Salmon Teriyaki

By Ali Slagle

Updated Oct. 12, 2023

Salmon Teriyaki
Kelly Marshall for The New York Times. Food Stylist; Barrett Washburne.
Total Time
20 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Rating
4(370)
Notes
Read community notes

Salmon teriyaki is a classic for many reasons, most notably because it is crisp and tender, sweet and savory all at once. This quick, single-skillet rendition cooks the salmon most of the way on its skin so that the flesh is tender and the skin is shattery-crisp. In the last few minutes, the fish is glossed in teriyaki sauce. (The “teri” in teriyaki means “gloss” or “luster.”) You could add a smidgen of chopped Thai chiles or grated garlic or ginger to the sauce if you like, or just embrace the allure of its sweet saltiness.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 4(4- to 6-ounce) skin-on salmon fillets, patted dry
  • Salt
  • 1teaspoon neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed
  • 2tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2tablespoons mirin
  • 2tablespoons sake
  • 4teaspoons dark brown sugar
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

340 calories; 20 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 30 grams protein; 524 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Season the salmon flesh lightly with salt, then coat the skin with oil. Place the salmon skin-side down in a large (12-inch) nonstick skillet. Turn the heat to medium and cook until the salmon is opaque halfway up the sides, 10 to 14 minutes. From time to time, press the salmon down with a spatula to help the skin make contact with the pan.

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, mirin, sake and dark brown sugar.

  3. Step 3

    Reduce the heat to low, flip the salmon and pour the sauce into the skillet, making sure to get the sugar in the bottom of the bowl. Let the sauce simmer until it starts to thicken, about 1 minute. Continue to simmer and occasionally spoon the sauce over the salmon until the salmon is cooked through and the sauce is foamy and glazy, 1 to 3 more minutes. If the salmon is done before the sauce has thickened, transfer the salmon to a plate and continue to simmer the sauce until it resembles maple syrup. Pour the sauce over the salmon.

Ratings

4 out of 5
370 user ratings
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Cooking Notes

Hephaestis

Or you can use Trader Joe’s Soyaki or Island Soyaki instead of mixing your own. Cooking is fun, but there’s no need to be too much of a purist. Else we’d all be out salmon fishing for our supper.

Marty West

The secret to the best salmon is not to buy pen reared 'Atlantic', 'Canadian', or 'Scottish' salmon. Buy wild Alaska or pacific salmon. The difference in taste is massive

Jeff

My take on this is a little different and I believe better. Make a marinade of 2/3 teriyaki and 1/3 tamari, then using a zester grate about 1 inch (or to taste) ginger and 8 cloves of garlic. The salmon can marinade all day, and it delivers a great flavor.

Ruth

A better instruction might be, when ready to flip the salmon, put it on a plate. Add the sauce to the skillet and then place the salmon in the skillet.

Lauren C

Followed the recipe as written and it came out delicious! The sauce didn’t get as thick as maple syrup but thick enough to stick to the salmon. Topped with green onion and sesame seeds.

Diane

Better yet, marinate salmon in 1/2 olive oil and 1/2 teriyaki for several hours. Remove salmon and bake at 325 for 15 minutes. Delicious!

Mare Trudeau

Toasted Sesame oil makes all the difference. It changes this recipe from just okay to really much better.

Joyce S Harris

I’ve made my own version of this teriyaki salmon recipe for many years, and it has become a favorite of mine — and it is also a dish that’s reliable enough to serve to guests. I like to plate it with rice and asparagus, but it works well with any number of different sides.

Tom

I much prefer this teriyaki marinade that my oldest sister gave me over 50 years ago. Still the best I've ever had. TERIYAKI MARINADE ½ cup good quality soy sauce (brewed in Japan is best) ¼ cup brown sugar ½ tsp baking soda ¼ tsp ground black pepper 2 tbl peanut oil or salad oil 1 tsp ground ginger 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp cracked red pepper ½ cup rice wine Heat together all ingredients, except the wine, until dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Add wine to mixture.

