Gluten-Free Teriyaki Salmon (Printable)
Oven-roasted salmon glazed in a gluten-free teriyaki of tamari, maple, ginger and sesame — quick, flavorful weeknight main.
# What you'll need:
→ Seafood
01 - 4 salmon fillets, about 6 oz each, skin-on
→ Gluten-Free Teriyaki Sauce
02 - 1/4 cup tamari or gluten-free soy sauce
03 - 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
04 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
05 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
06 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
08 - 2 teaspoons cornstarch
09 - 2 tablespoons water
→ Garnish
10 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
11 - 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - In a small saucepan, whisk together tamari, maple syrup, rice vinegar, sesame oil, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Place over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer.
03 - Dissolve cornstarch in water in a separate small bowl. Stir the slurry into the simmering saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
04 - Arrange the salmon fillets on the prepared baking sheet, skin side down. Brush each fillet generously with the thickened teriyaki sauce, reserving a small amount for finishing.
05 - Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the salmon is just cooked through and flakes easily when tested with a fork.
06 - Remove from the oven and brush the salmon with any remaining teriyaki sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and thinly sliced spring onions before serving.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The sauce comes together in one saucepan while the oven preheats, so dinner genuinely lands on the table in under half an hour.
- Tamari gives you that deep umami hit without any gluten worries, and the maple syrup adds a richness that refined sugar just cannot match.
- It reheats beautifully the next day over cold rice, which I discovered by accident and now look forward to more than the fresh version.
02 -
- Overcooking salmon is the single biggest mistake you can make here, so pull it when the center still has a tiny bit of translucence because carryover heat finishes the job.
- If you want to marinate the salmon for twenty minutes before baking, the flavor penetrates deeper, but do not leave it longer than thirty minutes or the acid starts breaking down the texture.
03 -
- For a spicy kick that changes the whole personality of the dish, stir red pepper flakes into the sauce right before it thickens, start with a quarter teaspoon and taste from there.
- Pat the salmon completely dry with paper towels before glazing, because any surface moisture prevents the sauce from adhering and you end up with a puddle instead of a coating.