Salmon is a bit on the expensive side, but it’s a really nice “sensible splurge” to have on special occasions or when you want to treat yourself. Fish can be intimidating if you’ve never cooked it before, but I promise that this Baked Ginger Salmon is so foolproof that it’s a great beginner fish recipe. I also love this recipe for the fact that the leftovers hold up really well, so it’s a really great item for meal prep.
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Baking Time Will Vary
Salmon filets come in a variety of thicknesses, even sometimes within one fillet, you’ll have one end that is very thick while the opposite end is very thin (like the filet I used in the photos below). Thankfully, this recipe is pretty forgiving. For thicker fillets (1-2 inches thick) you’ll want to bake your salmon for about 20 minutes, for thinner fillets (½-inch or so) you’ll probably only need around 15 minutes. Since my fillet had both a thick end and a thin end, I baked for the whole 20 minutes and the thin side was still not dried out.
To verify you’ve cooked your salmon long enough, you can use an instant read thermometer in one of your thicker pieces and make sure it has reached 145ºF.
What is Toasted Sesame Oil?
Toasted sesame oil is an important ingredient in this dish. This is an oil that is expressed from toasted sesame seeds, so it has a super deep nutty flavor. Just a little splash of this oil really adds a lot of flavor, so you don’t want to skip it. You can find toasted sesame oil in the international foods aisle of most major grocery stores. While it is not always labeled “toasted” you can tell you have toasted sesame oil by the deep brown color. Regular sesame oil (not toasted) is a light straw color, like canola oil.
What to Serve with Baked Ginger Salmon
Because this main dish is so simple, I like to keep everything in the meal super simple. Today I served my Baked Ginger Salmon with Sesame Roasted Green Beans and plain rice, but I think this salmon would also be AMAZING served over Coconut Rice or my Crunchy Cabbage Salad. You could also pair it with something simple like steamed broccoli and Sesame Rice.
Baked Ginger Salmon
Servings 4Ingredients
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger ($0.10)
- 1 clove garlic, minced ($0.08)
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar ($0.08)
- 1 tsp soy sauce ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp toasted sesame oil ($0.02)
- 1 lb. fresh salmon ($7.57)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Grate about 1 tsp fresh ginger. Combine the ginger, garlic, brown sugar, soy sauce, and toasted sesame oil in a bowl.
- Cut the salmon into four equal portions. Place the portioned salmon on a baking sheet lined with parchment or foil, skin side down.
- Spread the prepared ginger glaze over the top of each piece of salmon.
- Bake the salmon for about 20 minutes (15 minutes for thin fillets), or until the internal temperature reaches 145ºF. Serve immediately.
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Equipment
- Enamelware Sheet Pan
- Parchment Paper
Nutrition
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How to Make Baked Ginger Salmon – Step By Step Photos
Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Grate about 1 tsp fresh ginger. If you’re new to working with ginger, it is actually easier to grate when it’s frozen, so when I bring it home from the store I wash it up really well then just pop it into a freezer bag and store it in the freezer. That way I always have fresh ginger on hand. P.S. I never even bother to peel it anymore, I just make sure it’s washed well before freezing.
Combine the grated ginger with 2 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 clove of garlic (minced), 1 tsp soy sauce, and ¼ tsp toasted sesame oil.
Mix the glaze ingredients together until combined.
Cut a one pound salmon fillet into four portions. I cut the thinner end a little wider and the thicker end a little narrower to make the portions more even. If your salmon has skin and scales, you don’t need to remove it. The salmon will be baking skin down, and the salmon flesh easily comes off the skin after baking.
Place the salmon portions on a baking sheet lined in parchment or foil (for easy cleanup), then spread the ginger glaze over the surface of the pieces. You can smear a little on the sides, but leave most of it on top. It will drip down the sides as it bakes.
Bake the salmon in the fully preheated 425ºF oven for about 20 minutes (a little less if your fillets are thin), or until the internal temperature of the salmon reaches 145ºF. The glaze that drips off the side of the salmon may burn on the baking sheet, but the fish and the glaze that is on the fish will not burn.
Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 3 days. Enjoy!
Loved it! So easy and delicious. I did half the sugar, and I used the air fryer for faster cooking.
This recipe looks tasty,I certainly will try it.
This was SO GOOD! Had it with coconut rice and curry roasted broccoli. We just might be making it again tomorrow!
Made this with your coconut rice and sesame roasted green beans and it was delicious! Always nice to have a meal that leaves you time to clean up the kitchen before you eat while the food cooks :)
Been making this regularly and it’s great every time
Made this with coconut rice and served with steamed veggies. So delicious – I will be using this recipe on my salmon from now on!
This was really good and easy. I doubled the glaze quantity and am glad I did. So delicious!
Can this recipe be adapted for the instapot? Thank you.
Hi Suz. We have not tested the recipe in an Instant Pot and have no guidance. XOXO -Monti
This recipe is delicious. Hasn’t failed us once and we’ve made it about 6 or 7 times now. I won’t really make salmon another way lol! Love to put this over steamed snow peas tossed with sweet chili sauce, rice noodles and top with sesame seeds and sriracha!But really it’s great with anything. So so good.
I made this with the baked sesame green beans and coconut brown jasmine rice. It was a huge hit. Delicious, simple, and easy.
Made this last night. Very tasty and well received. Will be bookmarking this to make it again.
Made for my elderly parents and this recipe was a subtle but smashing success for all of our palettes. Definitely going into regular rotation!
How well would this pair with your savory cabbage pancakes?
Hmm, I feel like the cabbage pancakes would be a little too heavy for this. I would choose something lighter and more fresh, like a cabbage salad or slaw. But that’s just my taste buds! :)
Really love this recipe and it’s my husband’s absolute favorite — I’m sure we’d have it every night of the week if salmon wasn’t so pricey! I’ll either serve with brown/wild rice or a salad. There are never any leftovers!
Two pieces of feedback:
1.) I poke the salmon with a fork all over so that the sauce absorbs into it a bit more.
2.) It’s never fully cooked for me at 425 for 20 mins. I usually have to put it back in for at least another 10 minutes to get the internal temp up to 160.
Really delicious and super easy. Thanks for sharing your genius as always, Beth!
One of the easiest and tastiest salmon recipes I have EVER had. Definitely will make again.
I’m always interested in trying out different salmon recipes, since I hail from Seattle. Two things I’ve learned from over the years:
1) If you can, cut your salmon so they are of uniform thickness. That is, for fillets, cut the pieces so the thin pieces (usually along the edge or the tail) are separate from the thicker pieces. That way, they all cook evenly: you can take out the thin pieces earlier and the thick pieces later rather than having the thinner ends overdone and the thicker middle raw/ not done yet. This is not a problem for salmon steaks which are are uniform thickness throughout nor for higher end center-cut pieces (which are often cut from huge salmon and which you see in pricy restaurants).
2) If time is not an issue, try any baked salmon recipe at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes for 1-inch thick salmon. Preheat the oven of course before you put the fish in. After taking it out, let it sit for 5-10 minutes on a plate to complete cooking (like you would with steak or chicken).
I learned this amazingly from an Ikea recipe but the Scandinavians know their fish. That time/ temp leaves one with silky smooth salmon. Higher temps with lower times work OK too but the texture isn’t as wonderfully melting. Some people go even lower (275 degrees) but then it can take longer.
Thanks for the years of recipes, Beth!
This is a recipe I keep coming back to over and over again. Effing delicious
I’ve made your original posting of this recipe many, many times over the years—in fact I’m pretty sure it was the first fish recipe I tried at home. It’s a great tasting, simple recipe. Thank you!
This was great!
I knew this would be tasty, but it was even better than I anticipated! Served it with some mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli on the side (I didn’t feel like waiting an hour for the rice cooker), but this would be awesome with any side dish that doesn’t have overwhelming amounts of flavor. The salmon is the star of the show, so I recommend contrasting it with something seasoned simply (i.e. just salt/pepper/light herbs).
