Flavorful Baked Teriyaki Salmon is glazed with a healthy homemade teriyaki sauce then oven baked to flaky perfection. Ready in 30 minutes it’s perfect for busy weeknights!
We also love these hot honey salmon bites!
Table of contents
I would say this baked teriyaki salmon is my easiest salmon recipe ever! This delicate fish stays moist even when not a baked salmon in foil.
All 3 of my boys (big and small) gobbled it up. They love honey garlic glazed salmon and Thai salmon, now this salmon teriyaki recipe as well.
I often get questions from you, dear readers, how to make salmon tasty. The key is delicious healthy sauce, quick cooking, and knowing your salmon.
When you are out of salmon, try Instant Pot teriyaki chicken and teriyaki chicken and cauliflower! They are two other favorite healthy dinner ideas around here!
Ingredients Needed
Salmon is an easy fish to bake, there is no need to be intimidated by it! I love how not overly sweet and salty this homemade teriyaki sauce comes out because of all these clean ingredients.
- Salmon: You can use either farmed salmon or wild salmon species like sockeye salmon (pictured), coho, king, spring and even chum salmon. Main difference is cooking time which is indicated in the recipe below.
- Sweetener: I prefer to use brown sugar for darker color and true teriyaki glazed salmon experience. However, I have made this recipe with natural sweeteners like honey and maple syrup many times. Although the latter two will produce lighter color.
- Soy sauce: I use Bragg’s liquid aminos as non-GMO soy sauce alternative. It is also suitable for gluten free teriyaki marinade. Its sodium content is the same as regular soy sauce, not light soy sauce.
- Rice vinegar is traditionally used in Asian cuisine. If you do not have one on hand, white vinegar will work.
- Oil: To help even baking and moisture with wild salmon.
- Garlic and ginger: Fresh is best. I once tried making this recipe with dried ginger and it wasn’t nearly the same. Garlic powder could work though.
How to Make Baked Teriyaki Salmon
This tasty teriyaki salmon in the oven recipe is easy to make in only a few simple steps!
Prep: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Make teriyaki sauce: Whisk brown sugar, soy sauce, oil, vinegar, garlic and ginger in a small bowl. Make sure sugar dissolves completely. Divide sauce into 2 bowls, 2/3 in one and 1/3 in another.
Prep salmon: Place salmon skin side down on prepared baking sheet or baking dish and brush with the reserved 1/3 of marinade.
Bake salmon in preheated oven: Bake wild salmon for 15 minutes, farmed salmon for 20 minutes. It also depends on the type of salmon you use and thickness of slices. So until flakey with a fork. Don’t overcook!
Thicken remaining teriyaki sauce: While salmon is cooking, add 2/3 reserved sauce to a small pot and cook for a few minutes, until thickened and bubbly.
You can always add 1 tbsp extra brown sugar in case you “lost” some undissolved sugar for brushing uncooked salmon.
Brush on top of baked salmon: Remove salmon from the oven, brush with teriyaki glaze, sprinkle with green onion and sesame seeds.
Tips for Best Results
- Salmon is ready when it easily flakes with a fork.
- You can keep skin on, especially on wild salmon, to help it retain more moisture. If you are not a fan of salmon skin, you can always remove it easily after baking.
- If you use large center cut salmon, you can cut into fillets after baking.
- You can marinate salmon by adding 1/3 marinade in a wide plate with sides, place salmon pieces flesh side down and refrigerate covered up to 2 hours. Then follow the recipe.
How Long to Bake Salmon?
Farmed salmon is more fatty and is harder to overbake. Where as wild salmon can come out dry and is easy to overbake. So use same cooking time for both just be right on clock with wild salmon.
For wild salmon and thin slices, I would check after 15 minutes. This is how long my wild sockeye salmon took. Before I made the mistake of cooking it for 20 minutes and it was dry. Farmed salmon should be baked for 20 minutes.
Can I Air Fry This?
Yes, use these easy baked teriyaki salmon ingredients, but cook in air fryer using this air fryer salmon recipe, and then after brush on the teriyaki sauce. So easy!
What Goes Well With Teriyaki Salmon?
