This teriyaki glazed salmon makes the perfect healthy weeknight dinner. It’s delicious, quick, and uses only 5 very easy to find ingredients. I use authentic Japanese teriyaki sauce, which is so much simpler to make than you’d think. I also love how it only takes about 10 minutes to do everything from mixing the sauce to cooking the salmon on the stovetop!
An easy and healthy weeknight fish dinner
Salmon is the best choice for pairing with this teriyaki sauce because it’s an oily fish so its fattiness really compliments the umami elements of the glaze. Most health professionals also agree that a serving of fish once or twice a week is important for your overall health – especially salmon, since it’s packed with vitamins, minerals, and omega-3s. So you’ll be taking care of yourself and your loved ones while indulging in this fantastic fish recipe!
It’s also super versatile. You can serve this teriyaki salmon with a side of vegetables or your favorite grains – white rice and quinoa are great options. I personally like pairing it with steamed frozen veggies, pickled jalapenos, Vietnamese pickled vegetables, and lots of green onion!
How to make authentic teriyaki sauce
Many teriyaki recipes online and teriyaki dishes in the restaurant are delicious but not authentic. The word “teriyaki” actually refers to the Japanese technique of broiling or grilling protein – usually fish – brushed with this wonderful glaze. The original teriyaki sauce, which also happens to be my favorite, is a simple and easy combination of soy sauce, mirin, and sugar.
You don’t need a lot of oil or extra sugar when making this teriyaki sauce. The salmon will supply lots of healthy unsaturated fat while the combination of sugar and mirin (Japanese sweet cooking rice wine) will provide the perfect balance of sweetness to complement the salty soy sauce.
Besides being super easy to make, the best thing about this teriyaki sauce is that it will keep for weeks in the refrigerator! When I cook this teriyaki salmon, I like to make a big batch then save the rest for glazing, marinating, or as sauce in other recipes. It’s really quick and easy to whip up teriyaki chicken skewers or a delicious vegetable stir-fry when you have this teriyaki sauce ready in the fridge!
How to make the best teriyaki salmon
For this easy salmon teriyaki recipe, I’ll be using salmon fillets. Did you know that frozen salmon fillets are actually just as good as fresh? This is because they’re at their freshest right before being frozen, so all the healthy goodness stays locked in for months. So don’t be afraid to go for frozen fillets if fresh and high-quality salmon isn’t accessible to you.
I cook everything on the stovetop and it comes together in as fast as 10 minutes! First, I mix the authentic Teriyaki sauce ingredients together and bring it to a boil until thickened. Then, I sear my salmon fillets and pour the delicious teriyaki sauce on top and let the salmon cook through. Absolutely simple, delicious, healthy, and quick. This easy salmon teriyaki recipe is the perfect weeknight dinner in more ways than one!
Easy Teriyaki Salmon Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 TBSP Sugar
- 2 TBSP Water
- 2 TBSP Light Soy Sauce
- 2 TBSP Mirin
- 2 Pieces Medium Size Salmon Fillets
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients (water, mirin, sugar, and low sodium soy sauce) and whisk thoroughly to dissolve the sugar.
- Let’s cook this simple yet delicious teriyaki sauce for salmon. Stir the sauce thoroughly to get all the sugar in the pot and bring the sauce to a boil for 3 to 4 minutes or until slightly thickened.
- Set the sauce aside, change pan and sear the salmon over medium heat. Flip it over once one side has been seared for 2 to 3 minutes
- Add the teriyaki sauce. Keep pouring the sauce over the salmon fillet until flaky, juicy and cooked through.
- You can now add your desired toppings and serve.