Delicious Asian salmon requires no marinating. Simply broil the fish, brush with a tasty glaze, and serve. The flavors are incredible!
This recipe was a happy accident. It all started when I wanted to use up not just the salmon I had in the fridge, but also scallions. "Ha! I can turn it into an Asian-style dish!" I thought.
But all the recipes I found said I should marinate the fish for at least 2 hours. Then bake it in the marinade, basting occasionally. 😮
No need to marinate!
Since it was already 6 pm, I hardly had time to marinate. So I decided to just brush the salmon with some oil, broil it (a matter of 6 minutes), thickening the marinade into a glaze in the meantime, then brush the cooked salmon with the glaze.
This Asian salmon recipe turned out amazing. And even though my personal favorite is still this boldly seasoned blackened salmon, I think this one comes in at a close second.
And really, it all depends on your mood and on what flavor experience you're looking for on a particular night. Sometimes all I want are the simple flavors of this classic baked salmon.
The ingredients needed for this recipe
You will need the following ingredients to make this tasty Asian salmon recipe (the exact measurements are in the recipe card below):
Soy sauce: I use reduced-sodium soy sauce in most of my recipes. I find that traditional soy sauce is too salty. Obviously, you can also use a gluten-free alternative.
Cornstarch: Just 1 teaspoon to help thicken the sauce. You can use ⅛ teaspoon of konjac flour if you wish.
Honey: Just one tablespoon. It doesn't make the glaze sweet - it just balances out the other flavors. You can try using a sugar-free syrup instead. But a serving only has 5g carbs, even with the honey. So I just use the real thing.
Hot sauce: Much like the honey, it doesn't make the glaze spicy. Rather, it adds an interesting layer of flavor to it.
Fresh garlic and ginger: Mince them by yourself, or use the stuff that comes in a jar.
Salmon fillets: I try to use sustainable wild-caught salmon whenever possible.
Avocado oil: A neutral-tasting oil with a high smoke point, this is an excellent cooking oil.
Scallions: Used mostly for garnish, though they do also add flavor. But if you don't have any on hand, it's OK to simply omit them.
How to make Asian salmon
It's so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
You start by whisking together the Asian-style sauce ingredients and heating them until they thicken into a rich glaze.
Then, brush some oil over the salmon fillets and broil them.
The last step is to brush the salmon with the glaze and sprinkle it with the scallions.
How to thicken the glaze
A comment on thickening the glaze: I use konjac flour, a powerful fiber-based thickener. It's zero-carb and flavor-neutral, but you can definitely use cornstarch instead.
A teaspoon of cornstarch should be comparable to ⅛ teaspoon of konjac flour, though nutrition info will change slightly.
What to serve with Asian salmon?
Any steamed vegetable will do, as will cauliflower rice. I often serve this dish on top of cauliflower rice, with a side of microwave broccoli.
It's also excellent with Asian-inspired side dishes such as braised bok choy or cabbage stir-fry.
How to store the leftovers
You can keep leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them very gently, covered, in the microwave on 50% power.
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Asian Salmon
INGREDIENTS
Glaze:
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or use a gluten-free alternative and add salt as needed)
- ⅛ teaspoon konjac flour or 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
Salmon:
- Avocado oil spray
- 4 (6 oz) wild salmon fillets
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- ¼ cup thinly sliced scallions, green part only
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a small saucepan, whisk together the soy sauce and konjac flour. Add the honey, hot sauce, minced garlic and minced ginger, whisking to combine.
- Heat the glaze over medium heat, whisking often, 2-3 minutes, until it thickens into syrup. Remove from heat.
- Heat broiler on high and position a rack 3-4 inches below heating element (top rack). Line a large rimmed broiler-safe baking sheet with foil and spray it with oil.
- Place the salmon pieces on the foil and brush them with oil. Broil 5-6 minutes, or until opaque.
- Remove the salmon fillets onto a serving platter. Brush with the glaze, sprinkle with scallions and serve.
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living.