Pan-Seared Salmon with Soy Mustard Glaze
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Whip up this quick and elegant salmon with a soy-mustard glaze—full of flavor and ready in just 15 minutes!
This salmon recipe puts a fresh spin on the familiar teriyaki salmon, and it’s a breeze to whip up on a busy weeknight. The real highlight is the glaze—it’s tangy and sweet, reminiscent of classic Asian-style sauces, yet the addition of whole grain mustard and sherry vinegar takes it in a new and delicious direction. The mustard not only introduces a burst of sharp, intense flavor but also adds visual appeal as the seeds glisten in the sauce and literally “pop” with flavor. It’s perfect for when you want something simple yet sophisticated.
“Wonderful recipe, have used it several times for dinners with guests, with rave reviews each time. It’s simple, quick, and so classy and flavorful.”
What You’ll Need To Make Salmon With Soy Mustard Glaze
- Dark brown sugar: Adds sweetness to balance the saltiness of the soy sauce and the tanginess of the vinegar.
- Soy sauce: Provides the savory, umami flavor foundation for the glaze.
- Mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine): Contributes a mild sweetness and helps to create a glossy finish on the glaze; found in the Asian section of most supermarkets.
- Sherry vinegar: Introduces a slight acidity to the glaze.
- Whole grain mustard: Adds texture and a piquant taste to the glaze, complementing the other flavors.
- Water: Used to adjust the consistency of the glaze.
- Cornstarch: Acts as a thickener to help the glaze coat to the salmon.
- Red pepper flakes: Provides a hint of heat, adding another layer of flavor to the glaze.
- Salmon fillets: Try to find uniform pieces that are narrow and tall rather than wide and flat—they’ll fit better in the pan and make for a much prettier presentation. Also, be sure they are cut into small portions (6 ounces or less), otherwise they’ll be difficult to cook fully on the stovetop.
- Vegetable oil: Used for cooking; it has a high smoke point, making it ideal for searing the salmon.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by making the glaze, which is adapted from Cook’s Illustrated. In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar, soy sauce, mirin, sherry vinegar, whole grain mustard, water, corn starch and red pepper flakes. Be sure to do this off the heat; the corn starch will not dissolve in hot liquid and you don’t want lumps.
Whisk to combine.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer until thickened, about a minute.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Meawshile, season the salmon fillets with salt.
Place the salmon in the hot pan. Cook until golden brown on the first side, about 4 minutes. Then turn the fish over with a spatula, reduce the heat to medium and then cook until the fillets feel firm to the touch, 3 to 4 minutes more.
Transfer the fillets to a platter or plates.
Top them generously with the glaze. You’ll have plenty of extra glaze; it makes a terrific sauce for whatever else you’re serving with the fish.
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Pan-Seared Salmon with Soy Mustard Glaze
Whip up this quick and elegant salmon with a soy-mustard glaze—full of flavor and ready in just 15 minutes!
Ingredients
For the Glaze
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard, best quality such as Maille
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
For the Salmon
- Six (5-6 oz) fillets center-cut salmon, skinned
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, for cooking
Instructions
- Whisk together all of the ingredients for the glaze in a small saucepan. (Be sure to do this off the heat, as cornstarch won't dissolve in hot liquid.) Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low and simmer until thickened, about 1 minute. Cover to keep warm and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season the salmon fillets with kosher salt. When the oil starts to shimmer, place the salmon, presentation side-down, in the pan. Cook until golden brown on the first side, about 4 minutes. Turn the fish over with a spatula, then reduce the heat to medium and cook until the fillets feel firm to the touch, 3 to 4 minutes more. (If all of the fillets won't fit in the pan, cook the fish in two batches.)
- Transfer the salmon fillets to plates or a platter and spoon the glaze generously over top. Serve immediately.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Calories: 426
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Sugar: 9 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 33 g
- Sodium: 734 mg
- Cholesterol: 86 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Made this in cast iron and it was superb. I seared both sides until *considerably* crispy and the inside was still so juicy. I didn’t have sherry, but an equal part of rice vinegar worked great. Thank you Jenn for the winner!
New favorite Salmon Dish! Everyone loved it! I was having a problem finding the Japanese Mirin, but didn’t give up. It was so delicious, everyone finished every last piece of salmon thanks to the sauce. So good and so easy. Definitely staying on my dinner rotation!
Hi Jenn! I’m working my way through your salmon recipes and this one was so yummy and super easy. I struggled with my salmon sticking to the pan but am looking forward to making this one again (I’ll use another pan haha). I absolutely loved the sauce and it was delicious on broccoli too– I’d even consider just making the sauce for broccoli in the future!
I made this tonight and it was wonderful! I’m so glad I found your site. After cooking for my family for nearly 30 years, I’m actually excited to cook again. Thank you!
🙂
Now my go-to recipe for a quick salmon dish that plates beautifully and tastes exquisite. The sauce is lovely with rice/broccoli too. I have made this multiple times for family and friends. Everyone loves it and asks for the recipe!
This salmon dish was my introduction to your website ~ 7 years ago. It remains my go to salmon recipe, but I LOVE every recipe (and I’ve made many) of yours!!!
Your cookbooks made wonderful Christmas presents this year. Keep up the fabulous work!!
Susan
This salmon recipe has become a staple in our household! My husband has a Green Egg and prefers to grill. So what I did was make the glaze then brush onto the salmon fillets leaving just a little of the glaze to the side for garnishing. Grilling the salmon with the glaze already on it was magic! The flavor incredible! Like I said just dollop with the gaze that was set aside, sooo good! We have never been disappointed with any of Jenn’s recipes.
Hey Jenn..
I am new to your webb site and love, love it already. I made the Thai Chicken this past weekend and blueberry muffins. Awesome. Husband is not losing weight this week.
Can I substitute mirin with Sake? Thanks so much!!
So glad you’re enjoying the recipes! I’ve only made this with mirin, but I think you could get away with sake if you add a pinch of sugar to it. Please LMK how it turns out! 🙂
I made this a few days ago. The sauce was so good and really saved the meal since I used too much salt. I have some sauce left over so I will try again this week.
Hi Jenn….is it ok to use regular Dijon mustard with this recipe??? I have done it as written…excellent! Just wondering if smooth Dijon would be a good variation?
Thank you! Love your recipes and cookbook! I have given it as a gift too!!! :o)
Sure, Janet, regular Dijon will work. So glad you like the recipes and thanks for gifting the book! ❤️
When you say “salt” in a recipe I assume that you don’t mean Kosher salt but regular table salt. In some of your pictures it looks like you are using sea salt. Please clarify! Thanks! LOVE your recipes! 😊
Hi Jane, When a recipe of mine says salt in the ingredient list, I am referring to regular/table salt. If it calls for something else like kosher salt, I will specify that in the recipe. Hope that clarifies!