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And all in just about 30 minutes. Yessss!
So today is all about this super simple, super quick and crazy delicious caramelized teriyaki salmon.
Teriyaki is one of my most loved sauces. As a kid, my dad would make a stir fry with grilled chicken in a teriyaki sauce, I always loved it. Now that I’ve grown up and cook on my own, I’ve learned that teriyaki sauce is actually so simple. It’s basically just reduced soy sauce, a little rice vinegar and a lot of ginger, at least in today’s case.
FYI, I am on a HUGE ginger kick lately. I cannot get enough.
Since we are smack in the dead of winter, I felt like today might be a good day to have a summer-ish meal. I mean, to be honest you can make this recipe any day of the year, but for some reason, to me it feels a bit summery, you know?
I dunno, maybe it’s the salmon, I tend to think of fish as more of a summer food, but yet I still cook it year round. Who knows!! What I do know is that this is one of those dinners (or lunches!) you make on a day when you need a little sunshine in your life, but the sun just will not pop out from behind those snowy clouds (or rain clouds depending on where you live).
Don’t get me wrong, there are A LOT of snowy days when all I crave is a big bowl of cheesy soup, and an even bigger bowl of pasta, but then there are the days when I am just like… well, SO over it all. Over the snow, over the cold and ready for warmth and tropical things. I know you know just what I am talking about.
This dish is perfect for those kinds of days. It’s fast, healthy, colorful and totally perfect for breaking out of the heavy winter food rut you may be in. It’s also totally satisfying! Hello, carbs, protein, sweetness, saltiness and a little bit of veggies too.
Complete meal!!
The salmon takes SO little time. I was inspired by this month’s issue of Bon Appetit to make a salmon teriyaki the simple, traditional way. So not a whole bunch of sugar and a gazillion other ingredients. These days it seems like teriyaki sauce has a whole bunch of ingredients that I personally cannot even pronounce. Even the homemade version seem to have a whole slew of ingredients and thickeners. NONE of that here. Just soy sauce, rice vinegar, sake, a pinch of sugar and ginger.
Promise it’s all you need to make a killer piece of salmon teriyaki. You first start by caramelizing the salmon in a skillet over high heat. I love this method of cooking salmon because it gets the outside sweet and crisp, but the inside stays moist and tender. You then simmer the teriyaki sauce down to a thin glaze and add the salmon. Done and done.
You see, so simple.
For my side dish I had a long debate in my head about whether or not I should use buckwheat noodles (aka soba noodles) or just cooked buckwheat. At the time I was feeling like all I ever tell you guys about are noodles, so I went with the regular old, cooked buckwheat. I have to admit though, I think I really prefer the soba noodles. That’s not to say that the buckwheat was not delicious, but just more that I REALLY like noodles. If you’re like me and are a big ole noodle person, you can sub cooked soba noodles in place of the buckwheat. Just toss them with the dressing and you”ll end up with sesame toasted buckwheat noodles. YUM!
And you guys?? That’s kind of it. No stories or rambles today, my brain is thinkin Friday, Friday, Friday and then it’s thinking oh no, I’m watching Asher for the next five days. What am I gonna do with her?
All you mom’s out there? Tell me, how do you work and have fun with you kids at the same time?
Also, what the heck do I do with her for FIVE days and FOUR nights?? I’m thinking we might go and make some pottery one day, and then if the weather is nice maybe go horseback riding, and then MAYBE, if I’m feeling super sisterly, I might take the little girl to get her nails done, because she would LOVE that. But see, I have this thing about getting my nails done. As in I hate it cause it totally weirds me out. Bad experience when I was younger… still makes me cringe.
UGH.
Caramelized Teriyaki Salmon with Sesame Toasted Buckwheat.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sake
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon peanut or sesame oil
- 1 1/2 pounds skin on salmon, cut into filets
- 2-3 teaspoons sugar
- steamed edamame, for serving
Sesame Toasted Buckwheat
- 1 cup raw buckwheat groats*
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- 2 teaspoons honey
- juice + zest of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger
- 1/2 hot house or english cucumber, sliced thin
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
Sesame Toasted Buckwheat
- Bring 2 cups water to a boil, add the buckwheat and boil until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain. Add the buckwheat to a bowl and toss with the soy sauce, peanut oil, honey, lime zest + juice and ginger. Stir in the cucumber, green onions and cilantro. Keep warm and serve a long side the salmon.
Salmon
- In a bowl, whisk together the sake, rice vinegar, soy sauce and ginger. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the oil. Sprinkle the top of the fish with with the sugar. Once hot, add the salmon, skin side down. Sear for 2-3 minutes or until the skin is crisp. Carefully flip the salmon and cook another 2-3 minutes or until the salmon has caramelized slightly. Carefully remove the salmon from the pan.
