The broiler is salmon’s best friend: The high heat results in crisp skin and a moist interior. Here, fresh fillets pick up Asian flavor from quick marinating with soy sauce, ginger, garlic, brown sugar, and orange zest and juice. After reducing, this same ginger and soy sauce mixture becomes a sauce for the cooked fish. Make steamed rice to serve alongside or underneath.

What to buy: Look for wild or sustainably farmed salmon—check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch salmon recommendations and find a market or fishmonger you can trust. And see our guide to types of salmon for more about different varieties of the fish.

  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Total: 40 mins, plus 20 mins marinating time 
  • Active: 15 mins

Ingredients (9)

  • 4 (6-ounce) skin-on salmon fillets, pin bones removed
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
  • Finely grated zest of 1 orange
  • 2/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

  1. Dry the salmon thoroughly with paper towels. Season the fillets all over with salt and arrange in a baking dish that holds them in a single layer.
  2. In a bowl, stir together the ginger, garlic, brown sugar, orange zest and juice, soy sauce or tamari, and olive oil. Drizzle the salmon fillets with 3 tablespoons of this marinade and set aside at room temperature for about 20 minutes. Pour the remaining marinade into a small saucepan and set aside.
  3. Turn on the broiler and position an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source. Place the salmon on a broiler pan skin-side up. Broil until the skin crisps, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip the salmon and continue to broil until the flesh is browned on top and done to your liking (about 3 minutes for medium rare).
  4. Set the saucepan containing the marinade over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until it gets fragrant and reduces by about a third to become a sauce, about 5 minutes.
  5. Transfer the salmon to a warmed serving platter or individual plates, pour the warm sauce over the top, and serve.