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I have a habit of falling into long, energetic discussions about cooking (surprised?). One topic that especially gets me gabbing is go-to ideas. Fast and easy baked salmon recipes like this Soy Ginger Salmon are at the top of my list!

Baked Soy Ginger Salmon – the best, easiest recipe for PERFECT cooked salmon! Moist and flavorful, with a delicious honey soy ginger glaze. Fast enough for busy weeknight dinners, but special enough for company. Recipe at wellplated.com | @wellplated

My most recent cooking-themed conversation was with my hairstylist.

Mid-cut, she asked if I ever found myself cooking the same thing over and over again. (Apparently she was having an interlude with all things sesame/ginger and was curious if I’d gone through similar phases.)

Guess which recipe I couldn’t wait to tell her about…

SOY GINGER SALMON!

  • Salmon is my answer whenever anyone asks about my go-to weeknight meals. (This extensive list of healthy salmon recipes on my site is proof.)
  • I realize that describing salmon recipes (like Honey Glazed Salmon) as my go-to dinner sounds a bit pinkies-up, but I promise the only thing fancy about this salmon recipe is how accomplished you’ll feel after you make it.
  • Salmon is healthy and versatile, and the fact that I spent the majority of my adult life being terrified to cook a piece of fish yet managed to nail baked salmon on my first attempt should tell you that anyone (and I mean anyone) can cook this Soy Ginger Salmon recipe with success!
Easy Soy Ginger Salmon – a quick and easy recipe for busy weeknight dinners. Simple baked salmon, topped with a honey soy ginger glaze. Recipe at wellplated.com | @wellplated

Soy Ginger Salmon—An Easy Recipe Everyone Loves

Aside from the few of my mother’s unsuccessful attempts to persuade us to eat tuna noodle casserole or fish sticks, we ate very little fish growing up.

Even if you had told me as recently as two years ago that I’d start making salmon for dinner at least once a week, I probably would not have believed you.

Fast forward to today: Baked Salmon in Foil and Grilled Salmon in Foil make regular appearances in our home, especially if I’m hosting a party or want yummy, healthy leftovers.

Ben loves these particular salmon dishes (and this Buffalo Baked Salmon) so much that when I told him I was going to make a new salmon recipe with an Asian spin, I thought there might be mutiny.

Guess which version is his favorite now?

Soy Ginger Salmon – Easy baked salmon, topped with a honey soy ginger glaze. Perfect every time! Recipe at wellplated.com | @wellplated

When I’m looking to cook smaller portions of fish (this Spicy Baked Salmon, for example, is fabulous, but it yields a larger amount than I sometimes need) or if I’m craving a fresh twist, today’s Soy Ginger Salmon is my pick.

  • It’s filling, lively, and the chili soy garlic sauce will dance on your taste buds (just like Balsamic Glazed Salmon).
  • As with my Miso Salmon, the umami flavor here is captivating.
  • You can use this recipe to cook as many or as few fillets as you like, so it’s simple to scale to suit one, two, or a few. (For another scalable salmon recipe, check out my Whole30 Salmon.)

Tip!

If you are a fan of making baked salmon too, be sure to check out this Baked Salmon Temperature Guide.

How to Make Soy Ginger Salmon

The method I describe in this recipe is for a seared then baked honey ginger salmon. If you have a skillet, a stove, and an oven, you can make it!

  • First, the salmon is seared on one side. Make sure your pan is screamin’ hot or the salmon will stick. This creates a super satisfying crust on the outside. You’ll love sinking your fork into it! (This Pan Seared Salmon you’ll love too.)
  • Next, you brush an easy soy ginger glaze all over the fish. It’s like a soy ginger marinade but WAY faster, because the fish doesn’t need to rest in it in advance. (For another salmon recipe with ginger flavor, try these tasty Salmon Burgers.)
  • Last, the salmon goes into the oven to bake for a few minutes, until it’s tender and flaky.

{If you prefer a grilled soy ginger salmon, you could use the same soy ginger glaze recipe but cook the fish on the grill instead.}

This Soy Ginger Salmon takes fewer than 20 minutes and tastes like it came from a restaurant (just like this Blackened Salmon).

Your salmon will be crisp on the outside and moist on the inside, and you’ll have only one pan to wash in the end!

Soy Ginger Salmon – a quick and easy honey soy ginger glazed salmon, topped with spring onions. Simple and DELICIOUS! Recipe at wellplated.com | @wellplated

Serving Soy Ginger Salmon

We garnished our Soy Ginger Salmon with spring onions and sesame seeds, but if you are particularly pressed for time or ingredients, it tastes lovely without them too.

