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This teriyaki salmon recipe is an easy favorite. A glossy, sticky-sweet marinade glazes chunks of tender salmon with tons of flavor. Add rice and edamame for a complete dinner!
At my house, our sometimes rainbow sushi nights have a way of turning into rice bowls when we’re short on time. We love playing around with ingredients—leftover rice, snap peas, maybe some edamame—because quick and easy is the name of the game. Those impromptu bowls are often the inspiration for meals like this one!
Dress up salmon with a deliciously simple and garlicky homemade teriyaki sauce that features a blend of tamari (soy sauce), toasted sesame oil, fresh ginger, honey, and more! Salmon is an amazing base that can be spiced or sweetened, like in my recipes for Old Bay roasted salmon or maple mustard salmon fillets, depending on what you like. We love this Asian-inspired version that’s perfect served with fluffy white rice!
This is The Best Teriyaki Salmon
- So flavorful. I love the thick, garlic-spiked sauce that infuses each bite of salmon with sweet-salty flavor from the blend of rice vinegar, brown sugar, a touch of red pepper flakes, plus a few more ingredients.
- Quick and easy! Yes, this is a recipe truly satisfies but takes just about a half hour to make, so it’s a great weeknight choice.
- Light. While I never leave the table hungry after nibbling on a plate of teriyaki salmon, it’s one of those meals that fills me up without being too much.
- Easy to adjust. For younger eaters, I’ll often add a touch more honey and omit the red pepper flakes. You can also add more pepper if you like! You do you.
Recipe Ingredients
Get an idea of the ingredients in this teriyaki salmon recipe below, with the full ingredient amounts included in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
- Sauce: Tamari sauce, Tamarind paste, Mirin, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, brown sugar, honey, garlic, fresh ginger, cornstarch, red pepper flakes (omit if you don’t like too much heat), and water.
- Salmon: Fresh or frozen salmon fillets work here. Thaw the frozen salmon thoroughly in the fridge before cooking it.
- Salt and Pepper: I use Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- To serve: See more suggestions lower down, but I like to serve the salmon with rice and edamame and garnish it with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.
How to Make Teriyaki Salmon
You can make the sauce earlier in the day so it’s ready to go when you begin to make this teriyaki salmon recipe. Follow along with the photos below to guide you through the process.
- Prepare the sauce. Whisk together sauce ingredients except for the cornstarch and water that you’ll mix separately, then add to the sauce.
- Cook the sauce. Heat the sauce in a saucepan set over medium heat until it’s thick and glossy.
- Prepare the salmon. Pat the salmon fillets dry then season them with salt and pepper, and cut them into chunks.
- Cook the salmon. Sear the salmon in olive oil for 2–3 minutes on each side.
- Combine the salmon and sauce. Reduce the heat to low and pour the sauce, tossing gently to coat. Cook until hot.
- Serve. Add a dollop of rice to each plate, top it with salmon, and add a side of edamame. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds, and serve!
Tips
- Use frozen salmon. Use any type of salmon that’s the most easy and economical option. Fresh, wild-caught salmon is an ideal choice, but frozen and thawed (in the fridge) salmon fillets also work perfectly.
- Buy teriyaki sauce. I LOVE my homemade version of teriyaki sauce, but to cut down on time, a store-bought bottle of sauce will also do the trick.
- Ingredient substitutions: Swap soy sauce for tamari, rice vinegar for the mirin (a Japanese rice wine), and a mix of lemon juice and brown sugar for the tamarind paste.
- Adjust the spice. As mentioned, you can leave out the red pepper flakes. You can also add more! More fresh ginger is also an option to bump up the flavor and add a touch of spice.
Variation Ideas
- Make it with chicken: Use the sauce to make teriyaki chicken! You can cut up the chicken into cubes and saute them, or use the sauce as a marinade for baked chicken breast.
- Vegetarian: Try this amazing teriyaki sauce on tofu, or just mix it into your next vegetable stir fry.
- Add veggies: When you cook the salmon, add thinly sliced green onion and red bell peppers.
- Cook the salmon whole: Instead of cubing the salmon, cook the fillets whole in the pan. This will take a few minutes longer per side depending on how thick the fillets are.
Serving Suggestions
If you want to try something other than rice, I recommend noodles! Try the noodles from my recipe for beef stir fry with glass noodles or make rice noodles or udon. A side of Asian slaw is a crisp, fresh accompaniment to this meal. Or, for a similar flavor profile, start off dinner with a plate of chicken potstickers or spring rolls.
How to Store and Reheat Extras
- Fridge – Transfer leftover cooled salmon to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To Reheat – Reheat the salmon (and rice, if using) in a microwave safe bowl in 1-minute increments until hot.
More Easy Salmon Recipes
Teriyaki Salmon Recipe
Ingredients
For The Teriyaki Sauce
- ½ cup tamari sauce
- 2 tablespoons tamarind paste
- 3 tablespoons mirin
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup water
For the Salmon Fillets
- 4 salmon fillets, about 4 ounces each; skin off and cubed into one inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
To Serve
- 4 cups cooked rice
- 1 cup cooked edamame
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, optional for garnishing
- 2 tablespoons green onion, sliced, optional for garnishing
Instructions
- Prepare the teriyaki sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the Tamari sauce, tamarind paste, Mirin, rice vinegar, sesame oil, brown sugar, honey, minced garlic, grated ginger, and red pepper flakes. Dissolve the cornstarch in 1 cup of water and add it to the sauce mixture. Whisk until smooth.
- Cook the sauce. Transfer the sauce mixture to a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy, about 3–5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Prepare the salmon fillets. Pat the salmon fillets dry with a paper towel. Season them evenly with the salt and pepper.
- Cook the salmon. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil or a neutral oil if needed. Add the salmon cubes in a single layer, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Sear the salmon for 2–3 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through.
- Combine the salmon and sauce. Reduce the heat to low and pour the prepared teriyaki sauce over the salmon in the skillet. Toss gently to coat the salmon evenly, allowing the flavors to meld for 1–2 minutes.
- Serve. Divide the cooked rice evenly among serving plates. Top each portion with teriyaki-glazed salmon and a side of cooked edamame. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions, if desired. Enjoy!
Equipment
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
