Crispy Salmon with Ginger Soy Sauce

Crispy salmon is a wonderful main dish that is bursting with savory flavors. The homemade ginger soy sauce glazes the fish perfectly, giving you a stunning and picturesque meal. 

Many modern recipes use salmon with the skin removed. However, there is so much flavor and beautiful texture in the skin of the salmon if cooked properly. 

Salmon skin is also incredibly healthy and full of omega-3 fatty acids, a nutrient necessary for cognitive function. My crispy salmon recipe prepares the fish in a classic and delicious way, while using a Chinese finishing sauce for a richer taste.  

Ingredients

How to choose salmon pieces

I highly recommend using salmon pieces that are on the smaller side, about 6 to 8 oz (170 to 225 g) per piece. This way you can cook the salmon to a tender texture with crispy skin using only the stovetop. 

It is possible to make this dish with much larger and thicker cuts. But you will need to finish them in the oven at 250°F (120°C) to ensure the inside is properly cooked.

Mise en place

When you are ready to cook, here are the ingredients you will need:

• Salmon (lightly seasoned with salt)
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Green Onion
• Light Soy Sauce

How to make crispy salmon 

Here is a quick look at how to make crispy salmon with garlic soy sauce.

1. Sear the salmon, skin side down, in a hot pan until crispy
2. Briefly cook the other side 
3. Top the salmon with ginger and green onion 
4. Fry garlic in olive oil 
5. Drizzle the hot garlic oil over the salmon 
6. Finish up with a touch of soy sauce 

How Can We Make the Salmon Skin Crispy

The golden brown, crispy skin of the salmon is key to the success of this recipe. I have a few tricks that work well to make the skin truly perfect. 

• First, you should always place the salmon in the hot pan with the skin side down. 
• Be sure to leave the fish in the hot skillet, pressed down with a spatula for at least a minute. This will also help prevent the skin from peeling away from the filet. 
• Even though salmon skin contains a good amount of fat and you won’t need much oil to cook it, searing the skin with a bit more oil helps the skin to puff up and taste even crispier.

How to serve crispy salmon with ginger soy sauce

Not only is this a perfect entree to serve any day of the week, but it is also quite easy to make. Once you master the crispy skin, you will be able to make this entire recipe in just a few minutes. It can easily become one of your go-to weeknight meals. 

I like to serve my crispy salmon with a side of fried cabbage or stir fried garlic pea shoots. A green vegetable is typically a great match for crispy salmon. You also can’t go wrong with this 10-minute egg fried rice, which is a great addition to any meal. 

Ginger garlic crispy salmon is a straightforward, simple meal that is packed with many intense flavors. The crispy texture of the fish is incredible with the zesty taste of the fresh ginger. This is one meal that you will never grow tired of. It is easy to see why it is a classic! 

Other easy weekday recipes

• Air Fryer Garlic Green Beans
• Pan Fried Tofu (脆皮豆腐)
• Orange Cauliflower
• Pan Fried Salmon (香煎三文鱼)
• Cashew Chicken (腰果鸡丁)

Crispy Salmon with Ginger Soy Sauce

By Maggie Zhu

5 from 4 votes

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 2 servings

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Crispy salmon features perfectly cooked salmon with crispy skin, finished up with a fragrant garlic and ginger sauce. It is an easy main dish that you can put together quickly for a weekday dinner. {Gluten-Free adaptable}

Use tamari instead of light soy sauce for a gluten-free dish.

Ingredients 

• 2 pieces salmon filet 6 to 8 oz / 170 to 225 g per piece
• Sea salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic , sliced
• 2 teaspoons ginger , minced
• 2 green onion , sliced
• 2 teaspoons light soy sauce (or soy sauce, or to taste)

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Instructions

• Check salmon carefully. Use a paring knife to scale the salmon (if any scales remain) and use a pair of fish tweezers to remove pin bones (if necessary). Thoroughly pat the salmon dry with paper towels.
• Lightly season both sides of the salmon with sea salt.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Place one piece of salmon into the skillet, skin side down. Immediately use a spatula to push the salmon against the skillet (*see footnote 1) and turn to medium heat. Let cook for 1 minute without moving your spatula. Continue cooking and move spatula around the salmon to press the filet down firmly and thoroughly, 1 to 2 minutes. When the shape of the skin is set, you can add the second piece of salmon and cook it using the same method. Cook the salmon until the skin is nicely browned and crispy, and the flesh is 3/4 cooked through on the edges. It can take anywhere from 5 to 8 minutes in total (from the time you add the salmon to the pan), depending on the thickness of the salmon (*Footnote 2). Check on the skin occasionally. If the skin is cooking too fast, turn to medium-low heat. Flip and cook the other side until just cooked, 1 minute or so. Transfer the cooked salmon to serving plates, skin side up.
• Spread 1 teaspoon minced ginger and half the chopped green onion onto the top of each piece of salmon.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and garlic into a small skillet or saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the oil is hot and the garlic is slightly caramelized on the edges.
• Remove the skillet from the stove and drizzle half of the hot oil and garlic onto each piece of fish. You should hear a nice sizzling sound. Immediately drizzle 1 teaspoon light soy sauce onto each piece of fish while the oil is still hot. Serve immediately as a main dish.

Video

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Notes

1. Salmon skin will shrink when heated. By pushing the salmon against the skillet, you can create evenly browned skin that is flat and crispy. You can use two spatulas to do this if you’re grilling two pieces of salmon at the same time.
2. When I cook a 7-oz (200 g) piece of salmon that is just over 1” (3 cm) thick, it takes me about 5 minutes to cook the skin side and 1 minute to cook the fresh side for a medium texture.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 345kcal, Carbohydrates: 4.8g, Protein: 39.6g, Fat: 19.4g, Saturated Fat: 2.8g, Cholesterol: 88mg, Sodium: 390mg, Potassium: 863mg, Fiber: 0.8g, Sugar: 0.6g, Calcium: 95mg, Iron: 2mg

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