- Wipe the skillet clean of any grease and add the teriyaki sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the sauce has reduced by a 1/3. Add the salmon, skin facing up. Cook two minutes and then remove from the heat. Serve the salmon along side the buckwheat and drizzled with the teriyaki sauce. EAT!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
And now we eat. Preferably with chopsticks because they are my favorite and SO fun!!
P.S I love chopsticks! 🙂
The salmon was awesome! I used cauli-rice from Costco, and it was so good. I added a little toasted sesame oil to the cauli-rice.
Hey Rebecca,
Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
Where do you find buckwheat groats? I’ve been having a hard time finding this!
Hey Ella,
I get mine from Whole Foods. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I made the salmon part of this recipe tonight and it was delicious! I used Mirin instead of Sake but stayed true to the recipe otherwise and it turned out really great. My hubs and 2 year old ate it up too. I sort of threw together the side dish with what I had on hand: buckwheat noodles, broccoli and mushrooms with some sesame oil, sesame seeds and a little soy sauce. It was a tasty, easy and quick meal!
Thank you so much Jessie! I am so happy this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Ehat would you suggest substituting the sake for? Is it a must have for this recipe?
Hey Jess,
You could omit the sake. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I am so sorry! I try to be more clear. So, you have different recipes for “Teriyaki” in your blog. See for example this one (with salmon) and the one you have with chicken (https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/30-minute-teriyaki-chicken-with-sesame-ginger-broccoli/). In the two recipes you make the teriyaki sauce with different ingredients, so I was wondering why the teriyaki sauce change in the 2 recipes, and in case which one of the two is the proper correct teriyaki sauce that you would suggest to follow in general when we want to create a teriyaki sauce. Please let me know if I have explained myself!
Hi Chiara,
Both of the recipes have a sauce unique to the dish. They are both great to use so feel free to follow either one. I hope this helps, please let me know if you have any other questions!
Hello!!!
I made this recipe and I LOVED IT!!!!
I have one question though, I can see that the teriyaki sauce is different in this recipe from the one that you use in other recipes (e.g. Chicken teriyaki, beef teriyaki, etc).
Which one is the correct one for the real teriyaki sauce? Could you write the ingredients and quantities?
Thanks!
Chiara
HI! I am sorry, I am really not sure what you are asking. This recipe is all written out for you. Can you clarify? Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Ho Tieghan!
Oh my God it looks amazing and I cannot way to try it!!!!
May I ask you how I can substitute the sake if I do not find it?
And can I use rice instead of buckwheat (and in case which kind of rice would you suggest)?
The rice can be dressed with the same sauce used for the buckwheat or it is better to dress it with the teriyaki sauce?
Thank you!
Chiara
Hi! You cake use rice wine vinegar instead of the sake. And yes, rice will be so great!! I recommend basmati and yes it can be dressed the very same. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ???
This turned out great!
Thank you Caitlin! xTieghan
This looks amazing! I will definately give it a try!
I hope I will manage as I am not a great cook!
I am sure yours will turn out amazing! Let me know if you have any questions!
I’m considering substituting the salmon for beef. Will it work do you think?
PS. Love your pictures! Lying in bed with my tummy rumbling!
Hi! I think steak will be great, but I think the cooking time will be a little longer. Let me know if you have questions. Thanks so much!
I love your blog and find most recipes easy to follow, but this one was a complete disaster. The sauce burned SO quickly, I spent weeks scrubbing the black char of my pan. The salmon was completely burned on the outside and undercooked (not in a good way) inside. I’m sure I need a searing lesson – this was a waste of very good salmon.
OH NO! I am SO sorry you had so much trouble with this recipe. I feel horrible. It is really important to watch the sauce as it can burn fast! Again, so sorry for the trouble.
This was the first recipe I’ve tried of yours…made it for a stay-in Sat night…so impressed! The salmon was amazing, my hubby kept complimenting me! Will definitely make this recipe again & have plenty more of your recipes lined up to try soon! Thanks Tieghan!
So happy you loved it! Thank you!
This sounds delicious. But am I missing something? What makes the Buckwheat “Sesame Toasted”?
Made the salmon with an Asian chopped salad tonight since we’re snowed in:) used sherry (because sake ain’t cheap!), coconut sugar, tamari, and sesame oil. The kid loved it and trust me, that’s the biggest complement I can give!
Thanks Tieghan xx
Made the salmon with an Asian chopped salad tonight since we’re snowed in:) used sherry (because sake ain’t cheap!), coconut sugar, tamari, and sesame oil. The kid loved it and trust me, that’s the biggest complement I can give!