Make your next salmon dinner next level with this sticky, sweet Baked Teriyaki Salmon recipe! It’s tender and delicious with a homemade teriyaki sauce that contains no refined sugar. It’s a healthy dinner that’s ready in under 30 minutes!

Teriyaki Salmon on a bed of rice

Salmon is one of my favorite things to prepare. My family loves it, and I love how versatile it is!

My dijon baked salmon and blackened salmon are tried and true favorites, but when I really want to change things up I turn to this Teriyaki Salmon recipe.

I’ve always loved teriyaki sauce, but oftentimes I’ve found it to be unnecessarily sweet when I ordered it out. I created a homemade version that’s the perfect balance of sweet and savory, with no refined sugar.

This meal makes it possible to enjoy a Japanese style dinner quickly and easily in less time that it takes to order and pick up takeout!

Baked teriyaki salmon with rice and broccoli

Why you’ll love this recipe:

  • This salmon teriyaki recipe is tender, flaky salmon topped with a lip smacking sweet and savory teriyaki sauce.
  • The homemade teriyaki sauce contains no refined sugar and it may be customized to suit special diets or utilize what you have on hand.
  • It’s a quick and easy dinner that’s on the table in about 20 minutes.
  • It’s great for meal prep and will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Recipe ingredients

There are a few ingredients in this teriyaki salmon recipe, most of which you probably already have on hand.

The teriyaki sauce includes both maple syrup and orange juice, so there’s no refined sugar. Both add sweetness and a nice depth of flavor that sets it apart.

Teriyaki salmon recipe ingredients

Ingredient notes

  • Salmon. I recommend using wild salmon for the best flavor, texture and added health benefits. Use skinless or skin-on filets, and keep in mind that cooking times vary based on the thickness of your salmon.
  • Soy sauce. Use low sodium soy sauce to control the amount of sodium. For gluten-free and paleo diets, substitute the soy sauce with tamari or liquid aminos.
  • Maple syrup. The maple syrup may be substituted with honey or the sweetener of your choice.
  • Orange juice. Fresh orange juice makes the flavors of this teriyaki sauce recipe shine, while adding a nice depth of flavor as well.
  • Rice wine vinegar. The rice wine vinegar adds a tangy flavor. Feel free to substitute it with mirin or vinegars such as white wine or apple cider if you don’t have any on hand.
  • Ginger. The freshly grated ginger adds wonderful flavor, and it’s easy to prep with my hack. Freeze the entire ginger root and grate it peel and all with a Microplane zester.
  • Garlic. Fresh garlic adds the best flavor, but it may be substituted with a 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
  • Cornstarch. The cornstarch is used to thicken the teriyaki sauce.

How to make salmon teriyaki

This baked teriyaki salmon couldn’t be easier to make. The sauce comes together in minutes, and the salmon bakes up in minutes!

See the recipe card below for full instructions.

How to make teriyaki salmon
  1. Place the soy sauce, water, vinegar, garlic, ginger, maple syrup and orange juice in a small sauce pan and whisk well. Bring to a boil.
  2. Combine the cornstarch with water, then stir it into the sauce. Boil 1 minute, or until thickened.
  3. Spoon half of the teriyaki sauce over the salmon filets and bake for 8 -12 minutes.
  4. Remove from heat and spoon the remaining sauce over the salmon, then garnish with scallions and sesame seeds if desired.
Baked teriyaki salmon on a sheet pan

FAQs

How long should salmon be marinated?

This salmon teriyaki is plenty flavorful without marinating it prior to baking. If you’d like even more flavor, marinate the salmon in half of the teriyaki sauce at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

What seasoning should I put on salmon?

The teriyaki sauce is packed with flavor, therefore the salmon should be seasoned simply with salt and pepper.

How do you thicken teriyaki sauce with cornstarch?

You can easily thicken your teriyaki sauce with cornstarch by combining it with water to create a slurry. Add the slurry to your sauce as it cooks and boil for 1 minute or until it reaches the desired thickness.

Serving suggestions

If you’re wondering what to serve with salmon teriyaki, you’ll find some simple suggestions below.

Recipe notes

  • Pro tip:  Cook the sauce without cornstarch to use as a marinade.  Marinate the salmon in about half of the sauce for about 30 minutes at room temperature, then bake as directed.  Thicken the remaining teriyaki sauce with 1-2 teaspoons cornstarch for serving.
  • Teriyaki sauce may be made several days in advance and even frozen for up to 3 months.
  • You can make this entire meal in advance, assemble, and store in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  • For gluten-free and paleo diets, substitute the soy sauce with tamari or liquid aminos.
Fork digging into plate of teriyaki salmon

More salmon recipes you’ll love:

Did you try this recipe?  If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram

Teriyaki Salmon on a bed of rice

Baked Teriyaki Salmon Recipe

Baked Teriyaki Salmon is smothered in a sweet, savory homemade teriyaki sauce with no refined sugar! It's an easy dinner that's ready in under 30 minutes!
0
reviews

Leave a Review »

Ingredients

For the sauce:

  • 1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup add 1-2 more tablespoons for a sweeter sauce
  • 1/2 orange juiced (2-3 tablespoons)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 4 salmon filets about 1 – 1 1/2 lbs.
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions 

Prepare the teriyaki sauce:

  • Place the soy sauce, water, maple syrup, orange juice, vinegar, ginger and garlic into a small sauce pan and whisk well to combine. Cook over medium heat until it just begins to boil.
  • Combine the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl to create a slurry, then add it to the sauce. Stir the sauce and boil until thickened, about 1 minute, and remove from heat.

Prepare the salmon:

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and spray a medium-sized baking dish with cooking spray or line with foil. Sprinkle the salmon with salt and pepper, and spoon half of the teriyaki sauce over the filets.
  • Bake for 8-12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. A good rule of thumb is 4-6 minutes per 1/2 inch thickness.
  • Remove from heat and top with additional teriyaki sauce and garnish with scallions and sesame seeds if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Pro tip:  Cook the sauce without cornstarch to use as a marinade.  Marinate the salmon in about half of the sauce for about 30 minutes at room temperature, then bake as directed.  Thicken the remaining teriyaki sauce with 1-2 teaspoons cornstarch for serving.
  • Teriyaki sauce may be made several days in advance and even frozen for up to 3 months.
  • You can make this entire meal in advance, assemble, and store in airtight containers in the fridge.
  • For gluten-free and paleo diets, substitute the soy sauce with tamari or liquid aminos.

Nutrition

Calories: 324kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 35g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 94mg, Sodium: 900mg, Potassium: 948mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 14g, Vitamin A: 106IU, Vitamin C: 9mg, Calcium: 56mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Did you try this recipe?Be sure to tag @flavorthemoments with the hashtag #flavorthemoments on Instagram so I can see what you made!

**This recipe was originally published in January 2017. The photos have been updated and the post has been modified to include more recipe information.

Sharing is caring!