Teriyaki Salmon with Soy and Mirin Glaze
Why this recipe works
- Balanced glaze: Soy sauce brings salt and umami, while mirin and sugar give the sauce its shine, sweetness and light body.
- Crisp skin: Starting the salmon skin-side down in a hot pan helps the skin crisp before the glaze is added.
- Fast cooking: The sauce thickens in minutes and the salmon cooks quickly, making the whole dish practical for a weeknight dinner.
Get the most out of this recipe
Ingredient notes
- Mirin matters: Mirin gives teriyaki its gentle sweetness and rounded flavour. Dry white wine can be used, but the glaze will taste less sweet and more wine-forward.
- Dry the salmon first: Patting the fish dry before cooking helps it sear cleanly and reduces steaming in the pan.
Texture tips
- For crisper skin: Leave the salmon skin-side down until the skin is well browned and releases easily before turning.
- Keep the centre moist: Glaze the salmon only briefly at the end so the sauce coats the fish without overcooking it.
Common mistakes
- Do not boil the glaze hard: A gentle simmer is enough to dissolve the sugar and thicken the sauce; high heat can make it catch or taste harsh.
- Lower the heat before glazing: Teriyaki sauce contains sugar, so reducing the heat before adding it helps prevent scorching in the pan.
Serving ideas
- Serve with rice: Steamed rice is the simplest pairing, soaking up the extra soy and mirin glaze.
- Add greens: Serve with stir-fried or steamed greens for a fresh contrast to the sweet-savoury sauce.
Equipment you'll need
Ingredients
Instructions
- Trim and finely slice the spring onion, keeping a small handful aside for finishing. In a small saucepan, whisk together the soy sauce, mirin and caster sugar.
- Set the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer, whisking until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for 4 to 6 minutes until glossy and lightly thickened, then take off the heat.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the salmon skin-side down and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the skin is crisp and the flesh is turning opaque up the sides.
- Turn the salmon and cook for 1 to 3 minutes more, until just flaky in the thickest part. Reduce the heat to medium-low, pour in about half the teriyaki sauce and spoon it over the fish for 30 to 60 seconds to glaze.
- Serve the salmon and spoon over the remaining sauce. Finish with the reserved spring onion and the roasted sesame seeds.
Recipe notes
Tips
- For the glossiest glaze, simmer the sauce gently rather than boiling hard, and stop when it coats the back of a spoon.
- Pat the salmon dry before it goes into the pan so the skin crisps quickly and the fish sears rather than steams.
- If serving to pregnant people, young children, older adults, or anyone immunocompromised, cook the salmon until piping hot throughout.
Substitutions
- Replace Mirin with dry white wine for a less sweet, more wine-forward glaze.
- Replace Caster sugar with honey for a rounder sweetness and slightly thicker glaze.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 2 days
- Cool, then refrigerate the salmon and sauce in a sealed container. Reheat gently in a frying pan over low heat with a spoonful of sauce until piping hot, or warm in a 160°C (320°F) oven for 8 to 10 minutes; avoid high heat to prevent the salmon drying out.
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Recipe overview
- Servings: 2 servings
- Total time: 25min (20min active)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cuisine: Japanese
-
Allergens:
Fish Sesame Soybeans
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