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.
This post contains some affiliate links, which means that we make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.
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.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
- Enamelware Sheet Pan
- Parchment Paper
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!Video
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!
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!