Teriyaki Salmon

This flavorful Teriyaki Salmon is a dinner I love serving to my family since it is made with homemade teriyaki sauce. I prepare it using fresh salmon from the local market, soy sauce, and honey to create a tender and lightly glazed seafood dish that works fantastic for any weeknights and date night meals.

Last week I finally shared my homemade teriyaki sauce here on the blog, the same one I have been making from scratch for years. After that, I started experimenting with different proteins to elevate their flavors, and I was honestly surprised by how rich and satisfying my teriyaki salmon recipe turned out. Salmon is one of our favorite seafood choices at home, and we eat it often in quick 30-minute meals like the Greek salmon salad I made just yesterday when I was in a rush to meet a work colleague.

My teriyaki salmon is incredibly easy to prepare, especially considering how elegant it looks on the plate. I love how the savory umami flavors of the teriyaki sauce pair so well with the fish. I slice the salmon, let it marinate for a short time, then bake it while the sauce finishes cooking on the stove. Once you learn this recipe, making teriyaki salmon at home becomes simple and rewarding, and it is easy to enjoy this dish any night you want without going out. Ah… since Valentine’s day is coming, I highly recommend this dish to impress your partner.

Why you will love this recipe 

• Better than takeout, made at home: This teriyaki salmon is for home cooks like me who want a flavorful dinner without ordering out. Making the sauce from scratch lets me control the ingredients and keeps the flavor clean and balanced.
• Perfect for salmon lovers: If you enjoy salmon often, this recipe is an easy way to change things up while keeping it familiar.
• The taste is sweet and savory: The soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, garlic, and ginger create a glaze that coats the salmon nicely. So yum!
• A no fail salmon dinner I trust: I marinate the salmon briefly, bake it until tender, and finish it with a thickened sauce on top. It is a method I rely on when I want a seafood meal that turns out perfect every time.

What you will need

• Fresh seafood: I use salmon filet sliced into even portions so it cooks well and stays tender in the oven.
• Sauce base: I add water, reduced sodium soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, and rice vinegar to form the sweet and savory foundation of the teriyaki sauce.
• Aromatics and seasoning: Fresh garlic, fresh ground ginger, and a small amount of red pepper flakes.
• Thickening mixture: Cornstarch mixed with cold water thickens the sauce so it coats the salmon smoothly.

How to make

Prepare the sauce: I add water, brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes to a saucepan over medium heat. I stir until combined, bring it to a simmer, then whisk in the cornstarch slurry until thickened and let it cool.

Marinate the salmon: I place the salmon slices in a large bowl, pour the cooled sauce over them, cover, and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes for a richer flavor.

Bake the salmon: I transfer the salmon to a greased baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees F until cooked through.

Finish and serve: While the salmon bakes, I simmer the remaining marinade for a couple minutes in a saucepan until glossy. I brush it over the salmon right before serving and finish with green onions and sesame seeds.

Expert tip

Cool the sauce first

I have made this teriyaki salmon a couple of times now, and the main advice I have is to let the teriyaki sauce cool completely before adding it to the salmon. If the sauce is still warm, it can start cooking the fish too early and affect the texture. Once the sauce has cooled, the salmon stays tender and bakes more consistently, which helps the final dish come out exactly how I want it.

More tips to consider:

• Lining the baking sheet with foil helps prevent sticking and makes cleanup much easier after baking.
• Slicing the salmon into similar sized portions helps everything finish at the same time.
• I start checking the salmon after about 12 minutes and use a thermometer to monitor doneness accurately.
• For food safety, I make sure the salmon reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F as recommended by the USDA.
• To avoid overcooking, I remove the salmon around 135 to 140 degrees F and let residual heat finish cooking.
• I always simmer the leftover marinade fully so it thickens properly and is safe to brush over the salmon.

Recipe variations and add-ins:

• Veggie sheet pan: I add about 2 cups of sliced bell peppers, broccoli, or snap peas to the baking sheet with the salmon. Everything roasts together and the vegetables pick up the teriyaki flavor.
• Spicy version: I stir in about 1/2 teaspoon extra red pepper flakes to the sauce. This adds more heat while keeping the balance of sweet and savory.
• Rice bowl: I serve the salmon over 1 cup cooked coconut rice and spoon extra sauce on top. I finish with green onions and sesame seeds for a simple bowl dinner.
• Lettuce wraps: I flake the salmon and spoon it into large lettuce leaves. This works well when I want a lighter plate that still tastes satisfying.
• Meal prep: I portion the salmon with 1 cup rice and 1 cup vegetables into containers. It stores well and makes weekday lunches easy to plan.

