Grilled Teriyaki Salmon

This cedar plank Grilled Teriyaki Salmon turns out tender, flakey and delicious every single time.  It uses a simple ginger buttermilk marinade to tenderize while infusing sweet, spicy, robust flavor.

The cedar planks add flavor but also help protect the fish from any super harsh direct heat, keeping it nice and moist. Serve this grilled salmon teriyaki recipe with a side of Lemon Herb Rice, Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad, Oven-Roasted Asparagus, or this summer Bruschetta with Tomato and Basil.

Best Grilled Teriyaki Salmon Recipe

This Teriyaki Salmon grilled on cedar planks is an easy, healthy recipe that the whole family will love whether they like fish or not.  We start with an easy buttermilk and ginger marinade that will knock your socks off, then grill over cedar planks to give it that smokey, fragrant flavor. 

You can finish with as much or as little teriyaki sauce as you’d like.  My favorite way to serve this grilled cedar plank salmon recipe is with a garnish of sesame seeds and green onions, served over white or brown rice with a side of grilled veggies.  So simple, super healthy and crazy delicious.

If you’re looking for more salmon recipes, be sure to try our Simple Salmon made in the air fryer, Teriyaki Salmon Bowls and our Honey Citrus Salmon Bowls.

Ingredients in Teriyaki Grilled Cedar Plank Salmon

• Salmon – you can use fresh or flash frozen salmon.  When choosing fresh salmon, you want to look for a fish that is thick, moist, free of brown spots and doesn’t smell overwhelmingly “fishy.”
• Salt and Pepper
• Teriyaki Sauce – you can use your favorite brand of teriyaki sauce or you can make your own.  I typically use PF Changs or Soy Vey brand.
• Ground Ginger – this should be mixed into the brown sugar and sprinkled over the teriyaki sauce on the salmon.
• Brown Sugar – you can use light or dark brown sugar for this recipe.
• Sesame Seeds – sesame seeds taste great when they are lightly toasted.
• Green Onions – you’ll want to slice these very thin for garnish.

Ginger Buttermilk Marinade

• Buttermilk – any kind of buttermilk will work for this recipe. The buttermilk is what works to tenderize your fish, but it also adds a great flavor.
• Ginger – fresh ginger has the most powerful flavor.  Just peel and then mince or grate.
• Garlic – fresh garlic cloves taste best, but you can substitute jarred garlic if that’s what you’ve got.
• Green Onions – these should be thinly sliced.
• Lemon – you can slice these with the rind still on.
• Red Pepper Flakes

How to Make Teriyaki Salmon On the Grill

1. Prepare the cedar planks.  Submerge the cedar planks in water, placing a weight on top of it, and soak for 1 to 4 hours.
2. Make the buttermilk marinade.  To prepare the buttermilk marinade, add the buttermilk, ginger, garlic, green onions, sliced lemon and red pepper flakes to a large freezer bag.  Seal and give it a good shake.
3. Marinate the salmon.  Add salmon to the buttermilk marinade and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
4. Preheat the grill.  Preheat grill on high heat for 10 minutes. Add the soaked cedar planks to the hot grill and preheat for another 3-4 minutes, then lower the temperature to medium heat and cover the grill. 
5. Season and sauce the salmon.  Dry with paper towels, then season the salmon with salt and pepper.  Slather each salmon filet with 1-2 tablespoons of teriyaki sauce. In a small bowl, combine the ground ginger and brown sugar, then sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the sugar mixture over the top.
6. Grill teriyaki salmon.  Place the seasoned salmon filets skin side up onto the preheated planks and cook for 12-15 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees and flake easily when a fork is inserted into the center of the thickest part.
7. Let rest.  Remove from the grill and brush with more teriyaki sauce, if desired, then let rest for 5 minutes.
8. Serve.  To serve, top with sesame seeds and thinly sliced green scallions. Enjoy!

Tips and Tricks

• You’ll know that the cedar planks have preheated long enough when you can smell them on the grill.
• Cutting the salmon into individual steaks will allow them to cook quicker and more evenly, as well as giving the seasoning and marinade more surface area to cover.
• Using a gallon-sized freezer bag to marinate the salmon makes for super easy clean up.  You can also use a bowl or large dish.
• Be sure to season the salmon with salt and pepper before adding the teriyaki sauce.  There is no salt in the marinade so seasoning the fish before grilling is crucial to getting the most delicious flavor.
• When reheating any leftover salmon, do not try and reheat at a temperature much higher than 275 degrees F or you will risk drying out the fish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Storing and Reheating This Grilled Salmon Recipe

• Refrigerator: store leftover glazed salmon in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• To reheat: reheat salmon on a baking sheet in a low 275 degrees F oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through. 

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This sweet Teriyaki Grilled Cedar Plank Salmon recipe is so delicious, it is going to become your new favorite cedar plank salmon recipe! It uses a simple ginger buttermilk marinade to keep the salmon tender, flakey and flavorful.