This Orange Sesame Salmon is bright, citrusy, and the perfect weeknight sheet-pan dinner. Bake the salmon with orange slices for just under 15 minutes while you simmer a quick glaze on the stovetop. The sauce hits all the right notes: salty, sweet, tangy, and fresh from the mandarins. Pair it with stovetop or microwave rice and top with avocado, shaved raw carrots, or whatever you’ve got — steamed broccoli, green onion, you name it.
I love using fresh orange juice, especially Mandarin oranges if you can get your hands on them. They are slightly more herbaceous and add a really nice flavor. Otherwise, use the best oranges you can find or the last of that bag you bought that no one ate.
The Ingredients
- Salmon: I choose wild-caught, sockeye salmon portions and bake it with the skin on because it comes off so easily after baking. Try to get evenly sized pieces so they cook at the same rate.
- Mandarin Oranges: Fresh mandarin juice gives the sauce a sweet, floral edge that’s hard to beat. If you’re using other oranges, taste and adjust — you may want a splash more honey or vinegar depending on their sweetness.
- Soy Sauce: I typically use low-sodium soy sauce because I like it better. Use tamari for a gluten-free option.
- Rice Vinegar: balances the sweetness of the honey and juice. I would only use apple cider vinegar or maybe white wine vinegar to substitute (they are the sweeter vinegars while still being very acidic)
- Honey: Sweetness to balance the sauce and give that sweet salty flavor as well as help make the sauce glazey. Maple works in a pinch or any other sugar substitute.
- Sesame oil: you can substitue with any oil, but it does actually add a lot of flavor!
- Garlic & Ginger: you can use dried (about 1tsp of each), but I MUCH prefer fresh for this recipe
- Rice: I love using cooked jasmine rice or sushi rice. I love some microwaved rice in a pinch!
- Carrots: shave them with a vegetable peeler for thin strips
FAQ
Can I use bottled orange juice?
Of course, but fresh mandarin juice really lifts the flavor. If using bottled, try to find 100% orange juice.
Is this dish kid-friendly?
Definitely. The sweetness from the honey and orange makes it really approachable. My baby was eating it 10 months! Just sub the honey for brown sugar or maple if it is for baby.
What kind of salmon do I use?
I prefer any wild caught salmon that I can find. If using frozen, I typically by wild caught sockeye salmon portions (that is what you see pictured). But you can use portioned salmon, a whole side of salmon or even farm-raised if that is what you prefer.
What vegetables pair well with orange salmon?
I like to use avocado, shaved raw carrot and green onion. Cucumber, edamame or steamed broccoli would also work well
Can I meal prep this?
Yes! The salmon reheats well & tastes good cold. Keep it refrigerated up to 3 days.
From the Kitchen
Connect with Me
Did you try this Orange Sesame Salmon? I’d love to see your version! Tag @homecooksnotes on Instagram or comment below — especially if you added a twist of your own.
Orange Sesame Salmon
Ingredients
Orange Sesame Glaze
- 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/3 cup fresh mandarin orange juice*
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 large garlic clove minced
- 1/2 tsp ginger dried or fresh grated
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 2 green onions sliced thin
Salmon Bowls
- 5-6 6oz salmon portions (or about 2lbs salmon)
- 1 1/4 cup orange sesame glaze
- 4-5 cups cooked rice
- avocado
- 2 large carrots (shredded or shaved) shaved with vegetable peeler
- green onion sliced thin
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F & Prep Salmon: While oven preheats, line baking sheet with parchment. Pat salmon dry and place onto baking sheet. *Remove skin if you want (but it comes off very easily after baking).*
- Prep Sauce & Bake Salmon: In a mixing cup or small bowl, add soy sauce, vinegar, honey & orange juice. Place orange carcasses or left over orange halves onto parchment with salmon. Sprinkle salmon with some salt. Bake salmon 12-15 minutes until medium rare or cooked through however you like it.
- While salmon is baking, make sauce: in a small sauce pan heat sesame oil on medium heat. Add minced garlic & fresh ginger if using toss 30 seconds or so until fragrant and starting to turn golden. Add liquids and stir until combined. Simmer 5 minutes or so. In a small dish add cornstarch with a splash of water. Pour cornstarch slurry into sauce and cook on medium high heat until cornstarch activates and glaze is thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and adjust to taste. Add sesame seeds and green onion.
- Glaze Salmon: When salmon is finished cooking, let rest 3-5 minutes. I like to cut or flake my salmon into pieces before saucing, but you can also glaze the whole piece of salmon.
- Make Rice Bowl: Serve with 1/2 or 1 cup cooked rice, half avocado with a drizzle soy sauce, more green onion & shaved carrots.
