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
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
- 1/4–1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1/4–1/2 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