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Sesame Ginger Salmon (Gluten Free, Paleo Friendly)

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Sesame Ginger Salmon – The perfect blend of sweet, salty, and umami, this sesame ginger salmon is an easy weeknight dinner that goes beautifully with a side of veggie stir-fry! (Gluten Free & Paleo Friendly)

Sesame Ginger Salmon - (Paleo or Gluten Free) Done in just 15 minutes!

Know what I love lately? Instagram polls. In my Instagram stories, I’ve been asking lately for votes on what you want to see next. It’s so fun for me to see your votes! After a Costco run recently, I asked whether you’d like to see Cilantro Pesto Salmon or Sesame Ginger Salmon.

It was a TIGHT race–as in 50-50, then 49-51, then 51-49. We finally settled at 46% Cilantro Pesto Salmon vs 54% Sesame Ginger Salmon.

So, I went to work recipe testing, and this was sure a delicious way to enjoy my salmon! A sweet-salty-umami glaze, simply cooked salmon, and (if your salmon is thawed) dinner can be on the table in just 15 minutes. Seriously. Let’s dive in:

Sesame Ginger Salmon - (Paleo or Gluten Free) Done in just 15 minutes!

For the glaze, I combined tamari or coconut aminos (I tested both–you could also use soy sauce) with some honey, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and a splash of vinegar. I love how the sauce hits all the right notes, and a little thickener turns it into a beautiful, sticky glaze that’s SO good on top of the salmon.

To keep things speedy, I opted for pan-searing the salmon. It’s super fast (we’re talking 4-5 minutes per side, depending on how thick your salmon is), and the glaze only takes 5-7 minutes to put together. If you steam or stir-fry some veggies to go along with it, your dinner is done in a flash.

And boy is it delicious.

It was so good I may or may not have had leftovers for breakfast.

Whether you serve this over a bed of white rice, cauli rice, or next to a plate of veggies, this speedy-quick dinner is one you’ll want to add to your busy night rotation!

Sesame Ginger Salmon (Gluten Free & Paleo Friendly) - SUCH an easy weeknight dinner!

Notes for Awesome Sesame Ginger Salmon:

Watch That Sodium! Any time you’re using a soy sauce (or gluten free tamari) you want to watch out for sodium. I always recommend using a reduced sodium or  low sodium version of whatever soy sauce or gluten free tamari you’re using. I don’t usually find this an issue for coconut aminos, which tends to run lower in sodium and has some sweeter notes to balance it out.

Paleo Notes – A few easy swaps make this easily paleo-approved. You’ll want to use arrowroot in place of cornstarch, cider vinegar in place of rice vinegar, and coconut aminos in place of GF tamari/soy sauce.

Arrowroot vs. Cornstarch. Both thickeners will absolutely work in this recipe. Cornstarch is easiest to work with, so if you don’t have dietary concerns or corn allergies, I recommend going with cornstarch. Arrowroot works very well, but you’ll want to watch it. If it bubbles too long, it can get a bit gluey. If you accidentally get thicker than you meant to, simply whisk in a bit of water to thin things out again.

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Sesame Ginger Salmon (Gluten Free & Paleo Friendly) - SUCH an easy weeknight dinner!

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Sesame Ginger Salmon (Gluten Free & Paleo Friendly) - SUCH an easy weeknight dinner!

Sesame Ginger Salmon (Gluten Free, Paleo Friendly)


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5 from 2 reviews

  • Author: Emily
  • Yield: 2 1x

Description

Sesame Ginger Salmon – The perfect blend of sweet, salty, and umami, this sesame ginger salmon is an easy weeknight dinner that goes beautifully with a side of veggie stir-fry! (Gluten Free & Paleo Friendly)


Ingredients

Scale

FOR THE SALMON::

  • Tbsp avocado or olive oil:
  • (4-6oz) salmon filets (thaw if frozen):

FOR THE GLAZE:

  • 1 tsp cornstarch (or arrowroot)
  • 1 Tbsp water
  • 1/2 Tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
  • 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 4 Tbsp low-sodium gluten free tamari (see notes)
  • 2 Tbsp honey
  • 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1/41/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1/41/2 tsp pepper

TO SERVE: :

  • 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
  • 1 Tbsp sliced green onion (optional)

Instructions

FOR THE GLAZE:
In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch (or arrowroot) with 1 Tbsp water. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic and cook 1-2 minutes, or till fragrant. Add tamari (or soy sauce or coconut aminos), honey, vinegar, sesame oil, and pepper and cornstarch/water mixture. Stir over medium heat 3-5 minutes, or until thickened. Set aside.

SALMON:
While you’re working on the glaze, heat 1 Tbsp oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add salmon and cook 4-5 minutes per side, or until cooked through.

TO SERVE:
Drizzle salmon with glaze, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and garnish with sliced green onion or cilantro, if desired.

Notes

WATCH THAT SODIUM – Any time you’re using a soy sauce (or gluten free tamari) you want to watch out for sodium. I always recommend using a reduced sodium or  low sodium version of whatever soy sauce or gluten free tamari you’re using. I don’t usually find this an issue for coconut aminos, which tends to run lower in sodium and has some sweeter notes to balance it out. If your sauce ends up a little salty, you can thin it out with a little water, or add a bit more honey.

PALEO NOTES – A few easy swaps make this easily paleo-approved. You’ll want to use arrowroot in place of cornstarch, cider vinegar in place of rice vinegar, and coconut aminos in place of GF tamari/soy sauce.

ARROWROOT VS CORNSTARCH – Both thickeners will absolutely work in this recipe. Cornstarch is easiest to work with, so if you don’t have dietary concerns or corn allergies, I recommend going with cornstarch. Arrowroot works very well, but you’ll want to watch it. If it bubbles too long, it can get a bit gluey. If you accidentally get thicker than you meant to, simply whisk in a bit of water to thin things out again.

Nutrition

  • Calories: 159kcal
  • Sugar: 18g
  • Sodium: 2013mg
  • Fat: 7g
  • Saturated Fat: 1g
  • Trans Fat: 0
  • Carbohydrates: 22g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 5g
  • Cholesterol: 0

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