Asian Marinated Salmon
Make dinner simple with this 5-Ingredient Asian Salmon—a blend of savory, sweet, and slightly spicy flavors that perfectly compliment the natural flavor of salmon, and make for a quick, flavorful meal.
This recipe offers serious flavor with ease. With a quick and easy marinade, this recipe is a game-changer for busy evenings, as it requires only a few minutes of hands on time to make. It can be tossed together in 5 minutes, let it marinate for 30, and bake or grill for extraordinary flavor without the fuss.
Serve with Easy Rice Pilaf and Garlic Roasted Broccoli for a complete, wholesome, and simple meal.
We love salmon and steelhead at our house, actually we love just about all fish, like this Roasted Halibut Sheet Pan Dinner, or Orange Coconut Truffle Sauce with Monchong but we eat salmon the most.
- Oven Poached Salmon
- Honey Dijon Salmon
- Miso Salmon
- Cajun Baked Salmon
- Sheet Pan Baked Salmon
- Garlic Rosemary Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce
- Cedar Bay Grilling Company and Lemon Dill Rice
We love salmon in a ton of ways, but our friend introduced us to this method, and we haven’t looked back.
This marinade works perfectly with either Salmon or Steelhead. So if you have a big fillet or even individual portions, this recipe is a perfect option. It is only a few ingredients but boasts major flavor!
What You Need to Make Asian Marinated Salmon
- Maggi Sauce (1/3 cup):
- Maggi sauce, with its umami-rich flavor, adds depth and complexity to the marinade. You can find it in the “Asian aisle” of most grocery stores. It’s a versatile condiment that enhances the overall taste of the dish. If you can’t find Maggi, you can sub Coconut Amino Acids or Soy Sauce.
- Brown Sugar (1/3 cup):
- The brown sugar provides a perfect balance of sweetness, and creates a caramelized glaze as the salmon cooks. It also helps to achieve that appealing, slightly sticky exterior that will have you coming back for more. If brown sugar isn’t available, maple syrup or honey are good alternatives.
- Gochujang (2 Tbs):
- Gochujang, a Korean chili paste, brings a subtle heat and unique depth of flavor. This condiment is subtly sweet as well, and adds a hint of spice without overpowering the dish or making it too spicy for children to enjoy. Substitute sriracha if needed, but use far less, as Sriracha has a much more potent heat.
- Minced Garlic (1 Tbs):
- Garlic infuses the marinade with its aromatic essence, enhancing the overall savory profile. It’s a key ingredient for building depth of flavor in this marinade, and offers bold and irresistible flavors. Fresh, paste, or even powdered is fine, just be sure to use it!
- Salmon Fillets:
- Opt for high-quality salmon fillets, ensuring freshness and tenderness. The marinade perfectly complements the richness of the salmon, creating a mouthwatering result. Or use a steelhead trout for the same results. Skin off or on is fine. I used skin on to grill it to perfection, and it came off the skin super easily when I was ready to serve.
I love pairing this with Lemon Dill Rice and Garlic Broccolini
How to Make Asian Marinated Salmon
Make the Marinade
- In a bowl or zip top bag, whisk togetherMaggi sauce, brown sugar, gochujang, and minced garlic.
Marinate Salmon
- Place the salmon fillets in a shallow dish or zip top bag, and generously coat them with the marinade.
- Allow the salmon to marinate for at least 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to permeate the fish. If using a zip top bag, fold salmon in half, skin side in, and flip the bag in the marinade half way through the marinating time to evenly coat both sides.
Cooking Method For Asian Salmon
- Bake the salmon in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for approximately 15-20 minutes or until the salmon is cooked through (140°F) and flakes easily.
- Alternatively, you can smoke the salmon or grill it, pre-heat your grill to 450°F then place salmon directly on grates for roughly 20 minutes, until the thickest part of the salmon reaches 140°F.
Tips and Tricks for Perfect Salmon
- Quality Matters: Choose fresh, high-quality salmon fillets for the best results. I get mine at Costco!
- Even Coating: Ensure the salmon is evenly coated with the marinade for consistent flavor. If you use a zip top bag, you will fold the salmon in half, skin side in, and place in marinade. Flip the bag over half way through marinating time to get an even coating. You can also brush the remaining marinade over the top of the salmon once you place it on a baking tray or on the grill, for a better glaze and more intense flavor.
- Preheated Oven/Smoker: Make sure your oven or smoker is preheated to the right temperature. This will help you to achieve a beautifully cooked exterior while maintaining the salmon’s tenderness. I love the slightly crisp edges, sticky glaze, the perfectly flaky and tender interior.
Serving Suggestions
This quick, simple meal will have you salivating, pair it with a carb like rice or potatoes, and a vegetable for an easy complete meal. Here’s what I like to serve it with:
- Serve the Asian Salmon over a bed of rice pilaf, quinoa, or noodles for a complete meal. And serve it with a side like Garlic Broccolini or Roasted Broccoli.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions or chives for an extra touch of freshness and visual appeal.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
- The salmon can be marinated in advance, making it a perfect option for meal prep. You can freeze it in the marinade, or whip the marinade up ahead of time. You just don’t want to marinate more than 2-3 hours, or it can impact the texture of your fish.
- Store leftover salmon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently to preserve its texture.
FAQs
- Can I use a different type of fish?
- While salmon works exceptionally well with this marinade, as the richness perfectly balances the umami and other flavors of the sauce, you can experiment with other robust fish varieties like trout or steelhead. I have made this recipe with steelhead trout several times and it works perfectly.
- Is Gochujang spicy?
- Gochujang has a moderate level of spice. Adjust the quantity based on your spice preference. It has a subtle hint of sweetness too, so taste it and see how much you would want for your tolerance level.
Substitutions
- Soy sauce can be used as an alternative to Maggi sauce.
- Honey or maple syrup can replace brown sugar in the marinade.
- Sriracha can be substituted for gochujang for a different heat profile. However, it is far spicier, so use less.
This 5-Ingredient Asian Salmon is a testament to the extraordinary flavors that can be achieved with minimal effort, truly ezpz. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a weekend indulgence, that is simple, but nice enough for company!
Other Great Recipes:
- Salmon Rice Bowls
- Baja Fish Tacos
- Sweet Tilapia Fish Tacos
- Flounder Fish Tacos Recipe
- Bacon and Bleu Cheese Tapenade Crusted White Fish
- Parmesan Pesto Steelhead & Roasted Potatoes
- Garlic Rosemary Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce
Asian Marinated Salmon
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup Maggi Sauce
- 1/3 cup Brown Sugar
- 2 Tbs Gochujang
- 1 Tbs Minced Garlic
- 1 Lb Salmon Fillet
Instructions
Marinate:
- In a bowl or zip top bag, whisk together Maggi sauce, brown sugar, gochujang, and minced garlic.
- Place the salmon fillets in a shallow dish and generously coat them with the marinade.
- Allow the salmon to marinate for at least 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to permeate the fish.
Bake:
- Bake the salmon in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for approximately 15-20 minutes or until the salmon is cooked through and flakes easily.
Smoker or Grill:
- Smoke the salmon or grill it, pre-heat your grill to 450°F for roughly 15-20 minutes, until the thickest part of the salmon reaches 140°F, is cooked through and flakes easily.
Nutrition
Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.
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