once cooked, serve the teriyaki salmon with rice, quinoa, noodles, roasted veggies, and more!

Whereas store-bought teriyaki sauce contains a ton of sugar, sodium, and all sorts of additives/preservatives, homemade healthy teriyaki marinade/sauce is naturally sweetened, can use low-sodium ingredients, has a superior flavor, and is easily tweakable to your flavor preference! Plus, I’ve included methods to use it as a thin marinade or thick teriyaki glaze for salmon based on the consistency you prefer. Either of which make for a wonderfully moreish main!

Best of all, this oven-baked teriyaki salmon recipe is unbelievably simple too. Prepare the quick teriyaki salmon marinade in just a couple of minutes, pour it over the salmon fillets (and optionally marinate for just 15 minutes up to 12 hours if you want to prep ahead), then bake the tender, juicy, flaky, flavorful perfection! Even better, you can enjoy this as baked, broiled, pan-fried, or air fryer teriyaki salmon and save the leftovers for days of meal prep!

Looking for more simple salmon recipes? You may also enjoy this grilled salmon and avocado salad bowl and/or salmon and kale potato salad!

The Honey Teriyaki Salmon Ingredients

• Salmon fillets: it’s best to use fillets that are similar in size, so they cook evenly. I prefer to use wild sockeye, king, etc., salmon that has already been pre-filleted with the bones removed (skin on).

Wild vs. farmed salmon? Wild salmon is usually leaner, lowering calories, lower in fat, higher in minerals, and overall better tasting than farmed salmon. However, it is also pricier.

The Teriyaki Salmon Marinade

This healthy teriyaki salmon marinade is naturally sweetened, can be made using reduced-sodium soy sauce, and is easily tweaked to personal taste. Best of all, it requires just seven ingredients (plus black pepper).

• Honey: I love the flavor of honey teriyaki salmon. Alternatively, maple syrup or brown sugar would also sweeten the homemade teriyaki sauce.
• Soy sauce: use reduced-sodium soy sauce if preferred. Tamari or coconut aminos are best for a gluten-free teriyaki salmon marinade.
• Hot Chili paste: I used homemade chili sauce. Alternatively, you could use sriracha or chili flakes. Adjust the amount to taste or even omit it entirely.
• Sesame oil: this adds a wonderfully aromatic flavor to the teriyaki glazed salmon.
• Mirin: mirin is a sweet Japanese rice wine available in most supermarkets or Asian stores. Alternatively, you could use rice vinegar or white wine vinegar.
• Ginger: it’s best to use ginger paste so that it is fully incorporated in the teriyaki salmon marinade.
• Garlic: likewise the above, use garlic puree or finely minced garlic. Adjust the amount to taste.
• Black pepper: add to taste.

To turn this into a thicker teriyaki glaze for salmon, all you need is 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water (to create a cornstarch slurry). Then simmer the honey teriyaki sauce on the stovetop until thickened (2-3 minutes).

Optional Add-ins and Variations

• To garnish: a combination of sesame seeds and green onions (scallions) works wonderfully as a garnish to the teriyaki glazed salmon.
• Orange/pineapple teriyaki sauce: add two to three tablespoons of freshly squeezed orange or pineapple juice to the healthy teriyaki sauce. Make sure to simmer and thicken the sauce with a little cornstarch slurry.
• Vegetables: you can create a simple teriyaki salmon sheet pan meal by baking vegetables in the oven at the same time you cook your salmon. Simply toss them with a bit of oil and salt and pepper, or even tossed with a little of the homemade teriyaki sauce. Choose vegetables that will cook within the salmon cooking time (bell peppers, green beans, broccoli, carrots, etc.).
• Other protein: this teriyaki sauce also works great with other proteins like chicken, shrimp, beef, tofu, and tempeh. Adjust the cooking time accordingly (for example, shrimp will take less time, and chicken will usually take more, etc.).

How to Make Teriyaki Salmon?

Preparing this teriyaki salmon recipe is surprisingly simple and requires just a few steps, no matter which cooking method you use!

Oven-Baked Teriyaki Salmon

First, preheat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC and line a baking sheet without the parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Then, combine all of the marinade ingredients in a large baking dish and whisk/ mix well to thoroughly combine.

If you want to serve the baked teriyaki salmon with extra teriyaki sauce, transfer 1/3 of the sauce to a separate bowl before marinating the salmon in it. Then cook it in a small saucepan over the stovetop (optionally with a cornstarch slurry) to thicken and reduce until it coats the back of a spoon.

Alternatively, for teriyaki glazed salmon, heat and thicken ALL the teriyaki marinade with a cornstarch slurry until thickened. Drizzle half over the fish before baking and half over when serving.

Add the salmon fillets to the dish and toss to thoroughly coat all the pieces in the marinade. Then cover it with some plastic wrap or a lid and leave to marinate for 15-20 minutes (up to overnight if needed).

Transfer the marinated teriyaki salmon in the baking dish to the oven’s middle rack and bake for 13-15 minutes, or until cooked through and flaky. The time will vary based on the type of salmon used (wild vs. farmed – the latter is usually fattier and requires longer) and the thickness of the fillets.

To tell when the salmon is fully cooked, you can lightly press the top of the fillet with your finger. If it separates into flakes, it’s ready. You can also make sure it’s fully cooked using an instant-read thermometer.

The internal temperature of the salmon needs to be between 125-140ºF/51-60ºC for medium results and above 110ºF/43ºC to be considered safely cooked. I aim for 140ºF/60ºC.