  • For a complete meal, try this Soy Ginger Salmon with rice (this brown rice is my go-to) and simply steamed or sautéed veggies.
  • I also like to make extra Soy Ginger Salmon and use the leftovers to top a salad the next day for lunch (I do the same with Teriyaki Salmon and Bourbon Glazed Salmon.)

This Soy Ginger Salmon topped the charts in our kitchen, and I hope it becomes a greatest hit for you too!

  • Cast-iron skillet: If you don’t own one yet, this recipe is the perfect excuse! You can use a different sturdy skillet, but cast iron really will give you the best sear.
  • Fish spatula: I use this for EVERYTHING (veggies, pancakes, eggs), and yes, I use it for fish like this soy ginger salmon too.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Make this Salmon in the Air Fryer?

I haven’t tried to make air fryer soy ginger salmon myself, but I think it could work well. The salmon will turn out slightly different, but the flavors will still be the same. Prepare the salmon according to my Air Fryer Salmon directions, omitting the seasonings and sauces. Reduce the soy ginger glaze from this recipe on the stovetop until thick, then spoon it over the cooked salmon.

What Pairs Well with Soy Ginger Salmon?

Soy ginger salmon pairs well with Instant Pot Brown Rice, Air Fryer Broccoli, Asian Cucumber Salad, or Roasted Green Beans.

What Flavors Go Best with Salmon?

While I love preparing salmon with a variety of different flavor profiles, soy sauce, ginger, and honey are three of the best flavors with salmon. The combination is sweet, zippy, and savory. If you prefer other flavors with your salmon, see all my salmon recipes for more ideas.

Soy Ginger Salmon

4.57 From 255 reviews . Help us out! Review HERE.Help out & review HERE

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 20 minutes

Servings: 2 servings
Baked Soy Ginger Salmon—An easy, foolproof recipe for moist and flavorful baked salmon with honey soy ginger glaze. Simple, healthy, and delicious!

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 2 cloves garlic minced (about 2 teaspoons)
  • 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • ½ teaspoon garlic-chili paste sriracha, or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 pound skin-on salmon fillet* at room temperature, cut into 3–4 portions
  • 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Chopped green onions for serving
  • Toasted sesame seeds for serving

Instructions
 

  • Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Place a large cast-iron skillet or other sturdy, ovenproof skillet on a burner set to high and heat for at least 10 minutes. You want the pan screaming hot or the salmon will stick to it.
  • In a small saucepan, stir together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger. Bring to a simmer over medium high, then remove from heat and stir in the honey and chili paste. Remove a few spoonfuls of the cooked glaze in a separate bowl for serving.
  • Drizzle the salmon with the olive oil and brush so that it is evenly coated. Place the salmon skin-side up on the hot skillet. Let cook for about 3 minutes, totally undisturbed, until the salmon forms a nice crust. When the salmon turns opaque on the sides and starts to turn opaque on top, use a flexible spatula to flip the salmon so that it is skin-side down. Brush or spoon the remaining glaze in the saucepan all over the top. Place the skillet immediately into the oven and let cook for 6 minutes (the salmon will appear a little undercooked in the center but will finish cooking as it rests). Remove from the oven and cover with foil. Let rest 4 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately, topped with reserved glaze, chopped green onion, and sesame seeds.

Video

Notes

  • *You can also use salmon portions (smaller fillets), but be aware that they will bake more quickly. If you use sockeye salmon, please be aware that the fillets are thinner than Atlantic or farm-raised salmon, so it will both sear more quickly and bake more quickly.
  • Serving a crowd? Feel free to scale up this recipe to suite as many fillets as you need—just don’t crowd them in the skillet or they will not sear properly.
  • This recipe is best enjoyed the day it is made. If you have leftovers, try letting them come to room temperature for about 10 minutes, then adding them to a salad or even scrambled eggs or scrambled tofu.

Nutrition

Serving: 1(of 2)Calories: 338kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 45gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 150mgSodium: 1213mgSugar: 7g

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Erin Clarke

Hi, I'm Erin Clarke, and I'm fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food that's affordable, easy-to-make, and best of all DELISH. I'm the author and recipe developer here at wellplated.com and of The Well Plated Cookbook. I adore both sweets and veggies, and I am on a mission to save you time and dishes. WELCOME!

