Name: Teriyaki salmon skewers
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 3/4 lb salmon (340g, or other fish good for grilling, see above); 1 clove garlic (large, or two if small); 1 tsp ginger (grated/finely minced volume); 2 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tbsp mirin (rice wine); 1 tbsp sake; 1 tbsp brown sugar; 4 green onions (approximately, optional)

These teriyaki salmon skewers are flavored with a simply soy-based marinade that adds tasty flavor with minimal effort. Perfect for grilling in summer and beyond.

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side view of two teriyaki salmon skewers.

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As the weather gets warmer, I turn to grilled foods, salads and other lighter fare more and more. While we enjoy the odd burger, I'm a particular fan of things with a marinade - between the added flavor and fact you can prepare ahead, it's perfect to add variety with ease. Plus, a kebab/kabob or similar is fun to eat.

Some firm favorites include lamb kofta, sosaties and chicken yakitori but these salmon kebabs/skewers are a great one to add to the mix, too. They're really easy to prepare, lighter than many meat options and super quick to cook.

plate of two teriyaki salmon skewers overlapping each other on a black plate.

Salmon skewer ingredients and preparation

The marinade itself is incredibly easy - just soy, sake and mirin (rice wine) and some sugar to give a good sweet-salty balance. I've added some ginger and garlic for added flavor but you could skip these if you like.

You could use other sweeteners rather than sugar if you prefer, like maple or honey, but just watch as honey in particular is more likely to burn as it cooks.

With fish, you generally don't need or really want to marinate things for too long, which can come in handy if you don't have a lot of time. Ideally, you want 30 minutes or so but even 10 minutes will be a good start. They don't need overnight, though, like some other dishes.

piece of salmon, small bowl of brown sugar, piece of ginger, garlic and bottles of soy, mirin and sake.

While the fish is marinating, if you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water before using to avoid them burning. If you are using a grill pan on the stove-top you are probably fine, but if cooking over a flame they can easily catch.

Top tip: thread the fish flat

When you add the fish to the skewers, try to make sure all pieces are lined up so they lie flat (so square on, same size). Also, I highly recommend using flat skewers, as shown here, as they help hold the fish flat rather than twisting around. This makes them really easy to turn and cook evenly on both sides.

While you don't have to use green onion on them, the onion works well flavor-wise and adds to them visually. They do also help keep the salmon in place. The only thing is since the salmon cooks quickly, the onions don't always fully cook through in the time.

Salmon is a little more delicate so brush your grill or grill pan with a little oil before cooking to try to help avoid them sticking. They cook quickly, so watch them closely and don't have the heat too high.

pieces of marinated fish and green onion on wooden skewers with bowl of leftover marinade behind.

Serving suggestions

While these have a Japanese-style marinade, the flavor is mild and so they pair well with a broad range of sides. They work with sides like salad, grilled vegetables, rice and more. I've served them with grilled pepper and zucchini or over corn puree and both were really tasty.

These salmon skewers would be great for a cookout party, as they are so easy, don't take long to cook and you can easily make the skewers bigger or smaller depending on your guests' appetites (or depending on what other goodies you've got in store).

They're also great to snack on, right off the stick, and have a great mix of being that bit different while still appealing to many tastes.

These teriyaki salmon skewers are quick and easy to prepare, quick to cook and with a great mix of light flavors. Perfect for a tasty, quick midweek meal, or really any time.

close up of two teriyaki salmon skewers with green onion between salmon pieces.

Try more skewers and marinated meats for the grill:

Rosemary orange marinated chicken skewers
Lamb shish kebabs
Chimichurri marinated steak
Plus get more summer recipes in the archives.

plate of teriyaki salmon skewers from overhead.

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5 from 1 vote