15-Minute Gochujang Salmon

Made with a yummy gochujang glaze, this gochujang salmon is the perfect weeknight dinner recipe that comes together in 15 minutes. Serve on a bed of rice with some vegetables, and you have the perfect meal!

I have been in love with salmon recently because as life gets busier, I need easy, quick recipes that just gets me through the week. So far, I have shared an amazing five spice salmon recipe and lemongrass salmon, so I thought this month I would share another one I’ve been making frequently. This gochujang salmon is something I’ve been making a lot recently because it’s so quick, tasty, and makes great leftovers. The basis for the salmon glaze is gochujang which is a red Korean chili paste that is the basis of a lot of Korean dishes. It really elevates this dish, and gives it a flavor unlike any other salmon dish.

What is gochujang?

Gochujang is a little spicy mixed with umami and sweet flavors, and it pairs really well with other strong flavors. I’ve used it in the past like in my gochujang noodles, and I’m always surprised at how well it pairs with heavy flavors. There’s something about it that makes it perfect for seasoning heavy, carb-y food. I thought it would be perfect this recipe because I think it pairs well with honey, mirin, and soy sauce to make an amazing glaze.

Some deets about key ingredients

• Olive oil – The olive oil gives the salmon a nice brown color. Substitute with any kind of neutral oil like vegetable or grapeseed oil.
• Sesame oil – If you don’t like sesame oil, leave it out.
• Soy sauce – Substitute with tamari to make the dish gluten free.
• Honey – Substitute with 2 teaspoons of brown sugar. However, I prefer honey since it’s not processed sugar.
• Mirin – Substitute with dry sherry or sweet marsala wine.

How to make gochujang salmon

Tips on how to make the perfect gochujang salmon

How to get a crispy skin on the salmon

This is perhaps one of my favorite kitchen hacks. Before putting the salmon on the baking sheet, heat it in the oven so it’s hot. Then place the salmon on the baking sheet. The heat from the baking sheet will create a crispy skin as soon as the fish hits the baking sheet. My favorite thing to do is place the baking sheet in the oven while the oven is preheating, so I don’t need to add any additional cooking time.

Place your salmon skin side down on the baking sheet

The skin acts as a barrier between the heat from the baking sheet and the meat of the salmon, so the meat doesn’t burn or overcook.

Fully defrost your fish

This might seem crazy to mention but this actually affects the cook time of your dish. This fish was cooked after it’s been fully defrosted. If you put a really cold salmon in the oven, it will take longer to cook.

What can you serve with gochujang salmon?

The best thing to serve this dish with is rice and some sort of vegetable. I usually eat this with white rice but any kind of rice works or even quinoa.

Did you make this dish?

If you made this dish, I would love to see!

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