At our home, pan-fried Salmon Teriyaki is always a winner – especially when it takes only 15 minutes to make! Whip up an easy teriyaki glaze with only 5 ingredients for a big BOLD flavor.
One of the reasons I LOVE Salmon with Teriyaki Glaze is because it’s the perfect quick-fix meal that hits the dinner table in minutes! Plus it’s packed with protein and healthy fats, so I can eat multiple servings of this glazed salmon recipe guilt-free!
You don’t know how many times my Air Fryer Miso Ginger Salmon saved me from last-minute dinners. Leftover salmon? Whip together crispy Yaki Onigiri or Salmon Rice Ball with an easy Tuna Rice Balls in just 15 minutes!
Craving chicken instead? No problem. My Teriyaki Chicken recipe is just as easy and delicious and my Karaage is insanelyyyy crispy! Serve up your teriyaki with 10-Minute Veggie Fried Rice or Bok Choy with Garlic Sauce and no one will ever know you made dinner in under 30 minutes!
What You’ll Need
Traditional Japanese teriyaki sauce includes 3 staple ingredients: soy sauce, sake, and mirin, with sugar being an optional fourth ingredient.
This can be helpful for you to know when making your homemade teriyaki glaze so you can experiment in the kitchen with traditional or non-traditional ingredients. Stick to core essentials or build upon them to make your own teriyaki sauce!
- Salmon Fillet: Fresh salmon fillet with skin-on is best. The skin creates a fatty barrier that helps keep the salmon juicy. It also adds incredible texture and flavor – don’t skip it!
- Soy Sauce: This is the KEY ingredient in the teriyaki glaze. I like using Lee Kum Kee soy sauce and usually opt for low sodium. You can use regular soy sauce and add a splash of water if it’s too salty.
- Brown Sugar: This adds just a touch of sweetness, however, if you like your teriyaki glaze extra sweet, you can add more.
- Sake & Mirin: Both are essential for authentic teriyaki glaze and can be easily found at local Asian markets or on Amazon.
How to Make Honey Teriyaki Salmon
Step 1: Make Teriyaki Glaze
Stir together the teriyaki glaze ingredients in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves then set aside.
Step 2: Make Pan-Fried Salmon
Pan-fry the salmon skin-side down to let it get extra crispy. Cook it until it’s about 75% cooked through, then remove the salmon from the pan and wipe down any excess oil from the pan.
If you don’t remove the excess oil, the teriyaki glaze tends to slide off instead of coating and absorbing into the fish.
Step 3: Coat Salmon Teriyaki
Pour the teriyaki glaze ingredients into the pan, bring it to a simmer and cook until it’s slightly thickened, then add the salmon back in. Fully coat the salmon in all that sweet and salty sauce until the teriyaki glazed salmon is fully cooked. Serve with any remaining teriyaki glaze drizzled on top.
👩🏽🍳 Key Tips
- Skin Side Down: The salmon skin is the first thing that needs to hit the hot pan because it takes the longest to cook to get the texture you’re looking for. Give it enough time to turn crispy, otherwise, you may end up with a beautifully seared salmon with a slippery soggy salmon skin no one wants.
- Press Flat: Avoid sad soggy spots of salmon skin by gently pressing down on the fillet with a spatula for a few seconds. This helps the skin lay completely flat and evenly crisp while eliminating any parts bubbling up and turning soggy.
- Render Out Fat: Be patient as the fat from the skin renders out. The more moisture released from the salmon skin, the crispier it’ll be! Adjust the heat as needed so it doesn’t burn. When the salmon looks about 75% done, flip the fillet to finish cooking and create a beautiful sear on the flesh sides.
Variations
As I mentioned, the teriyaki glaze in this recipe is made with the core ingredients, but you can build upon them to adjust the flavors to your tastebuds! Here are a few ideas:
- Aromatics: Some common variations you can experiment with are ginger, garlic, sesame oil, or pineapple juice.
- Sweeteners: Instead of brown sugar, you can swap it out for regular white sugar, honey, or agave, however, you may need to add a little more to get it to the same level of sweetness. Taste and adjust to your sweet tooth!
What to Serve with Pan-Fried Teriyaki Salmon
This pan-fried teriyaki salmon recipes is sweet and savory, so it pairs well with just about anything! A steamy bowl of fluffy rice is always a classic go-to, but there are definitely low-carb and veggie options as well!
Here are a few delicious suggestions:
Let’s get cooking!
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Easy Pan Fried Salmon in Teriyaki Glaze
Ingredients
Teriyaki Glaze:
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1/2 tablespoon sake
Ingredients:
- 2 4- oz salmon fillets pat dry
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds optional for garnish
- 1 green onion thinly sliced optional for garnish
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine all the teriyaki glaze ingredients. Set aside.
- Heat a large pan on medium heat then add about a tablespoon of oil. Sear the salmon skin-side down for about 3 – 4 minutes, or until the salmon skin is crispy and the salmon is about halfway cooked. Flip the fish and cook until seared and about 80% cooked. It'll finish cooking in the teriyaki glaze and you don't want the fish to dry out. Remove the salmon and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low the wipe off any excess oil from the pan. Pour in the teriyaki glaze and cook for a couple of seconds or until the sauce starts to bubble and slightly thicken. If it becomes too thick, add a splash of water.
- Add salmon back in, coat both sides completely, and allow fish to finish cooking.
- Transfer the salmon to a plate and pour any remaining glaze on top. Sprinkle on sesame seeds and sliced green onions as garnish, if desired. Serve with hot steamy rice or vegetables. Enjoy!
Notes
- For Super Crispy Salmon Skin:
- Skin Side Down: The salmon skin is the first thing that needs to hit the hot pan because it takes the longest to cook to get the texture you’re looking for. Give it enough time to turn crispy, otherwise, you may end up with a beautifully seared salmon with a slippery soggy salmon skin no one wants.
- Press Flat: Avoid sad soggy spots of salmon skin by gently pressing down on the fillet with a spatula for a few seconds. This helps the skin lay completely flat and evenly crisp while eliminating any parts bubbling up and turning soggy.
- Render Out Fat: Be patient as the fat from the skin renders out. The more moisture released from the salmon skin, the crispier it’ll be! Adjust the heat as needed so it doesn’t burn. When the salmon looks about 75% done, flip the fillet to finish cooking and create a beautiful sear on the flesh sides.
- Variations: This recipe uses the core ingredients for traditional teriyaki sauce but you can also experiment with other ingredients to build upon them. Either way, it’ll be delicious! Here are a few add-in ideas: ginger, garlic, sesame oil, or pineapple juice.
- Sweeteners: Instead of brown sugar, you can swap it out for regular white sugar, honey, or agave, however, you may need to add a little more to get it to the same level of sweetness. Taste and adjust to your sweet tooth!
Nutrition
Exact calculations may vary. For the most accurate nutritional information, use your preferred nutrition calculator, actual ingredients, and quantities used for the recipe. Please consult with your physician or registered dietitian if more precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
That glaze made all the difference. Will definitely cook again. Thank you!
yay glad you enjoyed it Roberta!