I like to serve salmon with Instant Pot brown rice as a healthy side, or white rice as a “treat”. And to make dinner really quick, I just parboil broccoli or roast asparagus.
Storage Instructions
Store: Refrigerate salmon in an airtight container for up to 5 days. That’s why it’s so great for meal prep!
Reheat: Preheat non-stick skillet and add a splash of water. Then place salmon skin side down, cover and simmer on low heat until warmed through.
This way fish will steam and not over dry if you were to bake it again. Also microwave works wonders.
More FAQs
Yes, salmon is considered a lean protein and is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids.
Also, traditional store bought teriyaki sauce contains a lot of brown sugar, corn syrup, sodium, additives and preservatives. Using cleaner homemade teriyaki sauce makes this teriyaki salmon recipe healthy.
Preheat grill to high heat of 450-500 degrees F. Place salmon on the grill skin side up, close the lid and grill for about 4-5 minutes. Brush with reduced on the stove teriyaki sauce.
Preheat broiler on High and position top oven rack 5″ – 6″ below it. Broil for 8 minutes, rotating baking sheet once. Remove from the oven, brush each fillet with cooked teriyaki sauce, and broil for another 2-3 minutes or until salmon has caramelized.
Preheat ceramic non-stick skillet over medium heat, add a bit of oil and cook salmon for about 5 minutes per side. This way salmon may come out more crispy. Then make sauce as per recipe and brush it on.
I often prefer oven baked salmon because it is more hands off method.
More Salmon Recipes
- Salmon sushi bake
- Grilled salmon
- Lime and ginger marinated salmon
- Peanut butter salmon
- Salmon stir fry
- Air fryer salmon
You may also enjoy browsing all my salmon recipes!
Baked Teriyaki Salmon
Ingredients
- 2 lbs salmon, cut into 6 pieces skin on or off
- 3 tbsp brown sugar, maple syrup or honey
- 3 tbsp soy sauce I used Bragg’s liquid aminos
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 garlic clove grated
- 1/2 tsp fresh ginger grated
- Green onion and sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line large baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
- In a small bowl, whisk brown sugar, soy sauce, oil, vinegar, garlic and ginger. Make sure sugar dissolves completely. Divide marinade into 2 bowls – 2/3 and 1/3 of it.
- Place salmon skin side down on prepared baking sheet and brush with 1/3rd of marinade.
- Bake for 15 minutes for wild salmon or thin farmed salmon slices, and for 20 minutes for farmed salmon and thicker/wider slices. Check with a fork after 15 minutes – if salmon flakes easily, it is done. Do not overcook!
- While salmon is cooking, add 2/3 marinade to a small pot with and cook for a few minutes, until thickened and bubbly. You can always add 1 tbsp extra brown sugar in case you “lost” some undissolved sugar for brushing uncooked salmon.
- Remove salmon from the oven, brush with teriyaki glaze, sprinkle with green onion and sesame seeds.
- I like to serve salmon with Instant Pot brown rice or Instant Pot quinoa as a healthy side. And to make dinner really quick, I just parboil broccoli or make roasted asparagus.
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
- Reheat: Preheat non-stick skillet and add a splash of water. Place salmon skin side down, cover and simmer on low heat until warmed through. Or use microwave.
- Don’t over cook: Farmed salmon is more fatty and is harder to overbake. Where as wild salmon can come out dry and is easy to overbake.
- Skin: You can keep skin on, especially on wild salmon, to help it retain more moisture. Remove after baking.
Such an easy and quick recipe and what great results! I tried it with brown sugar and with maple syrup and the syrup provided superior results as it provided a mellower taste not drowning the salmon flavors.
The 20 minutes cooking time for farm raised salmon is spot on.
Served over Jazmin rice as well as oven baked potatoes.
That’s amazing you loved this baked teriyaki salmon recipe! I love it more with brown sugar but maple syrup is wonderful too, glad there is a version for everyone!
Would this sauce work on chicken as well?
Thanks!!
I don’t see why not! Give it a try on the chicken and let us know how it goes.
The salmon was wonderful. Can’t wait to make it again. So far we haven’t been disappointed with any of the healthy recipes we’ve tried.
So glad to hear Suzanne!