Soy Ginger Salmon
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When I want a healthy dinner on the table fast, this Soy Ginger Salmon is my go-to. The marinade is just three ingredients to whisk together, and the salmon bakes up tender and flaky in only 15 minutes.
Salmon is one of my favorite proteins to work with because it takes on flavor so well, and this marinade is one of my favorite ways to dress it up. The soy sauce and ginger give it a rich, savory flavor that everyone at the table loves.
If your family loves salmon as much as mine does, you’ll also want to check out my other salmon marinade recipes!
Why This Recipe is a Family Favorite
You only need 5 simple ingredients for this one, and all of them are budget-friendly and easy to find. The marinade comes together in about 5 minutes, so even with marinating and baking time, you’re looking at dinner in under an hour with barely any hands-on work.
The Asian flavors are what makes this meal a favorite. Soy sauce and salmon taste great together, and the fresh ginger with a little citrus juice brightens the whole dish up.
There aren’t a lot of dishes to clean up either, which is always a plus in my book!
Happy Kitchen Secrets
Here are my important mom-tested cooking tips for making soy ginger salmon! I’ve made this countless times to save you from a failed attempt.
- Use a nonreactive bowl. Stainless steel, ceramic, or glass are all safe options for whisking together the marinade. A reactive bowl (like aluminum) can react with the citrus juice and give the fish an off flavor.
- Don’t marinate longer than an hour. The acid in the citrus juice will start to “cook” the fish the longer it sits, similar to a ceviche. Thirty minutes to an hour is the sweet spot.
- Never reuse the marinade. Once it’s touched raw fish, toss it. It’s not safe to reuse as a sauce or dip unless it’s boiled first.
- Taste before you add extra salt. Some brands of soy sauce are saltier than others, so give the marinade a taste before seasoning further. You may not need much, if any.
If you like the flavors of Asian food, you might also like my Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry recipe.
Ingredients
You only need a handful of ingredients for the marinade, plus your salmon fillets.
For the salmon, either fresh or frozen fillets work well here. Just pat them dry before marinating if using frozen. Skin-on or skinless both work fine too, so use whichever you prefer or have on hand.
Sesame oil brings a lot of the classic flavor and is common in Asian cooking, but you can swap in avocado oil or olive oil if that’s what you have on hand.
For the citrus, you’ll use a combo of orange juice and lime juice; if you only have one of the two, feel free to leave the other out, or use lemon juice in place of either.
Finally, soy sauce rounds out the marinade, though coconut aminos works great too if you want a gluten-free option.
How to Make Soy Ginger Salmon
For the full instructions, scroll or jump to the recipe card! ⬇️
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- Make your marinade. Whisk together the sesame oil, lime juice, orange juice, ginger, soy sauce, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a nonreactive bowl.
- Marinate the salmon. Pat your fillets dry, then place them in a glass baking dish or zip-top bag. Pour the marinade over them, then turn the filets over so both sides have marinade.
How Long To Marinate the Fish
Because you're using it for flavor, not actually tenderizing anything, the salmon doesn't need more than 20 minutes to absorb the flavors. Let them sit in the marinade at room temperature for up to 30 minutes, or cover and refrigerate if you need more time before dinner.
- Bake the salmon. Remove the fillets from the marinade and shake off any excess. Set them skin side down in a foil-lined baking dish and spoon a little of the marinade over them to help keep the fish moist as it cooks. Bake until the salmon flakes easily with a fork.
Meal Prep Tips
Want to get ahead on dinner? You can whisk the marinade together up to a day in advance and keep it covered in the fridge until you're ready to use it.
You can also freeze the salmon right in the marinade for up to 3-4 months, so it's ready to thaw and bake whenever you need a quick dinner.
Serving Suggestions
This ginger soy salmon is great served over Jasmine rice for an easy, filling dinner. For more of an Asian dinner, you can make my easy fried rice recipe!
If you want to add a veggie side, air fryer broccoli is a quick side that goes really well with the flavors here.
Recipe FAQ
It's best to keep it to an hour or less. Unlike beef or pork, fish doesn't have tough connective tissue that needs time to break down, so a short marinate is really all it takes to add flavor.
The total baking time for salmon depends on how thick the filets are. On average, it takes about 15 minutes for the fish filets to cook all the way through.
Yes, this recipe works well on the grill too. Marinate the salmon as directed, then grill over medium heat until it flakes easily with a fork, keeping an eye on it since grill times can vary.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
After you make it, please leave a comment and star rating below to let me know how it went!
Soy Ginger Salmon
Ingredients
- 12 ounces salmon fillets 2 fillets, about 6 ounces each
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1.5 tablespoons orange juice
- 1.5 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1 pinch salt and pepper or more/less, to taste
Instructions
- Add all marinade ingredients (3 tablespoons sesame oil, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1.5 tablespoons orange juice, 1.5 tablespoon minced ginger, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 pinch salt and pepper) to a small nonreactive bowl (see Note 1) Whisk well to combine. Note: You can do this up to a day in advance. Cover and store the marinade in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it.
Marinate the Salmon
- Pat the 12 ounces salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Transfer to a glass baking dish or heavy-duty zip top storage bag.
- Pour the marinade over the fish, then turn it over to make sure there's a nice coating on both sides.
- Marinate in the container at room temperature for 30 minutes, or cover and transfer to the refrigerator to marinate for up to an hour. Note: You can seal the bag or container and freeze the salmon in the marinade for 3-4 months.
Cooking Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Remove fish from marinade, shaking off any excess. Set the salmon skin side down in a foil-lined baking dish.
- Pour a little of the marinade over the fish (this helps to keep it moist as it cooks). Discard remaining marinade, as it is not safe to reuse. *See Notes
- Set the baking dish in the oven and cook for 13-15 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily when pierced with a fork.
Notes
- A nonreactive bowl is made from a material that won't react with acidic foods like citrus juice and tomatoes. Nonreactive materials include stainless steel, ceramic, or glass. Acids will corrode and cause damage to reactive materials.
- Reusing and/or serving marinade as a dipping sauce is not recommended. Uncooked fish, meat, and poultry contain bacteria that transfer to the marinade. Per USDA recommendations, it is not considered safe to reuse for any purpose unless it is boiled first, for several minutes.
