Cook tender, flaky, restaurant-quality baked teriyaki salmon in just 15 minutes with a sticky sweet homemade teriyaki sauce, sesame seeds, and green onions! A quick, simple, low-carb main!
Mince/grate the ginger and garlic and whisk all the sauce ingredients (except the cornstarch) in a large bowl. If needed, cut the salmon into fillets.
Transfer the salmon fillets to a high-sided baking dish (or bowl), pour the marinade over, and cover them with plastic wrap. Leave them to marinate for 20-30 minutes (transfer to the fridge if leaving for longer- up to 12 hours). Preheat the oven to 400ºF/200ºC in the last 10-15 minutes.
Pour all the excess marinade into a small saucepan. Lightly grease the dish beneath the salmon or transfer it skin side down to a parchment/foil-lined baking sheet.
Bake the salmon in the center of the oven at 400ºF/200ºC for 13-15 minutes or until cooked through and flaky.To tell if it's ready: Lightly press the top of a salmon filet with your finger. If it separates into flakes, it’s ready. Alternatively, an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the fillet should read 125-140ºF/51-60ºC.
While the salmon cooks, combine the cornstarch with 2 Tbsp water in a small bowl until smooth, then add it to the saucepan with the marinade.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately lower it to a simmer (medium heat) and cook, constantly stirring, until thickened.
When the salmon is cooked, serve it with the teriyaki glaze, and sprinkle it with sesame seeds and thinly sliced green onions. Enjoy!
How to Make Ahead and Store
Make ahead: the sauce will store for 3-5 days. You could also leave the salmon in the marinade for up to 12 hours in the refrigerator. Remove from fridge 15-20 minutes before cooking.Store: Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.Freeze: Allow it to cool before transferring it to a ziplock bag (squeezing out excess air) and freezing it for up to one month. Thaw in the refrigerator before eating chilled or reheating.Reheat: My preferred method for reheating the fish is with a microwave or a nonstick skillet on the stovetop. Add a splash of water, place it skin side down, cover, and cook over low heat until heated.
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Notes
For the salmon: I prefer skin-on, bones removed, wild sockeye/king salmon either pre-filleted or to cut into fillets myself. Also, use room-temperature salmon. This ensures even baking (along with using fillets with a similar thickness).
Cook salmon with skin: This helps keep the fish from drying out and holds it together while baking/moving around.
Create a sheet pan meal: Use veggies that bake at a similar time (bell peppers, green beans, broccoli, etc.) and toss with a little oil, salt, and pepper.
Tweak flavors: It's easy to adjust the ingredient ratio to make the best teriyaki sauce for salmon for your taste buds.
Using leftover teriyaki sauce: It works well with other proteins, too. I.e., teriyaki chicken, shrimp, beef, tofu, etc.
Alternative Cooking MethodsFoil-baked teriyaki salmon: Prepare the thickened sauce on the stove, then brush salmon fillets with it in separate foil parcels and bake for 15-18 minutes for super juicy (not caramelized/crisp) teriyaki baked salmon.Broiled teriyaki salmon: Preheat broiler to high, then place salmon 5 inches beneath the heating element to broil for 8-9 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway. Brush with saucepan-reduced teriyaki glaze and broil for 2-3 minutes. Serve with remaining sauce.Air fryer teriyaki salmon: Preheat the air fryer to 400ºF/200ºC. Brush salmon with half of the glaze and cook for 10 minutes or to your desired doneness. Then brush with the remaining teriyaki glaze and cook for 1-2 minutes more.Check the blog post for more tips and serving suggestions!