I love making hoisin salmon for an easy dinner. Salmon is a versatile protein that works well with plenty of different ingredients and packs lots of flavor of its own. This sesame hoisin sesame baked salmon is full of bold, tangy Asian flavor and adds gourmet flair to a simple weeknight meal.

A great weeknight dinner should be low-effort and full of bold flavor. This hoisin salmon fits the bill and is a great way to shake things up when your dinners start getting a bit dull. 

Salmon is jam-packed with nutrition and flavor, making it the perfect centerpiece to a sumptuous meal. With this recipe, all you’ll have to do is whip up a great sauce, pour it over the baked salmon, and pop the whole thing in the oven for less than 20 minutes!

Hoisin provides a sweet, savory semi-spicy kick and adds distinctive Asian flair to this dish and other classics like moo shu pork and Chinese barbecue pork. The salmon’s fishy flavor is perfectly balanced from the zesty sauce, making it similar to my sweet chili glazed salmon. Hoisin, sesame, and soy sauce come together to make this impressive dish, and they’ll fill your kitchen with mouthwatering aromas impssobile to resist!

INGREDIENT NOTES AND SUBSTITUTIONS

• Salmon – Use six-ounce filets for this recipe for an easy, quick cook time. I definitely suggest using fresh salmon, but frozen can work as well. If using frozen filets, make sure to defrost them completely before cooking.
• Hoisin Sauce – A classic condiment used in many signature Asian dishes. It’s made of soybeans and features sweet, umami flavors and an incredible aroma. 
• Light Soy Sauce – I use light soy sauce for this recipe because it won’t overpower the hoisin. If you’ve only got regular soy sauce, you might want to use a little less so that the soy and salty flavors don’t mask the dish’s sweetness.
• Brown Sugar – Combined with hoisin and soy sauce, brown sugar makes for that perfect sweet-savory balance you find in many Asian dishes.
• Rice Vinegar – I highly recommend rice vinegar for any Asian-inspired dish, as it gives off a subtle tanginess and sweetness. White vinegar is often more acidic-tasting.
• Sesame Oil – Notes of sesame flavor bring this whole dish together.
• Ginger – For a bit of zesty kick to balance out all of the sweetness. Fresh ginger makes for a more robust flavor.
• Red Pepper Flakes – Just the right amount of spice makes this the ideal finishing touch!
• Green Onions – For a picture-perfect garnish.

HOW TO MAKE HOISIN SALMON

1. Preheat Oven. Get started by preheating your oven to 400°F.
2. Prepare Salmon. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray and season your salmon filets with kosher salt. Place the filets in the baking dish.
3. Make Sauce. Grab a small or medium-sized bowl and pour in the hoisin sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, and crushed red pepper. Whisk everything together well and pour the sauce over the salmon filets.
4. Bake & Baste. Put salmon in the oven and let it bake for 15 minutes. About mid-way through, use a spoon or baster to baste the filets with sauce.
5. Garnish & Serve! Once finished, sprinkle the hoisin salmon with freshly-sliced green onion and serve while hot! This dish goes great over a bed of steamed rice.

What is Hoisin Sauce?

Hoisin is a thick, sweet-salty condiment commonly found in Asian cuisine. It’s made of fermented soybeans, garlic, chili, and spices, making it deeply fragrant. Its typically what’s spread on the moo shu pork pancakes before getting filled. One of my favorites!

How to Make Baked Salmon Crispy?

Many people think that salmon has to be grilled to achieve that wonderful crispy outer layer. However, baking is much easier, and you can still get that crispiness! 

Cover the salmon loosely with foil while baking. For the last two or three minutes, remove the foil and turn your broiler on high. This way, you’re not overcooking the inside, but the top gets nicely charred.

How do You Make Baked Salmon Without Drying it Out?

Salmon is often cooked at a low temperature to avoid drying out the inside. For this recipe, you’ll cook the salmon at a fairly high temperature of 400°F. Avoid overcooked salmon by first ensuring that all filets are the same size and thickness.

Next, be sure to baste! There’s a lot of liquid in this recipe, and basting helps the salmon absorb all of it to stay moist. Lastly, you can try covering the pan loosely with foil for part of the cook time to help the fish retain moisture.