This was my first time cooking salmon, and this recipe is awesome! It turned out so good. I had a thicker piece and ended up baking for 22 min which was perfect. I will definitely make this again, it was so easy. I served it with the Budget Bytes Lemon Pepper Zucchini but also added some summer squash I had, and a 7 grain bag mix from Aldi.
This recipe was outstanding! Thank you for sharing with us.
What’s the best way to reheat this?
I just reheat briefly in the microwave.
How well do you think this recipe would work for Tilapia? I’m trying to eat through what I have and I already have tilapia in the freezer.
I’m not sure I’d like this one with tilapia. I think the fatty salmon is a better flavor match for the peppery ginger. Tilapia is also a very thin filet, so you’d need to reduce the cooking time quite a bit, which will also change how much the glaze gets cooked.
found some salmon on sale at my local store so I made this tonight. I’m always a bit nervous to cook fish but this was so easy and quick and super delicious. I had this with your Sesame Roasted Green Beans recipe and just popped them both in the oven at the same time and made some rice to go with.
Sounds yummy, Beth! We love salmon, and we haven’t tried a ginger topping. Thanks for the recipe.
What side dishes do you recommend serving with this? I have made it multiple times and would love some Asian-inspired side dish ideas. :)
Maybe my Crunchy Cabbage Salad or Sesame Cucumber Salad. :)
Is the ginger mixture storable or freezable? I cook for one and this recipe is not easily divided. Recipe sounds delicious. Thanks
You could probably freeze it, yes. :)
The salmon released a lot of water, so by the end of baking, it was drowning in fluid. Not like the pictures here. It always happens when I bake fish. Why’s that?
Also, recipe doesn’t have salt. That made the salmon too sweet.
The salt is in the soy sauce, but you can always add more if it’s still too sweet for your liking. :) There are a few reasons yours might have ended up watery. Some salmon is pumped full of brine (like they do with a lot of chicken, as well) to make it look more plump and add flavor. It might be that extra liquid that is coming out. Or, if the salmon is too crowded on your baking dish, that prevents good evaporation as it bakes. Lastly, if the oven isn’t fully preheated, that too can prevent adequate evaporation. Those are just some ideas, but it’s hard to say without being there to see the process. :)
Delicious !
Absolutely delicious recipe for Salmon! I paired the Salmon with a side of your Spicy Green Beans and some Minnesota Wild Rice. There aren’t many leftovers!
Hands down, best salmon recipe I have ever made and my favorite recipe I have tried on this site. I added more garlic and in will add even more next time. Garlic tastes delicious when it is roasted over salmon. The salmon came out buttery, just delicious. Luckily I think the price is coming down. I can find it now on sale for 5 dollars a pound. But for a long time I kissed salmon goodbye because it was never on sale and always 8 to 10 dollars a pound. I think there will be a lot more salmon in my future.
Hi! This sounds delicious. English isn’t my first language though and I was wondering, what does “roasted over salmon” mean in this context? Did you literally put the salmon on top of some garlic and then roasted the whole pile?
It is the other way around you put the garlic mixed with the sauce she tells you on top of the salmon.
This is my go to recipe. I have made this so many times that I’ve lost count. I always add extra ginger because this is the recipe that made me fall head over heals in love with that spice. I used to hate salmon, but now I love it.
Delicious!
I guess I should also note that my sauce ran down onto my aluminum foil and started to burn, so keep an eye on your stove.
I’ve made this twice in the last two weeks. Last night I took a 2lb filet from Costco and cut it into 10 portions. Covered dinner last night and several days worth of lunches and dinners. Topped it off with the sriracha mayo in the other salmon recipe. Off the charts fantastic.