Learn more about Erin

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  1. I modified this a bit and tasted great! I brushed the salmon with sesame oil, then mixed everything and spooned/brushed on fish and baked in oven at 425C. I substituted fresh ginger with 1/2 tsp ground ginger. Yum!5 stars

    3
  2. Do not heat a pan for 10 minutes! You’ll set your house on fire. A couple of minutes will provide a smoking hot skillet. Also, cut the oven time out entirely, or bake for just a couple of minutes. Let the salmon rest for 2-3 minutes and it will be perfect! I followed directions and made salmon jerky. It was tasty, but too dry.3 stars

    3
  3. Immediately burnt and smoked up the house – i had the cast iron on hot for ten minutes and the salmon immediately burnt and set off smoke alarm. The house is smoked up. Ordering take out now.1 star

    4
    1. I’m sorry to hear that you had trouble with the recipe, Meghan. The amounts, flavorings and timing have worked well for myself (and others) so I wished it would have been a hit for you too! I know it can be so disappointing to try a new recipe and it does not turn out for you.

      2
  4. I loved this recipe! My wife likes her salmon a little more well done than me so I put hers on about 1.5 minutes before mine. I used sambal for the spice, served it with brown jasmine rice and Trader Joe’s potstickers. Drizzled a little sauce, next time I’ll add garlic bok choy!5 stars

    1
    1. I’m sorry to hear you had trouble with the recipe, Arthur. I know it can be so disappointing to try a new recipe and it does not turn out for you. It has worked well for myself (and others) and I wished it would have been a hit for you too.

    1. Hi Liv! It is normal to have some smoke when cooking fish on high heat; Can you share what kind of oil you used? I’d love to help you troubleshoot.

  5. No offense to the author but I was really confused by the 245 positive reviews after making this. I had to read the recipe two or three more times to make sure I wasn’t going crazy. I followed the instructions for the sauce with no deviation and it was so bad I didn’t want to put it on the salmon. First of all, the “glaze” does not thicken like you imagine a glaze would, it’s just inherently thick from all the ginger and garlic chunks that, if you follow the instructions, remain completely uncooked. It is also inedible as described in the recipe, I needed to add about double the honey to cut down the overpowering flavor of vinegar, and even then it was not good.

    I’m glad I went with my instinct and seared the salmon normally. There’s no need to go to all that trouble with the oven and cast iron, just 4-5 minutes per side on medium-high heat in a nonstick pan is all you need. You’ll just be wasting your time if you decide to put that sauce on it anyways.2 stars

    1
    1. I’m sorry to hear that you had trouble with the recipe, Bill. The amounts, flavorings and timing have worked well for myself (and others) so I wished it would have been a hit for you too! I know it can be so disappointing to try a new recipe and it does not turn out for you.

      1
  6. My entire family really enjoyed this recipe ! I made an entire Salmon do i had to multiply the recipe 3x !! And it worked like a charm and TASTE AMAZING!5 stars

  7. An excellent recipe! I absolutely love Asian cooking. Seared the salmon beautifully in a stainless steel frying pan, 5-10 mins in the oven and perfect. Glaze thickened beautifully, set some aside as a drizzle sauce for serving. Accompanied with some wok fried mangetout, pak choi & spring onion served with boiled rice, perfection! Will be making this again, thanks!5 stars

    1
  8. The glaze/sauce is delicious. I’m going to be using it on pretty much every fish dish I make for the next month.
    The technique, however, is ridiculous and dangerous. If you get the pan THAT hot, you’re not going to “crust” the fish. You’re going to burn it. You’ll also have rolling torrents of smoke. I was certain that was going to be the case, but I gave the recipe the benefit of the doubt and followed it to the letter. Sure enough, we had to run all three exhaust fans, open both patio doors, turn the central unit from heat to fan, and move a box fan into the kitchen to move smoke toward the patio door. It took half an hour for the smoke to clear.
    A much safer and smarter method would be to do everything else in this recipe, BUT INSTEAD heat the pan to MEDIUM high, put a small amount of oil with a high smoke point (olive at the minimum–grapeseed would be best) and leave the fish undisturbed for 4 minutes. Better result, more satisfying cooking experience and no risk of fire or a symphony of smoke detectors.2 stars

    1. I’m sorry to hear that you had trouble with the recipe, Roland. The amounts, flavorings and timing have worked well for myself (and others) so I wished it would have been a hit for you too! I know it can be so disappointing to try a new recipe and it does not turn out for you. Thanks for the feedback!

