Wonderfully flavorful oven-baked teriyaki salmon is ready fast, making it ideal for a weeknight dinner.
I have quite a few salmon recipes on this blog. A good recipe that I make often is pan-fried salmon steak. And baked salmon is a tasty classic.
But this baked teriyaki salmon is one of the best and has become a favorite of mine because it's so wonderfully flavorful.
Low-sugar teriyaki sauce
I love teriyaki sauce on anything - it's so very flavorful. But I used to be afraid of using it because it typically contains quite a lot of sugar, which I'm trying to minimize.
So I developed this low-sugar recipe for easy teriyaki sauce, and it's wonderful. I also use it when making teriyaki chicken wings.
Savory-sweet and intensely flavored, this salmon recipe is also easy and quick. And another plus: there's no need to marinate the fish prior to baking!
The ingredients you'll need
Here's an overview of what you'll need to make oven-baked teriyaki salmon. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below:
For the teriyaki glaze:
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.
Konjac flour or cornstarch: Acts as a thickener for the sauce. The konjac flour is a low-carb option. But even if you use cornstarch, it's just 1 teaspoon so it doesn't much affect the carb count of this dish.
Dry white wine: Classic teriyaki recipes usually call for using sake, but I don't usually have that on hand, and white wine works perfectly well.
Honey: Just one tablespoon! So this truly is a low-sugar teriyaki sauce.
Minced garlic and minced ginger: You can mince them by hand, or be lazy like me and use the stuff that comes in a jar. Just don't use the powders - they're not as potent or as tasty.
For the salmon:
Salmon fillets: I like to use skin-on fillets because I think the skin is delicious. But you can use skinless fillets too.
Olive oil spray: Or use avocado oil if you prefer an oil with a higher smoke point.
Sesame seeds: Used purely for garnish. You can skip them if you don't have any on hand.
How to make baked teriyaki salmon
It's so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
1. Bake the salmon pieces until cooked through. You can also broil them instead of baking. Broiling is simply a faster method.
2. While the fish is in the oven, prepare the teriyaki sauce: Mix its ingredients in a small saucepan, then heat over medium heat, whisking often, until it thickens.
3. Brush the cooked fish with the teriyaki sauce, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and serve.
How to serve baked teriyaki salmon?
In my high carb days, I would have definitely served it over rice. These days, I like to serve it on top of cauliflower rice. It's also very good on a bed of shirataki noodles.
In addition, I like to serve it with a green vegetable. Sauteed sugar snap peas and braised bok choy are good options. Sometimes I simply steam some broccoli and drizzle it with sesame oil.
What to do with leftovers?
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days. Reheat them gently, covered, in the microwave on 50% power.
Leftovers do tend to dry out when reheated. So I prefer to crumble them up and use them as a salad topping the next day for my lunch. Delicious!
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Baked Teriyaki Salmon
INGREDIENTS
Teriyaki glaze:
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce (or use a gluten-free alternative and add salt as needed)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch (or ⅛ teaspoon konjac flour)
- 2 tablespoons dry white wine (or sake)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
Salmon:
- 4 (6 oz) wild salmon fillets
- Olive oil spray
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
Cook the salmon:
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and position a rack in the middle of the oven.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray it with olive oil spray. Place the salmon pieces on the foil and lightly spray them with olive oil. Bake until cooked to 145°F, 12-15 minutes.
Make the sauce:
- While the salmon is in the oven, in a small saucepan, whisk together the soy sauce and cornstarch or konjac flour. Add the white wine, honey, minced garlic and minced ginger, whisking to combine.
- Heat the glaze over medium heat, whisking often, 3-4 minutes, until it thickens into syrup. Remove from heat.
Finish the dish:
- Remove the cooked salmon fillets to a serving platter. Brush them with the teriyaki glaze, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.
NOTES
More recipes to try
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. 