Seems like every family has one; a picky eater, a person who suffers from food allergies, a vegetarian, pescatarian, flexitarian or vegan. And all those things make planning dinner stressful, when all you want is to make everyone happy, am I right?
I thought having one person in the family who doesn’t eat beef, pork, chicken, or turkey was hard enough ! But now, with another family member recently diagnosed with a shellfish allergy, the list of what everyone can (or will) eat is considerably shorter. Sure, making separate meals for everyone is an option, but not one that I’d choose regularly.
Luckily salmon is one thing everyone in our house can agree on ! Most days we just toss it on the grill and call it a day, but Baked Sesame Teriyaki Salmon is quickly becoming a family favorite. It’s simple to throw together and full of flavor !!
For those who prefer chicken, you could easily adapt the recipe. Be sure to adjust your cooking time accordingly. (For best results, pound the chicken to a uniform thickness before cooking.) You could also use the sauce to flavor extra firm tofu for a delicious vegetarian option !
Baked Teriyaki Salmon
Cooking spray
4 (6 ounce) salmon fillets
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup low sodium soy sauce (if you use regular soy sauce, be sure to reduce the salt)
¼ cup cider vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon salt (less if using regular soy sauce)
½ teaspoon sesame oil
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 Tablespoon cold water
1 green onion (scallion), minced
Sesame seeds for garnish
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9×13 inch pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, wisk together the brown sugar, soy sauce, cider vinegar, garlic, pepper, salt and sesame oil. In a small bowl wisk together the cornstarch and water. Slowly wisk into the saucepan with the other ingredients.
Bring the mixture to a boil and boil 1 – 2 minutes until the mixture just starts to thicken. Remove from heat. Set aside ¼ cup of the sauce for later.
Place the salmon in the 9×13 inch pan and pour the sauce on top. Cover with foil and bake for 15 – 17 minutes, until the salmon is opaque in the center. Remove the foil for the last 2 minutes.
Remove from the oven and pour the remaining sauce on top. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.
Delicious served with rice and broccoli.
Enjoy !