Helene

I liked it - though it's very sweet. 3 teaspoons sugar might do, and a fresh hit of ginger would really lift things up.

Idna

I, too, use Veri Veri Teriyaki sauce and bake as Chris decribes. However, I begin with a very slight glaze of Lyle's Golden Syrup and add a dash of honey Aleppo pepper and chili flakes, finishing with more sesame seeds for added crunch. My friends often ask me to bring it to potluck dinners.

Chris

I always use Veri Veri Teriyaki. I pour it over the filet and let it marinate in the refrigerator up to an hour. The filet is placed on a baking sheet on parchment paper, then sprinkled generously with nori furikake then baked in a 350 oven for about 20-25 minutes, depending on size of filet (this is assuming a whole filet of King salmon which is thick). The worst thing to do to salmon is to overcook it.

Jay Woods

Substitute sherry for sake, rice wine vinegar for mirin.

Heath

Does anyone have a suggestion to prevent the white fat oozing from the salmon as it cooks? Tastes fine but rather unappealing.

Stephanie

I would make this again. For those who say you can use bottled teriyaki sauce, of course you can, but this sauce is much better than any bottled sauce. I had two large and thick pieces of wild salmon, and they did take the whole 10-14 minutes skin down to cook as directed (starting with cold pan). I actually covered the pan after five minutes in order to speed up the cooking, and that worked. The sauce took longer to thicken than directed.

Wiik

Good recipe! It's easy to prepare, and the flavor really is different from the traditional sauce I find at local restaurants. I used 3 tablespoons of sugar and worked well.

speri

Quite good. I think the ginger would notch it up a level. The sauce has a different and better taste than bottled. Compliments the salmon well. Going into the regular rotation.

Sean

Fry the salmon for 10 to 14 minutes? Then flip it and cook it some more? This is insane. It doesn't take longer than 5 minutes.

Jaimie

LOVED this. Super easy and perfect for a last minute dinner (I almost never have the forethought to marinate ahead). I added some grated ginger and garlic, subbed mirin for sake, and only used 1 tsp sugar. So good!!

Charley

I’m not a teriyaki snob. Kikoman worked fine for me. But I like my salmon pink in the center, almost sushi-like. Why I don’t order it in a restaurant. It’s always over cooked. My total cooking time for this, with a 1” filet, was 6 minutes.

Sherry

Perfect teriyaki recipe, Tom. For those of you, that said, the sauce is too thin, remember, you can always make a slurry with cornstarch at the end

susan

I make a marinade/sauce combining soy sauce and maple syrup, plus a bit of ginger. The sweetness can be controlled by the amount of syrup used. The salmon can be seared, baked. Or bbq’ed. Excellent alongside a skewer of marinated veggies and some white rice!

susan

I make a sauce for salmon using soy sauce and maple syrup. So easy, and so good! The sweetness can be controlled by the amount of maple syrup you use. I have used this for bbq salmon, pan cooked and baked salmon. A bit of ginger adds yet another note. It also goes well on skewered veggies on the bbq along with the salmon. Add some rice for a delicious meal.

Tom

I much prefer this teriyaki marinade that my oldest sister gave me over 50 years ago. Still the best I've ever had.

Tom

I much prefer this teriyaki marinade that my oldest sister gave me over 50 years ago. Still the best I've ever had. TERIYAKI MARINADE ½ cup good quality soy sauce (brewed in Japan is best) ¼ cup brown sugar ½ tsp baking soda ¼ tsp ground black pepper 2 tbl peanut oil or salad oil 1 tsp ground ginger 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp cracked red pepper ½ cup rice wine Heat together all ingredients, except the wine, until dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Add wine to mixture.

Howard

The sauce was excessively sweet, at least to my palate. Cloying and sticky, it rendered the salmon into a confection not suitable for a main course.

Helene

I liked it - though it's very sweet. 3 teaspoons sugar might do, and a fresh hit of ginger would really lift things up.

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