  9. This was delicious! Made a pan full for meal prep- was wonderful with roasted sweet potatoes and asparagus with tahini. I can see how it might be easy to burn your fish if you weren’t very experienced using your pans and set up, but that is definitely not the recipe’s fault. My family loved this! Thanks for a great addition to our salmon rotation!5 stars

  10. I do not eat salmon but my husband and kids do and they loved this! The instructions are excellent! Considering I do not cook seafood often this was really easy to follow because of the visual cues and straightforward directions. I doubled the sauce using half on the salmon and half on ground chicken for myself and it was great.5 stars

  11. The method is bad.

    It ruined my pan.

    The fish will stick, then you put sugar sauce into it. Terrible.

    Just Fri in a little of oil and butter next time1 star

    1. I’m sorry to hear that you had trouble with the recipe, Cole. The amounts, flavorings and timing have worked well for myself (and others) so I wished it would have been a hit for you too! I know it can be so disappointing to try a new recipe and it does not turn out for you.

  12. This came out great. Moist, flavorful, and pretty simple! I put the skillet in the oven to heat. Then cooked the salmon on the cooktop after I took it out. I put the pan on a hot burner, and I wasn’t sure if I should do that or put the hot pan on a cool burner. I stuck to all the times, even roasted my sesame seeds in the heating pan. Served it over couscous. Everyone loved it. Thank you for an easy but fancy looking dinner!5 stars

    A plate with glazed salmon topped with sesame seeds and sliced green onions, served on a bed of couscous. The plate has a red and white patterned rim. A small empty dish is in the background on a countertop.

  13. I would make this recipe again. It worked great, I did have to have the exhaust fan on high, it does get smokey when you sear salmon! But I love this recipe!5 stars

    1. So glad you enjoyed it, PLo. Might have to bump the heat down just a little in order to prevent that. Hope this helps!

Load More Comments

  1. Immediately burnt and smoked up the house – i had the cast iron on hot for ten minutes and the salmon immediately burnt and set off smoke alarm. The house is smoked up. Ordering take out now.1 star

    4
    1. I’m sorry to hear that you had trouble with the recipe, Meghan. The amounts, flavorings and timing have worked well for myself (and others) so I wished it would have been a hit for you too! I know it can be so disappointing to try a new recipe and it does not turn out for you.

      2
  2. Do not heat a pan for 10 minutes! You’ll set your house on fire. A couple of minutes will provide a smoking hot skillet. Also, cut the oven time out entirely, or bake for just a couple of minutes. Let the salmon rest for 2-3 minutes and it will be perfect! I followed directions and made salmon jerky. It was tasty, but too dry.3 stars

    3
  3. I modified this a bit and tasted great! I brushed the salmon with sesame oil, then mixed everything and spooned/brushed on fish and baked in oven at 425C. I substituted fresh ginger with 1/2 tsp ground ginger. Yum!5 stars

    3
  4. An excellent recipe! I absolutely love Asian cooking. Seared the salmon beautifully in a stainless steel frying pan, 5-10 mins in the oven and perfect. Glaze thickened beautifully, set some aside as a drizzle sauce for serving. Accompanied with some wok fried mangetout, pak choi & spring onion served with boiled rice, perfection! Will be making this again, thanks!5 stars

    1
  5. No offense to the author but I was really confused by the 245 positive reviews after making this. I had to read the recipe two or three more times to make sure I wasn’t going crazy. I followed the instructions for the sauce with no deviation and it was so bad I didn’t want to put it on the salmon. First of all, the “glaze” does not thicken like you imagine a glaze would, it’s just inherently thick from all the ginger and garlic chunks that, if you follow the instructions, remain completely uncooked. It is also inedible as described in the recipe, I needed to add about double the honey to cut down the overpowering flavor of vinegar, and even then it was not good.

    I’m glad I went with my instinct and seared the salmon normally. There’s no need to go to all that trouble with the oven and cast iron, just 4-5 minutes per side on medium-high heat in a nonstick pan is all you need. You’ll just be wasting your time if you decide to put that sauce on it anyways.2 stars

    1
    1. I’m sorry to hear that you had trouble with the recipe, Bill. The amounts, flavorings and timing have worked well for myself (and others) so I wished it would have been a hit for you too! I know it can be so disappointing to try a new recipe and it does not turn out for you.

      1
  6. I loved this recipe! My wife likes her salmon a little more well done than me so I put hers on about 1.5 minutes before mine. I used sambal for the spice, served it with brown jasmine rice and Trader Joe’s potstickers. Drizzled a little sauce, next time I’ll add garlic bok choy!5 stars

    1