This ultra-quick recipe is ready in just 20 minutes, making it ideal for a weeknight dinner. This recipe was a happy accident. It all started when I wanted to use up not just the salmon I had in the fridge, but also scallions. “Ha! I can turn it into an Asian-style dish!” I thought. But all the recipes I found said I should marinate the fish for at least 2 hours, then bake it in the marinade, basting occasionally. 😮 Since it was already 6 pm, I hardly had time to marinate. So I decided to just brush the salmon with some oil, broil it (a matter of 5 minutes), thickening the marinade into a glaze in the meantime, then brush the cooked salmon with the glaze. It turned out so good, and it was so easy and quick, it now makes frequent appearances on our dinner table.
Ingredients
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make this Asian-style salmon. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need: Soy sauce: I use reduced-sodium soy sauce in most of my recipes. I find that traditional soy sauce is too salty. Obviously, you can also use a gluten-free alternative. Cornstarch: Just 1 teaspoon to help thicken the sauce. You can use ⅛ teaspoon of konjac flour instead if you wish. Honey: Just one tablespoon. It doesn’t make the glaze sweet - it just balances out the other flavors. You can try using sugar-free syrup instead. Hot sauce: Much like the honey, it doesn’t make the glaze spicy. Rather, it adds an interesting layer of flavor to it. Fresh garlic and ginger: Mince them yourself, or use the stuff that comes in a jar. Salmon fillets: I prefer using skin-on fillets. The skin is the best part of the fish, in my opinion. Avocado oil: A neutral-tasting oil with a high smoke point. I use it to coat the salmon fillets prior to cooking them. Scallions: Used mostly for garnish, though they do also add flavor. But if you don’t have any on hand, it’s OK to simply omit them.
Instructions
It’s easy to make Asian salmon! Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps: Prepare the sauce. You start by whisking together the sauce ingredients and heating them until they thicken into a rich glaze. Cook the fish. Then, spray the salmon fillets with oil and quickly broil them. Finish the dish. The last step is to brush the cooked salmon pieces with the glaze and sprinkle them with scallions.
Expert tip
The sauce thickens fast, so make sure to heat it over medium-low heat and keep an eye on it. If it has thickened too much and it’s difficult to spread it on the salmon fillets, you can stir in a small amount of water - a teaspoon or two - to thin it out.
Frequently asked questions
Serving suggestions
Any steamed vegetable will be great with this dish. I often serve it on top of cauliflower rice with a side of microwave broccoli. It’s also excellent with Asian-inspired side dishes such as sauteed bok choy or cabbage stir-fry.
Storing leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them very gently, covered, in the microwave on 50% power.
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