Grilled Teriyaki Salmon
- By Amy Dong
- Updated Jun. 3, 2025
Teriyaki Salmon is what I used to order at Japanese restaurants on the regular, but ever since my father-in-law handed down his secret to the best teriyaki sauce, I have never looked back. For over 20 years, I’ve been making this Teriyaki Salmon, and it’s still my now-grown kids’ favorite dish to come home to.
In This Article
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Amy’s Notes
After years of hosting dinner parties and cookouts, friends and family have come to expect Teriyaki Grilled Salmon on our menu. I always have salmon in the freezer for this particular recipe.
- It’s Super Fast: Teriyaki Salmon is one of our favorite 30-minute meals – perfect for a speedy, delicious weeknight meal.
- It’s Healthy: It’s no secret that salmon is packed with health benefits. We love when a recipe is both bursting with flavor and nutritious.
- The Best Teriyaki Sauce: This is our previously secret Teriyaki sauce that I couldn’t continue keeping to myself. It’s incredible over grilled fish, chicken, and shrimp alike.
Key Ingredients
- Salmon Filets – For the best results with this recipe, look for salmon filets that are about 1″ thick throughout and 6-8 oz. each.
- Teriyaki Sauce – Grab your favorite brand of Teriyaki sauce (we like Kikkoman). This acts as the base for our sauce.
- Sugar – We use both white and brown sugar in the sauce to sweeten the flavors and help create that slightly crispy, golden exterior on the salmon filets.
- Orange Wedges – Fresh orange juice adds just the right pop of sweetness, acidity, and citrus to the Teriyaki sauce.
- Ground Ginger – This recipe uses ground ginger for ease, but feel free to use freshly grated ginger for more intense flavors.
- Cornstarch – Cornstarch helps thicken the sauce so it sticks on the salmon.
Substitutions And Variations
Teriyaki Salmon can be made in so many different ways. Here are our top picks:
- Bake Instead of Grill: To bake salmon, simply prep it as you would and place it in the oven at 375F. Bake for roughly 10 minutes, and finish under the broiler until browned. Check out this recipe for Easy Baked Salmon for more detailed instructions.
- Use the Air Fryer: Take a look at our recipe for Air Fryer Salmon for tips with this cooking method. Just place towel-dried fish in the air fryer at 400F for 6-8 minutes. Garnish with sauce after.
- Swap the Seafood: Teriyaki sauce elevates any protein to the next level. Try serving it over Grilled Shrimp or this Easy Perfect Mahi Mahi.
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
- Combine all sauce ingredients in a pan and bring to a boil; immediately reduce to a simmer, whisking until thickened.
- Rinse salmon fillets and pat dry as thoroughly as possible. This step is important, as excess moisture causes salmon to steam rather than brown nicely.
- Place salmon fillets on preheated grill and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. Salmon is done when the centers are just cooked through, or just barely fully cooked, depending on your preference. However, take care not to overcook or it can dry out.
- Remove filets from heat and let sit a few minutes. Top with teriyaki sauce and enjoy immediately.
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
How To Prep Ahead
Here are our best prep ahead tips to make this dish even easier:
- Thaw the Fish in Advance: If using flash frozen salmon, take the fillets out the night before and place them in the fridge to thaw overnight.
- Thaw the Fish Last Minute: If you forgot to take out the fish the night before, no worries! You can thaw frozen filets in just about an hour by placing them in a Ziploc bag and submerging the bag in cold water, replacing the cold water every 20 minutes.
- Make the Teriyaki Sauce: This teriyaki sauce will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for at least a week. Make the sauce, let it cool, and chill until ready to reheat!
Pro Tips for Sucess
- Get Quality Fish: Fresh salmon fillets are best, but individually sealed flash-frozen fillets are also very good. As with all protein, the better quality your salmon, the better your results will be.
- Prepare Salmon: Always gently rinse fillets with cool water and dab off all excess moisture before seasoning and cooking.
- Get the Grill Smoking hot: Always be sure your cooking surface, whether outdoor or indoor stovetop grill, is smoking hot (literally) before laying down the fish.
- Don’t Overcook: Be sure not to overcook the salmon. You don’t want a chalky finish. Cook just until center is almost cooked through. The edges should be browned and flaky, with a tender just-done center.
- Let Salmon Rest: Let cooked fish rest at room temperature for a few minutes before serving, as this helps fish retain juiciness and tenderness.
What To Serve With Teriyaki Salmon
Starches
- Serve Teriyaki Salmon with Fluffy Jasmine Rice or this Perfect Instant Pot Brown Rice for a healthy, hearty choice.
