Salmon teriyaki is the Japanese weeknight dinner — minimal ingredients, 15 minutes from pan to table, and a result that looks and tastes intentional. The 1:1:1 sauce ratio (soy, mirin, sake) is worth memorizing because it works equally well on chicken, tofu, and cod.
Ingredients
- 2 salmon fillets (skin on, about 150g each)
- 1 tsp neutral oil
- Pinch of salt
Teriyaki sauce:
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 2 tbsp sake
- 1 tsp sugar (optional — for extra gloss)
Method
Prep salmon: Pat completely dry. Score the skin 3 times with a sharp knife (prevents the skin from curling and ensures even contact with the pan). Season with salt.
Sear skin-side down: Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Place salmon skin-side down. Press gently with a spatula to ensure full contact. Cook without moving for 4-5 minutes until the pink has crept up the sides to about 80% of the fillet's height — the salmon is nearly cooked through from the skin side alone.
Flip: Flip the salmon. Cook the flesh side 1 minute only.
Add sauce: Pour the soy-mirin-sake mixture into the pan. It will bubble immediately. Swirl the pan and spoon sauce over the salmon repeatedly as it reduces. The sauce will caramelize and thicken in 1.5-2 minutes.
Remove when the sauce is glossy and coats the salmon. The salmon should be just cooked through — the flesh should still be slightly translucent in the very center.
Serve
With white rice and a green vegetable (steamed broccoli, green beans, or spinach). The sauce from the pan is excellent poured over the rice.
Notes
- The skin-side-down cooking is the technique: searing the skin until it's crispy and nearly cooking the fish through from that side ensures the flesh side doesn't need much heat and won't overcook.
- Skin on is required for this method. Skinless salmon will work but requires adjustment — cook flesh-side down first.
- Leftover teriyaki sauce (reduced, cooled): keeps refrigerated 2 weeks. Excellent for future applications — drizzle on vegetables, use as a dipping sauce, add to fried rice.