A kiss of honey, lemon, and soy will take your salmon to new heights. Discover the quick and easy way to prepare delicious fish.
Soy sauce and honey-based marinades go so well with fish, especially salmon. I remember making teriyaki salmon and tuna for my kids when they were young. One liked only salmon, and the other would only eat tuna. I cannot remember which one liked which. The process was simple. Mix soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic, honey, and a few other ingredients, marinate the fish, and cook it. There’s nothing like a good salmon marinade to make a dinner special.
Today, I enjoy experimenting with different ingredients. For example, I may swap maple syrup or coconut sugar for the honey, add some Dijon mustard, grated ginger, or crushed red pepper flakes if I want it spicy. By the way, this marinade is also great for chicken and turkey breast. You could also use it to marinate firm tofu and veggies.
Make It Gluten-Free
It’s so easy nowadays to make many recipes gluten-free. There are numerous excellent substitutions for soy sauce, the most common being gluten-free soy sauce, tamari, and coconut aminos. I have used all of them at one time or another with excellent results.
Tamari is my favorite for sushi, but coconut aminos are my go-to option for stir-fries and marinades. Coconut aminos and honey blend perfectly together, and the taste is ideal for salmon. When purchasing tamari or GF soy sauce, I try to find low-sodium versions, as some brands contain high sodium levels.
How To Cook the Salmon After Marinating
Once you have marinated the salmon, cooking it is easy. You can air fry, grill, pan fry, bake, or broil it with excellent results. The only thing I would not do is poach or steam it, as you lose a lot of the flavor you get from the marinade. Do not marinate the salmon for longer than 1 hour, as it will start to turn the fish mushy. Thirty minutes is the ideal time for marinating the salmon.
You can also use the leftover marinade to baste the fish or to serve as a sauce. Before doing so, pour the marinade into a shallow pot and bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until it reaches the desired consistency.
How to Make Ahead and Store
You can make the marinade up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate it in an airtight container. It will then be ready to use as a marinade for your fish. While I have never tried this, I have read that you can place the salmon and the marinade in a freezer bag, seal it tightly, remove as much air as possible, and freeze it for up to 3 months.
Serving Suggestions
This soy marinade is delicious over rice and vegetables after it has been reduced and thickened. Try it over Blanched Asparagus or Roasted Asparagus and Mushrooms to wake up your taste buds and complete your salmon meal. You can also make extra marinade and use it instead of the marinade in this Honey Soy Chicken Thigh recipe to save time. That way, you get double the meals with one sauce.
Salmon Marinade
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, honey, and black pepper until well combined.
- Place salmon fillets in a resealable plastic bag or shallow dish.
- Pour the marinade over the salmon, ensuring all pieces are evenly coated.
- Seal the bag or cover the dish and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, but no more than 1 hour to prevent the fish from becoming too soft.
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