Asian Salmon (aka Sweet & Savory Salmon)
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With the perfect marriage of sweet and savory marinade ingredients, this baked Asian Salmon recipe turns out moist and full of complex flavors. Just 5 minutes of prep, 30 minutes of marinating, and about 15 minutes to bake.
About This Recipe
This is my go-to salmon recipe around here. It’s simple, fast, moist, and quite delicious!
Difficulty Level: I would say this is an EASY recipe. Even novice cooks could make this one.
Taste: Mmmm. The flavor of this Asian Salmon is complex. Much like our Hawaiian Pork Tenderloin Marinade, it has a sweetness to it but it isn’t…sweet. It also has savoriness from the soy sauce, nuttiness from the sesame oil, and a little heat from the fresh ginger and red pepper flakes.
Cooking Method: I love how easy this recipe is to throw together. It takes 5 minutes to prep the marinade, then the salmon marinates for 30 minutes on the counter, and finally, it bakes for about 6-8 minutes. You can also broil the salmon toward the end of the cook time to help caramelize it on top if you want.
Serving Size: This recipe makes 6-servings and is easy to pull off, making it a great main dish to serve when you’re having company. But, if you’re just cooking for yourself or a few people, you can definitely cut the recipe in half.
Ingredients Needed
The marinade is really what makes this salmon a winner, so don’t skimp on fresh ginger and green onions. Every ingredient here counts…
- Soy sauce (Gluten-free option: coconut aminos or gluten-free Tamari soy sauce)
- Rice vinegar (do not buy seasoned rice vinegar)
- Sesame oil
- Honey
- Fresh ginger – I store mine in the freezer after peeling it.
- Garlic cloves or pre-minced garlic
- Green onions or chives
- Black pepper
- Red pepper flakes
- Salmon – You can buy one large or individual salmon fillet, preferably thick (5-6 oz) fillets with skin on to keep them moist.
Step-by-Step: How to Make Asian Salmon
1. In a gallon-sized bag, combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, ginger, garlic, green onion, red pepper, and pepper. Zip shut and shake to combine.
2. Add salmon fillets to the marinade and seal the bag. Set on the counter for about 30 minutes, turning once or twice to evenly distribute marinade. (Tip: This is a good time to get some side dishes started, like brown rice and stir fry veggies. See more ideas below.)
3. Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup.
4. Remove the salmon from the marinade with tongs and place it on the prepared baking sheet, skin side down. Bake until cooked almost through, about 6-8 minutes.
How to Know When Salmon is Done:
- Internal Temp: Salmon is done at 125°F–130°F in the thickest part for best results. (USDA says 145°F, but salmon continues to cook while it rests, so its better to take it off earlier.)
- Flake Test: Use a fork to gently press into the thickest part of the salmon. It’s done if it flakes easily.
- Color Change: Raw salmon is translucent and usually deep pink. As it cooks, it turns opaque pink so keep an eye on the thickest part to make that color change.
- Texture: When pressing with your finger it should feel firm but still give a little to be done. If it’s super firm and dry-looking—it’s overcooked.
What Sides to Serve with This Dish
My preferred way to serve this salmon is over brown rice (try our easy Instant Pot Brown Rice recipe) with a drizzle of the reduced sauce. You could also saute some frozen stir-fry veggies to have on the side.
More Side Dish Ideas:
FAQs
Wild salmon is readily available and affordable in most grocery stores now, but the tastiest wild salmon I’ve had is from ButcherBox. It’s where I get all of my meat because they offer affordable, healthy (and delicious!) meat from small farmers that is delivered to my doorstep on my schedule. Cancel any time. Check out their latest deal here.
Yes! They are much cheaper than fresh, but just know that they are usually about 4 ounces each and rather thin. You’ll need to keep a close eye on them in the oven as they will cook much faster than the thicker, fresh salmon fillets.
The white stuff that appears on the top of salmon after cooking it for a while is called albumin (a protein that’s safe to eat but doesn’t look so appetizing). It typically oozes out at a temperature of 135°F or higher when it’s overcooked. So that’s why we suggest removing the salmon before it reaches that temperature.
More Salmon Recipes You Might Like
Here are few more salmon recipes from our collection you might enjoy…
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
Asian Salmon (aka Sweet and Savory Salmon)
A perfect marriage of sweet and savory Asian marinade ingredients, leaves salmon moist and full of complex flavors. Broiling at the very end helps caramelize the top a little.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce (Gluten-free option: coconut aminos or gluten-free Tamari soy sauce)
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger (I store mine in the freezer after peeling it.)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon thinly sliced green onion, plus more for garnish
- 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to your heat preference)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (omit if not using low sodium soy sauce)
- 6 (4 ounce) salmon filets*
- Optional for serving: butter, soy sauce, and sliced green onions or chives
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Instructions
Make It Now:
- In a large zip-top bag, combine honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, green onion, red pepper, pepper, and salt. Zip shut and shake to combine. (Freezing instructions begin here.)
- Add salmon fillets to the marinade and seal the bag. Set in the fridge for 30-60 minutes, turning once or twice to evenly distribute marinade.
- Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup.
- Remove the salmon from the marinade with tongs and place it on the prepared baking sheet, skin side down. Bake about 6-10 minutes*, until 125-130°F internally and opaque in the middle (no raw looking areas). The cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of the fillets. Check the temperature early, if your fillets are thin and small. Do not overcook!
- Serve warm with a pad of butter on top, a drizzle of soy sauce, and sprinkle of green onions, if desired.
*If you want more caramelization on the outside of the salmon, position the top rack about 6 inches from the broiler. When your salmon reaches about 110-115°F internally, turn on the broiler. Broil the salmon on the top rack for 2-3 minutes, or until cooked through.
Freeze For Later: Complete Step 1, preparing marinade in a gallon-sized freezer bag. If the salmon is not already frozen, place it in a separate freezer bag or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Squeeze all air out of bags, seal, and freeze together as a meal kit. You could also include a bag of frozen brown rice and stir fry veggies to complete the kit.
Prepare From Frozen: Thaw the salmon and marinade in the refrigerator or using the cool water method (submerge sealed freezer bags in cold water until thawed–only about 30 minutes). Then, prepare according to Steps 2-5.
Notes/Tips
Cooking in Foil: The original recipe called for cooking the salmon in foil. If you’d like to do that, place the salmon and marinade in heavy-duty foil, pull up the sides and seal. Leave some room inside at the top. Bake for 15 minutes or until done. You may want to use the broiling trick above to caramelize the top more.
Make It A Freezer Meal: You can freeze this recipe along with a bag of frozen stir fry vegetables and Instant Pot Coconut Rice to make a freezer meal kit.
Where We Get Wild Salmon: My favorite frozen wild salmon is from ButcherBox. Read my review and check out their latest deal here.
Easy and tastes like spring! Tasted really nice with roasted baby potatoes and roasted asparagus! Thank you.
You’re so welcome Heather. Those side dishes sound perfectly delightful with it and also much like spring!
This is seriously so delicious! (And easy!)
Can the fish marinade all day in the fridge before cooking?
No, it’s really important that it only marinates about 30-60 minutes, so that it doesn’t break down and get mushy.
Got it. Thanks!
This sounds great. I’m going to try it! Only thing that worries me about the foil packets is knowing when it’s done, since it’s hard to check. I guess I could just broil for longer if it’s not done when I open up the packet. Thanks!