The Secret Ingredient to the Tastiest and Easiest Baked Salmon Ever

Get that bottle of teriyaki sauce from the fridge and get rolling.

By
Julia Levy
Julia Levy
Julia Levy is a recipe developer and tester in the Dotdash Meredith Food Studios. She recieved her A.A. in Culinary Arts from the Culinary Institute of America in 2011 and her B.A. in Nutrition from Johnson & Wales University in 2013. Her journey in professional kitchens include working in several clean-eating kitchens,
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
and
Sara Bir
Sara Bir
Sara is a chef, culinary educator, and author of three cookbooks, The Pocket Pawpaw Cookbook, Tasting Ohio and The Fruit Forager's Companion. The latter won a 2019 IACP Cookbook Award.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Published October 03, 2023
Plate of 5-ingredient sheet pan salmon with rice and bok choy at a table setting with glasses of wine, small platter with sliced green onions, and a blue and pink table napkin

Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

Developing and testing recipes during the day often makes me want the simplest, quickest dinner possible; enter the sheet pan dinner (SPD). One pan, minimal clean-up, and not much brain power needed, I veer towards an SPD more often than not. 

This recipe takes “minimalism” a step further by using a jarred teriyaki sauce. You can easily make your own, like in this teriyaki steak recipe.

Getting the Teriyaki Saucy

Since teriyaki is made with sugar, the sauce should be glossy and glaze the salmon. If your sauce is too thin, heat the remaining teriyaki sauce in a saucepan over medium-high while the salmon bakes. Bring to a boil and cook until sauce coats the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes.

Salmon That's Sheet Pan Ready

When you are buying salmon, ask for center-cut pieces of the fillet that are 6 to 7 ounces each. The center-cut pieces are fairly even in thickness, so they will also cook evenly. Don’t ask to have the skin removed since it serves as a little extra insulation from the heat of the pan when you are cooking the salmon. 

Plate of 5-ingredient sheet pan salmon with rice and bok choy at a table setting with glasses of wine, small platter with sliced green onions, and a blue and pink table napkin

Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

Say Goodbye to Dry Salmon

The most common mistake people make when cooking salmon is overcooking it to the point of dryness. If you cook it until the center is opaque, your fish is already overcooked! 

The best way to test doneness is to use a thermometer, which, when inserted into the center of the fish, should register between 130°F and 135°F. If you don’t have a thermometer, insert a paring knife into the thickest part of the fish and peek. The center should look pale pink and translucent, while the outside should look opaque. As the fillets rest, they continue to cook. 

Once the salmon is out of the oven, let it rest. The interior may be slightly undercooked, but the exterior is hotter. After a few minutes, the inside and outside temperatures come into balance, and homeostasis occurs so that the fish is cooked evenly all the way through. The texture will be silky and delicious!

Winner Winner, Sheet Pan Dinner

Sheet Pan Salmon Teriyaki

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 35 mins
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch scallions, trimmed, divided

  • 4 heads (1 pound total) baby bok choy, halved lengthwise

  • 2 tablespoons canola oil

  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

  • 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided

  • 4 (6-ounce) skin-on salmon fillets

  • 1/4 cup bottled thick teriyaki sauce (such as Shirakiku)

  • 2 (8.8-ounce) packages pre-cooked microwavable white rice (such as Uncle Ben’s), prepared according to package directions

Method

  1. Turn on the oven:

    Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.

  2. Prep the vegetables:

    Cut all but one of the scallions into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Thinly slice the remaining scallion and set aside. 

    Toss the bok choy and scallion pieces with oil and 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Arrange the seasoned bok choy, cut side down, in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet along with the scallion pieces.

    Green onions on a cutting board (half thinly sliced, half cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces) for 5-ingredient sheet pan salmon recipe

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster
    Seasoned bite sized green onions and baby bok choy on a baking sheet for 5-ingredient sheet pan teriyaki salmon recipe

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster
  3. Start baking the bok choy:

    Bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes.

  4. Prep the salmon:

    Move the bok choy and scallion pieces to edges of the baking sheet and place the salmon fillets in the center, about 1 inch apart from each other. Sprinkle the salmon evenly with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Brush 2 tablespoons of the teriyaki sauce evenly over the salmon.

    Teriyaki glazed salmon added to sheet pan (vegetables are pushed to one side of the pan) for sheet pan salmon recipe

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster
  5. Continue baking:

    Return the sheet pan to the oven and bake at 375°F until the bok choy is tender and a thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of salmon registers 130°F, about 18 to 20 minutes.

  6. Finish the and serve:

    Drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons of teriyaki sauce over the salmon and bok choy. Serve with rice and sprinkle with sliced scallion.

    Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!

    Two plates of 5-ingredient sheet pan salmon with rice and bok choy at a table setting with glasses of wine, small platter with sliced green onions, a couple of blue and pink table napkins, and utensils

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
349 Calories
23g Fat
5g Carbs
30g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 349
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g 29%
Saturated Fat 4g 18%
Cholesterol 80mg 27%
Sodium 396mg 17%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 30g
Vitamin C 35mg 175%
Calcium 130mg 10%
Iron 2mg 10%
Potassium 931mg 20%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.