Salmon Teriyaki is one of my favorite Japanese-style dishes and even competes with my favorite authentic Japanese dish, Unagi Don (grilled eel over rice). The caramelized teriyaki sauce combined with the tender, fatty salmon is a killer combination, and it’s easy to make at home.
If you have ever ordered this dish in a Japanese restaurant and enjoyed it, then I assure you this recipe will definitely make it into your weekly rotation, and at a fraction of the cost. Use our recipe for Garlicky Broccoli as a side dish, and you’ll have all that you need for a quick and satisfying dinner.
One word about salmon––aside from the obvious advice of getting fresh filets––is that you actually want to get some pieces that have some good fat in them, which makes them extra tasty. Look for filet cuts that have large white lines of fat near the belly portion of the filet and try to avoid getting the tail piece. I’m sure the fish monger will comply with your request if you ask him or her nicely.
You may also see salmon belly pieces for sale in Asian markets or grocery stores for very reasonable prices. We buy them every so often, since they are so tasty. I pan-fry them on both sides and skip the oven step, since they cook so quickly. When brushed with the teriyaki sauce, they are rich and delicious. Whether you decide to use salmon belly or filets, give this salmon teriyaki bowl a try!
You’ll need:
For the teriyaki sauce:
- 1 slice fresh ginger, smashed with a cleaver
- 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup mirin
- ¼ cup sake or rice wine
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch, mixed into a slurry with 1 teaspoon water
For the salmon
- 4 salmon filets, with skin (4 to 6 ounces each)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Fresh ground black pepper to taste
- Pinch of garlic powder
- Wasabi (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 6 cups of cooked Japanese short grain rice
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Roasted seaweed sheets
Start by combining the ingredients for the teriyaki sauce (except the cornstarch slurry) in a small saucepan and set aside.
Next, prepare your salmon. Sometimes, salmon fillets will have scales still on them. I like to use a serrated knife to carefully scrape them off. Then rinse and pat the salmon dry with a paper towel.
Rub the salmon with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. If using wasabi, you can take a small dab of wasabi and rub it onto each piece of salmon now (you can also just serve it on the side later).
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Take the saucepan you prepared earlier and bring the sauce mixture to a simmer. Stir in the cornstarch slurry, and continue to simmer for 5 minutes, or until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon. Turn off the heat.
Add a tablespoon of oil to a cast iron skillet or other thick, oven-proof pan, and place over medium heat. Place the salmon in the pan skin-side down…
And brush with a small amount of teriyaki sauce. Be careful not to let the sauce drip down the sides to the pan; if it does get to the pan, it will burn and become bitter. Sear the salmon for 3 minutes.
Brush a bit more teriyaki sauce onto the salmon, again being careful to use just enough so that it doesn’t drip down to the pan, and transfer to the preheated oven. After 3 minutes, brush more sauce on the salmon and then again after another 3 minutes.
After a final 2 minutes of baking, remove the salmon from the oven. (The salmon will have been roasting for a total of 8 minutes). Note: If you like your salmon medium rare, you can reduce the cooking time by 2 or 3 minutes.
Serve the salmon over rice and drizzle with more teriyaki sauce. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and roasted seaweed. Enjoy immediately with more teriyaki sauce and wasabi on the side!
Ingredients
- For the teriyaki sauce:
- 1 slice fresh ginger, smashed with a cleaver
- ⅓ cup low sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup mirin
- ¼ cup sake or rice wine
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch, mixed into a slurry with 1 teaspoon water
- For the salmon
- 4 salmon filets, with skin (4 to 6 ounces each)
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Fresh ground black pepper to taste
- Pinch of garlic powder
- Wasabi (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 6 cups of cooked Japanese short grain rice
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Roasted seaweed sheets
Instructions
- Start by combining the ingredients for the teriyaki sauce (except the cornstarch slurry) in a small saucepan and set aside. Next, prepare your salmon. Sometimes, salmon fillets will have scales still on them. I like to use a serrated knife to carefully scrape them off. Then rinse and pat the salmon dry with a paper towel.
- Rub the salmon with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. If using wasabi, you can take a small dab of wasabi and rub it onto each piece of salmon now (you can also just serve it on the side later).
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Take the saucepan you prepared earlier and bring the sauce mixture to a simmer. Stir in the cornstarch slurry, and continue to simmer for 5 minutes, or until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon. Turn off the heat.
- Add a tablespoon of oil to a cast iron skillet or other thick, oven-proof pan, and place over medium heat. Place the salmon in the pan skin-side down, and brush with a small amount of teriyaki sauce. Be careful not to let the sauce drip down the sides to the pan; if it does get to the pan, it will burn and become bitter. Sear the salmon for 3 minutes.
- Brush a bit more teriyaki sauce onto the salmon, again being careful to use just enough so that it doesn’t drip down to the pan, and transfer to the preheated oven. After 3 minutes, brush more sauce on the salmon and then again after another 3 minutes.
- After a final 2 minutes of baking, remove the salmon from the oven. (The salmon will have been roasting for a total of 8 minutes). Note: If you like your salmon medium rare, you can reduce the cooking time by 2 or 3 minutes.
- Serve the salmon over rice and drizzle with more teriyaki sauce. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and roasted seaweed. Enjoy immediately with more teriyaki sauce and wasabi on the side!
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