Being from Vancouver BC I love my Salmon, I’ve been having a love hate relationship with it since I moved to Ontario tho…Atlantic isn’t as good :P BUT made this last night and loved it!!! I used a 1.5lb slab of fish and didn’t cut it at all, cooked perfectly and served over coconut rice with a roasted corn on the cob (done Beth style)
just made this for dinner with a side of quinoa salad and baked sweet potatoes soooo good thank you for sharing this recipe :)
This dish is a keeper with some modifications. I question the liquid measurements. 1/2t & 1/8t, add ginger & garlic? Mine sauce did not look dark brown. Mine looked more beige. So I added more Liquid Amino (healthier substitute for soy sauce). No reason for all that sugar so I cut that measurement down to 1T. Baked at 425 for 12 minutes since I had two 5 oz servings. Can’t imagine baking a 3oz servings for 20 minutes! That would be an expensive crime to ruin the dish.
Tried this and it was such a yummy recipe! Thank you xo
I substituted olive oil, because the only sesame oil I could find was $8 a bottle! And I used WAY more than 1/8 tsp of it to get the right consistency. I also couldn’t find fresh ginger, so I bought the kind in a jar. It turned out very good, though!
I have no idea if I have ever commented on this post before, but I have made this recipe a handful of times and it is hands down the BEST salmon recipe I have ever cooked. My husband requests it more than any other fish dish. So yummy.
Thanks for the advice! 15 minutes gave me about medium on the large pieces and pretty done on the thinner ones, but my oven runs very hot at my new place. Still, super delicious! I left out the sesame oil but added a half tsp of orange zest and about a tablespoon of fresh squeezed orange juice and served it on top of your coconut rice pilaf — delicious!
Anon – it was cooked to medium on the thick pieces, well on the thinner… but every oven is a little bit different so I would suggest just keeping an eye on it. Check the texture after about 15 minutes and then ever 5-7 minutes after until it’s done to your liking. I hope that helps!
Did this cook the salmon to well done? I want to try this recipe but prefer my fish cooked to medium or even medium rare!
I’ve made this several times, always with great results. I serve it on a bed of rice pilaf with asparagus and a squeeze of lemon.
Just made this and it was absolutely delicious and easy, easy, easy. I needed to add probably double the soy sauce and sesame oil, though. With the amounts listed I had sort of wet brown sugar crumbles rather than an actual liquidy glaze. I definitely plan to make this again!
Also meant to say that this glaze looks great!
Just pointing out that 3/4 lb is 12 oz, so if you cut it into three pieces, each piece will be 4 oz.
DELICIOUS!
Except, I had some trouble with the ratios of the glaze. I had to add a lot more soy sauce and sesame oil.
Not sure what went wrong.
Great work on the glaze. I love easy and simple ways to make great food. I love ginger with fish too. This will be on my dinner menu sometime soon. Thanks!
I have a salmon recipe quite similar to this that I make regularly, it is SO delicious!
One thing I always do when cooking salmon in the oven is to make little foil packets for each piece, and pinch them closed, so the salmon poaches and steams in its own juices in the oven. That way, it gets nice and tender. After about 15 mins of baking in the foil packets, I open them up so the tops of the filets are exposed and then turn on the broiler for a couple minutes so the marinade caramelizes and gets nice and gold and crunchy. Hard to mess up that way!
P.S. I am eating a slice of your cinnamon raisin no knead bread as I write this review…YUM :)
Yum. I love these flavours together. I’m lucky to live in New Zealand where salmon is one of the cheaper fishes you can buy. But you’re right, still more expensive than ground beef.
If you peel your ginger with the edge of spoon instead of a peeler you’ll save a lot of ginger from being cut away. It’s surprisingly quite a bit easier too!
Here’s a vid on it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9zgXSdnPGI
Love the site!
Frozen fish was on sale at the start of Lent where I live so I stocked up. Problem is, it’s still in my freezer. I’ll definitely be making this for dinner tomorrow. Yum!
Maybe try tuna? Tuna is thick and fatty like salmon so hopefully it would go just as well.
im allergic to salmon! (weird i know) do you think this would go well on other kinds of fish?
I encourage you to find a way to keep the skin on…it’s like the best part of salmon. But I love your blog like none other.
I make a sauce really similar to this, but I add a little chili paste in mine, super yummy!
I’ve got a cut of ahi tuna in my freezer, wondering how to cook it. I think this recipe, and a simple Asian style salad would do the trick. Thanks!