Ponzu salmon is a citrusy variation of teriyaki made with tender pan fried salmon coated with a sour ponzu glaze and served with crunchy vegetables over fluffy rice. This flavourful dish ticks all the boxes and can be made in just 20 minutes!
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What is ponzu salmon?
Ponzu salmon is a simple dish made with buttery pan fried salmon fillets coated in a citrus based Japanese ponzu glaze. You could say that this recipe is like teriyaki salmon meets sweet and sour, if you're a fan of either of these dishes then you're gonna love this!
Ponzu salmon is not a traditional Japanese dish, but more of a variation of teriyaki. It's versatile and goes with pretty much anything. In Japan it would be considered a great option for breakfast with rice and miso soup, or even served in a bento box.
I gave my ponzu salmon a bit of Western flare by serving it on one plate with mixed grain rice, baby leaf salad and sautéed bell peppers and mushrooms, but you could also serve it with roasted vegetables or salad too!
What is ponzu?
Ponzu is a Japanese condiment made with a blend of citrus juice, vinegar and soy sauce. The name "ponzu" derives from the Dutch word "pons" which refers to a type of citrus juice. Vinegar ("su" or "zu" in Japanese) was added to the juice and Japanese "ponzu" was born.
Many different types of citrus are used to make ponzu, with some of the most popular options being yuzu (yuzupon), lemon, lime, kabosu and bitter orange.
In Japan, ponzu is considered an "all purpose condiment" and is commonly used as a dipping sauce, cooking ingredient or marinade. The refreshing citrus punch makes it the perfect accompaniment for strong fish, fatty meats and deep-fried dishes as it helps to balance the flavour. In general it's a really great condiment to have in your kitchen!
If you're interested, you can learn how to make your own ponzu from scratch using your favourite citrus fruits with my homemade ponzu recipe here! For store bought ponzu, I recommend Mizkan's "Ajipon" which should be available in well stocked Asian supermarkets. Alternatively, Kikkoman brand ponzu is available on Amazon.
Ingredients
For the basic ponzu salmon recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
- Salmon fillets (skin-on)
- Potato starch
- Salt and pepper
- Unsalted butter
- Ponzu sauce
- Mirin
- Sake
(See recipe card for quantities.)
How you serve ponzu salmon is up to you, it's one of those versatile dishes that can be served in many different ways! You can serve it with rice, salad and/or a variety of vegetables (fried, baked, steamed). I personally served it with the following:
- Japanese white rice
- Baby leaf spinach
- Bell peppers
- Maitake mushrooms ("Hen of the Woods" mushrooms)
Feel free to change up the sides to suit your tastes. I've listed a few more ideas and variations at the bottom of the page.
Instructions on how to make ponzu salmon at home
Ponzu salmon is a quick and easy dish, perfect for lunch or a midweek dinner. Here are my step by step instructions with process pictures. For the ingredient quantities, see the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Make the ponzu glaze
Start by mixing the ponzu, mirin and sake in a small bowl and set by the stove ready for later.
Dry the salmon
Pat the salmon dry on both sides using kitchen paper. This will remove the excess moisture and improve the taste of the salmon. It will also help the skin crisp up better when frying.
Season and coat with potato starch
Sprinkle both sides with a pinch of salt and pepper, then coat with potato starch. The potato starch not only makes an extra crispy layer on the skin, but it also helps the sauce thicken and stick better to the surface of the salmon.
Fry with butter
Next, heat a pan on medium and melt the butter. Swirl the butter around the pan so it's evenly coated and place the salmon in with the skin side facing down. Fry on the skin side for about 4 minutes.
Flip the salmon and fry on the other side for 2 minutes or until cooked through. (Extra thick salmon fillets may need a little longer.)
Once they're cooked, remove them from the pan and set aside on a plate.
Sauté vegetables
In the same pan, add sliced bell peppers and maitake mushrooms. Stir fry until the bell pepper is slightly softened. If you find the vegetables are sticking to the pan you can add a little more butter.
I cook the vegetables separately so that the salmon doesn't become overcooked.
Add the salmon and sauce
Push the vegetables to one side and place the salmon fillets back in the pan with the skin side facing up. Pour the sauce around the pan and baste the salmon fillets to ensure the top catches the flavours of the sauce. Do this continuously until the sauce has thickened slightly.
Avoid flipping the salmon during this last step as it is more likely to break.
Once the sauce has thickened, remove the pan from the heat.
Assembly
Take your serving places and make a bed of rice.
Top the rice with baby leaf or greens of your choice.
Next, add the sautéed vegetables.
Finally, place the salmon fillets (1-2 per portion depending on your appetite!) and pour any leftover sauce over the top.
Enjoy!
Substitutions and variations
Feel free to adjust the recipe to suit your tastes! Here are a few substitute ingredients and alternative serving ideas.
- Mirin - if you can't find mirin, you can swap it out for water mixed with sugar. For every 1 tbsp of mirin, mix 1 tbsp water with ½ tsp of sugar.
- Potato starch - substitute with corn starch or tapioca starch
- Baby leaf spinach - use kale, arugula (rocket salad) or butterhead lettuce instead.
- Bell peppers - swap the bell peppers for your favourite crunchy stir fry vegetable. Some suggestions would be onions, asparagus, eggplant or tenderstem broccoli.
- Maitake mushroom - substitute with any of your favourite mushrooms, my top recommendations would be shimeji, baby portobello mushrooms or button mushrooms.
I hope you enjoy this bright and refreshing ponzu salmon! If you try the recipe, be sure to let me know how it went in the comments below!
Ponzu Salmon (Pan Fried)
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp ponzu sauce
- 1 tbsp sake
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 2-3 salmon fillets
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp potato starch
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 30 g bell pepper(s) - sliced
- 50 g maitake mushrooms - or mushroom of your choice, sliced
- 50 g baby leaf salad
- 300 g cooked multigrain rice - 2 portions
- 1 tsp sesame seeds - optional
Instructions
- Mix 4 tbsp ponzu sauce, 1 tbsp mirin and 1 tbsp sake in a bowl and set by the stove ready for later.
- Pat 2-3 salmon fillets dry with kitchen paper and sprinkle both sides with 1 pinch salt and pepper.
- Coat the salmon with a thin, even layer of 1 tbsp potato starch.
- Heat a pan on medium and melt 1 tbsp unsalted butter.
- Swirl the butter around to evenly coat the pan and place the salmon fillets in with the skin-side facing down. Fry for 4 minutes or until the skin is crispy and golden.
- Flip and fry on the other side for 2 minutes. (Add an extra 1-2 minutes if your salmon fillets are especially thick.)
- Remove the salmon from the pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, add 30 g bell pepper(s) and 50 g maitake mushrooms. (Add a little more butter if necessary.) Sauté until the bell peppers are slightly softened.
- Once softened, push the bell peppers and mushrooms to one side of the pan and place the salmon back in the pan with the skin side facing up.
- Pour the ponzu sauce around the pan and occasionally baste the top of the salmon by scooping it up and drizzling it. (Avoid flipping the salmon.)
- Once the sauce has become glossy and slightly thickened, remove the pan from the heat.
- Plate up 300 g cooked multigrain rice and place 50 g baby leaf salad on top. Add the sautéed vegetables and then the salmon.
- Drizzle any sauce leftover in the pan over the salmon and sprinkle with 1 tsp sesame seeds for a finishing touch.
- Enjoy!
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