Serving suggestions:

On most nights, I serve this teriyaki salmon with my Instant Pot rice since it works great with the sauce and completes the plate. I almost always add my beet salad recipe too, since it brings a fresh contrast and everyone in my family asks for it. Yes, even my kids, can you believe it!

When dessert is part of the plan, I go with my Instant Pot chocolate muffins for an easy option. For birthdays or Valentine’s celebrations, a decadent carrot cake cheesecake is my top choice since I want a dessert that impresses everyone. Let me just say, plates come back empty and people always ask who made it. Ha!

How to store leftovers:

• Refrigerate: I store leftover salmon in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freezing: I freeze cooked salmon portions wrapped tightly and use them within one month.
• Reheating: I reheat the salmon in the oven at 325 degrees F and brush it with extra sauce before serving.

Frequently asked questions

More seafood recipes to try:

Air Fryer Salmon Cakes

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp with Brown Sugar

Shrimp Salad Recipe

Air Fryer Shrimp Cakes

Teriyaki Salmon

This flavorful teriyaki salmon is a dinner I love serving to my family since it is made with homemade teriyaki sauce. I prepare it using fresh salmon from the local market, soy sauce, and honey to create a tender and lightly glazed seafood dish that works fantastic for any weeknights and date night meals.

5 from 7 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Asian

Keyword: Teriyaki Salmon

Prep Time: 1 hour hour

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 350kcal

Author: Catalina Castravet

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 lbs salmon filet sliced into 2″ wide slices

Homemade Teriyaki Sauce:

• 1 cup water
• 5 tablespoons dark brown sugar packed
• 1/4 cup soy sauce reduced-sodium
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 4 cloves garlic finely minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water cold

To serve:

• Sesame seeds optional
• Green onion chopped optional

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Grease a large rimmed baking sheet, for easier clean-up cover it with foil and then grease.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Homemade Teriyaki Sauce:

• In a medium saucepan over medium heat combine 1 cup water, brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, rice wine, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Stir and bring to a simmer.
• In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch with the 1/4 cup water and whisk until fully dissolved.
• Add the cornstarch mixture to the saucepan.
• Heat the sauce and stir until it thickens to your desired thickness. If the sauce becomes too thick, add more water, little by little, to thin it out.
• Cool the sauce to room temperature.

Make Teriyaki Salmon:

• Add the salmon slices to a large mixing bowl. Pour the cooled sauce over the salmon, cover with plastic wrap and let marinate in the fridge for 20 minutes or a few hours.
• Transfer salmon to prepared baking sheet, and do not discard the marinade.
• Bake for 12-16 min or until salmon is flaky and cooked through, bake time may vary depending how thick is the salmon.
• While salmon is baking, transfer the remaining marinade to a small sauce pan and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer for 3-4 min then remove from heat.
• Once salmon has been cooked, brush it with the teriyaki sauce, then sprinkle with chopped green onions and sesame seeds and serve.

Video

Notes

Cool the sauce first

I have made this teriyaki salmon a couple of times now, and the main advice I have is to let the teriyaki sauce cool completely before adding it to the salmon. If the sauce is still warm, it can start cooking the fish too early and affect the texture. Once the sauce has cooled, the salmon stays tender and bakes more consistently, which helps the final dish come out exactly how I want it.

More tips to consider:

• Lining the baking sheet with foil helps prevent sticking and makes cleanup much easier after baking.
• Slicing the salmon into similar sized portions helps everything finish at the same time.
• I start checking the salmon after about 12 minutes and use a thermometer to monitor doneness accurately.
• For food safety, I make sure the salmon reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F as recommended by the USDA.
• To avoid overcooking, I remove the salmon around 135 to 140 degrees F and let residual heat finish cooking.
• I always simmer the leftover marinade fully so it thickens properly and is safe to brush over the salmon.

Nutrition

Calories: 350kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 630mg | Potassium: 960mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 88IU | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2mg