- Hawaiian Macaroni Salad is a tasty, simple side that pairs well here. If you love stir-fry noodles, try this Lo Mein Noodles recipe.
Veggies
- This Chinese Chicken Salad can be made with or without the chicken; the dressing is unbelievable.
- If you’re grilling your salmon, serve this Grilled Zucchini for a healthy, green side.
Drinks and Desserts
- For a cookout, nothing beats a pitcher of ice cold Hawaiian Mai Tai (make-ahead!) For a smaller group, shake up a couple of these Mango Cocktails | 5-Ingredient Recipe
- After the meal, enjoy a nice big scoop of Green Tea Ice Cream in the hotter months or Red Bean Mochi Bars in the cooler months.
Video: Watch Me Make Teriyaki Salmon
Did you make this?
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Teriyaki Salmon (with Best Sauce)
This Teriyaki Salmon is tender, flaky, easy, and delicious! Healthy to boot. The teriyaki sauce is the best sauce you’ll ever brush onto any grilled meats.
Ingredients
For the Salmon:
- 4 salmon fillets, 6-8 oz each, about 1-inch thick
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Teriyaki Sauce:
- ½ cup Teriyaki Sauce, such as Kikkoman
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup white sugar, plus more to taste
- ¼ cup brown sugar, very tightly packed
- Juice of 2 fresh orange wedges
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch, fully dissolved in 2 TB water
- dash of ground ginger
- Garnish: toasted sesame seeds, thinly sliced green onions
Instructions
- In a heavy medium pan, combine all sauce ingredients. Whisk to combine well. Bring to a boil. Lower to simmer and whisk until sauce is thickened, about 1 minute. Taste and add more sugar, if you like it sweeter. Keep warm.
- Thoroughly dry salmon fillets with paper towels. Sprinkle a light layer of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper on both sides (or just top side, if bottom has skin on.)
- Lightly grease and heat outdoor grill or indoor cast-iron grill until very hot and smoky. Lay salmon fillets on grill and cook on medium-high heat until just-cooked. If cooking indoors, cover pan partially to reduce smoke. Cook about 2-3 min per side, depending on thickness. Do not over-cook.
- Let cooked fish rest at room temp for a few minutes before serving.
- Drizzle salmon fillets generously with teriyaki sauce and garnish as desired. Serve immediately. Delicious over a bed of rice or over a plate of green salad.
Notes
- Make sure grill is extremely hot (smoking) before cooking fillets.
- Feel free to make teriyaki sauce in advance, and serve it with any protein. It keeps well in the fridge for at least a week!
- Serve teriyaki salmon over a bed of Instant Pot Jasmine Rice with Grilled Zucchini for a full, balanced meal.
- This recipe is part of our delicious fish and seafood recipe collection.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 389kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 1459mg | Potassium: 933mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 68IU | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 2mg
FrequentlyAsked Questions
How long does teriyaki salmon keep?
Teriyaki salmon will stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. We suggest storing the sauce separately from the salmon to keep salmon from getting mushy.
How can I tell my salmon is done?
You’ll know your salmon is cooked just right when it flakes when pressed with a fork. If using a food thermometer, your salmon should reach 145F according to USDA guidelines. I prefer to cook my salmon just under that, as the fillets will continue to cook a bit while they rest. Be sure not to overcook or salmon can become dry.
Should I cook my salmon with the skin on or off?
It’s totally up to you. We find that the salmon filets hold together better and stay more tender when the skin is on – you can always separate the skin after cooking- but you can still have great results with it off.
Is teriyaki salmon gluten free?
If you get a gluten-free teriyaki sauce then, yes, this dish is totally gluten free! Be sure your brand of teriyaki sauce is labeled gluten-free.
Why do you need to let the fish rest after cooking?
Letting the salmon rest allows it to finish cooking on the inside and keeps it from losing the tenderness and juices when you cut into it.
More To Cook And Eat
- Grilled Salmon with Honey Lime Glaze – This simple glaze lends a tangy, sweet, and savory flavor combination to your salmon
- Spicy Thai Grilled Shrimp – Grill up something different! Try this succulent shrimp with a kick.
- Honey Mustard Grilled Pork Chops – It couldn’t be easier to grill up flavorful, tender pork chops with this honey mustard sauce.
- Grilled Steak Tacos, Hawaiian Style – After trying this steak taco recipe, you’ll be putting it on regular dinner rotation all summer long.
- General Tso’s BBQ Grilled Chicken – You can get better-than-takeout flavors with this mouthwatering chicken recipe.