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.
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
Nutrition
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!
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. :)