Broiled Teriyaki Salmon

Preheat your broiler to high. Then place the unglazed salmon fillets around 5 inches beneath the heating element. Broil the salmon for between 8 to 9 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway.

Don’t use parchment paper when broiling, as it can catch on fire.

Then, brush the salmon fillets with the teriyaki sauce and broil for a further two to three minutes until caramelized.

I recommend slightly reducing the marinade in a saucepan first, so it’s a thicker teriyaki glaze for salmon.

Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon

First, preheat your air fryer to 400ºF/200ºC and spray the bottom of your basket well with cooking spray. Putting down liners or some aluminum foil can help with cleanup

Then brush the salmon fillets with half of the glaze, adding as many fillets as will fit the bottom of your air fryer.

Cook for 10-11 minutes. Then remove from the air fryer, brush the salmon fillets with the remaining teriyaki glaze And cook for a further one to two minutes, or until your desired doneness.

Pan-Fried Teriyaki Salmon

First, marinate the salmon with half of the teriyaki marinade for 20 to 30 minutes.

Note that marinating the salmon is optional when pan-frying. because of the sugars in the teriyaki sauce, it can burn fairly quickly over high heat. To avoid this, wait to drizzle or brush the salmon fillets with teriyaki sauce until right at the end of the cooking process.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with a bit of oil. Once hot, add the salmon fillet skin side down. Cook for 3-5 minutes per side to your desired doneness.

If you struggle to flip the salmon because the salmon skin is sticking to your skillet, leave it to cook for a little longer before trying again. This usually means it’s not ready to flip.

Meanwhile, simmer and reduce the remaining marinade in a small saucepan with a cornstarch slurry (one teaspoon cornstarch should be mixed with one tablespoon of water before adding to teriyaki marinade). Simmer and stir until thickened.

Serve the teriyaki glazed salmon drizzled with the remaining sauce and enjoy!

How to Serve Teriyaki Glazed Salmon?

This baked teriyaki salmon is surprisingly versatile and will work as part of many meals. Some of my favorite meals/ sides for teriyaki salmon include:

• Grains: brown rice, Jasmine rice, quinoa, vegetable pilaf, etc. For a lower-carb option, use cauliflower rice.
• Steamed/roasted vegetables: particularly greens like asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green beans, corn on the cob, etc. Garlic sauteed spinach would also work well.
• Potatoes: roasted or mashed potatoes (or mashed sweet potato/mashed purple potato) will pair well with this teriyaki glazed salmon.
• A simple side salad: like a simple massage kale salad, lentil tabbouleh, raw broccoli and cabbage salad, etc.
• Teriyaki salmon bowls: serve the baked teriyaki salmon over a bed of sushi rice (or your grain of choice) with mixed green vegetables, pickled carrots or other veg, avocado slices, and optionally drizzle of spicy mayonnaise (combine mayonnaise with some chili sauce).
• Teriyaki salmon stir fry: combine the cooked teriyaki salmon with stir-fried vegetables such as bell peppers, carrots, green beans, and broccoli.
• Noodles: create super simple and delicious teriyaki salmon noodles as a stir fry dish combining noodles with the above vegetables (or the veggies of your choice). You can bake the salmon separately or pan fry it in chunks.

How Make Ahead and Store?

Make ahead: you can leave the salmon in the marinade overnight (up to 12 hours). Make sure it’s covered and in the refrigerator. When you want to cook the salmon, allow it to come to room temperature for 15 minutes and then cook as usual.

The homemade teriyaki marinade/sauce can also be prepared several days (3 to 5) in advance.

Store: allow the baked teriyaki salmon to cool and then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Freeze: I haven’t actually previously frozen this recipe. However, having frozen similar baked salmon, it should work. I recommend allowing it to cool before transferring to a zip lock bag (squeezing out all excess air) and freezing for up to one month. Thaw in the refrigerator before eating chilled or reheating.

Reheat: my preferred method for reheating the honey teriyaki salmon is either in the microwave or in a nonstick skillet on the stovetop. Add a splash of water, place them skin side down, cover, and cook over low heat until heated through. This should help you avoid overcooking/ drying out the teriyaki salmon.

FAQs

Recipe Tips and Notes

• Cook the salmon with the skin on: even if you’d prefer not to eat the skin, cooking it with the skin on will help hold it together while cooking and keep it from drying out. Plus, after baking, it’s really easy to peel the skin away (though I enjoy eating it).
• Use similar sized fillets to ensure that the teriyaki salmon cooks evenly.
• Allow the salmon to come to room temperature: this helps to ensure even baking.
• To cook the oven-baked teriyaki salmon in foil: I recommend first thickening the teriyaki sauce in a saucepan until it coats the back of a spoon. Then brush each salmon fillet with the salmon teriyaki glaze and fold it into a foil parcel. Bake for between 15 to 18 minutes, or until your desired level. Baking in foil will yield super juicy, less caramelized/crisp results.

More Pescatarian Recipes

• Salmon and Kale Potato Salad (Smoked Salmon Salad)
• High-Protein Grilled Salmon Avocado Salad Bowl
• Lemon & Dill Oven Baked Salmon (immune boosting)
• How to Desalt and Cook Salted Cod
• Salted Cod Salad (Buljol)
• Easy Tuna Salad with Mixed Vegetables
• Crispy Baked Coconut Shrimp With Dipping Sauce

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If you try this oven-baked teriyaki salmon recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d appreciate a recipe card rating below, and tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!