easy, 20-minute Korean bbq salmon with Gochujang-glaze

Looking for a simple meal with a flavor explosion, you’ve found it! This Korean-inspired bbq salmon takes minutes to prep and cook. Don’t worry if you’ve never heard of Gochujang (or have trouble pronouncing it!) – I hadn’t either until recently and now I want to add it to everything.

This has become my family’s favorite salmon recipe. Hopefully, it will become yours too!

Enjoy perfectly broiled, flaky pink salmon with spicy, yet salty and slightly sweet bbq gochujang glaze. Serve over rice, brown, white, or cauliflower or with a side salad.

Salmon is delicious, but it’s also a bonafide superfood that deserves a regular spot in your cooking routine. It’s abundant in protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals which may be why, after I eat it, I simply feel energized!

how to make bbq salmon

One of the best parts of this recipe is how simple and easy it is to make! I promise—you’ll add this to your weekly meal rotation.

This cooking method in this bbq salmon recipe is broil however it’s just as great grilled or even baked in the oven (see further down in the post for instructions).

First, make the Gochujang glaze. Combine all ingredients and whisk until smooth.

To prepare the salmon, pat the fillets (skin can be on or off) dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper and brush with a light coating of olive oil (or oil of choice).

Place on a broiler rack and broil for 5 minutes. At that point, carefully take the salmon out of the oven and brush the glaze on the top and sides of the salmon. Stick the salmon back under the broiler for 4-5 more minutes.

what is Gochujang?

Gochujang is a spicy chile bean paste. Sometimes it’s thinned out and resembles more of a hot sauce, but most commonly it’s sold similarly to how miso is sold—as a thick paste in a big tub. Traditional gochujang paste is made from chili powder, glutinous rice, fermented soybean powder, barley malt powder and salt. It originates from Korea, so you’ve likely seen it pop up in Korean dishes like bibimbap, bulgogi, stews and sauces.

ingredients for Korean bbq salmon

Gochujang

You can typically find Gochujang in your bigger grocery store’s international aisle. You can also find it on Amazon.

I’ve used both pastes and sauces and the consistency is the main difference. Both can be used in this recipe. If you do use the sauce, it’s not as thick as the paste so you may not need as much (or any) oil. The consistency should be easy to spread.

Note, some of the Gochujang sauces in particular have a lot of sugar so always check the labels.

Ginger

I use ground ginger in the recipe however feel free to use freshly grated ginger.

Garlic

Use minced garlic cloves for this recipe but if you’re out, you can certainly substitute with garlic powder. Use about 3/4 to 1 teaspoon for this recipe.

Coconut amino

Coconut aminos are the perfect soy sauce substitute. It is a salty, savory seasoning sauce made from the fermented sap of coconut palm and sea salt. The sugary liquid is used to produce a variety of food products. Coconut aminos is similar in color and consistency to light soy sauce, making it an easy substitute in recipes. My favorite brands are Bragg and Coconut Secret.

Toasted sesame seed oil

Regular, untoasted sesame oil (often labeled simply “sesame oil”) is made from raw, pressed sesame seeds. This recipe calls for toasted which is made from toasted (or roasted) sesame seeds (obv), and this seemingly minor step vastly changes the oil’s flavor. It’s at once delicate and complex, since heating the seeds before extracting the oil enhances their taste (just as toasting nuts, spices, and seeds before cooking with them draws out their flavors). In a jiffy, you could sub with regular sesame seed oil.

Honey or date paste

This recipe calls for a little honey or date paste (use if you’re Whole30). For a low carb or keto option, you could substitute with a teaspoon of xylitol or low-carb sweetener of choice.

Avocado oil

I add avocado oil depending on the consistency which should be thick but spreadable. If you’re using a Gochujang sauce versus paste, you may not even need to add the avocado oil.

what to serve with this Korean salmon recipe

Brown or white rice is delicious with Korean bbq salmon. For a low carb option, use cauliflower rice or try my “fried” cauliflower rice.

This salmon also goes well with a green salad or quinoa bowl.

can you grill Korean salmon?

Absolutely! Here are some grilling tips:

To prepare the grill:

• Salmon cooks best over a medium-hot fire.
• Make sure the grill is hot before you start cooking.
• Liberally brush oil on the grill just prior to cooking.

To grill the salmon:

• Oil and salt the salmon lightly before grilling.
• Place the salmon skin side down on the grill. There is no need to flip.
• Unless you have a well seasoned cast iron grill or one of the really cheap portable grills with thin grates, the flesh of the salmon will most likely stick. To avoid the “sticking panic” cook salmon skin side down and don’t flip.
• Brush salmon with bbq sauce.
• Grill approximately 8 minutes per inch of thickness.
• Brush one last time with bbq sauce.
• When removing from the grill slip the spatula between the meat and the skin and easily lift off. The skin will stick to the grill and can be removed later.

how to tell when bbq salmon is done?

The salmon is done when you can use a fork to gently flake the layers of flesh in the thickest part of the fish. The salmon should be opaque.

is Korean salmon with Gochujang Keto-friendly?

It can be with a couple of minor tweaks. Typically Gochujang has a little sugar in it so there are many keto-friendly variations that you can make. Here’s a keto recipe that looked great (although I haven’t tried it.) Also, when making the bbq glaze, omit the honey or date paste. You can add a couple of drops of stevia or 1/2 teaspoon of low carb sweetener like erythritol or xylitol instead.

is bbq salmon Whole30/Paleo compliant?

If you’re whole30 or Paleo, use a homemade recipe for Gochujang. Also, omit the honey if you’re Whole30 and use data paste instead.

other keto recipes you’ll love:

• loaded burger bowls with special dressing
• copycat Chick-fil-A sandwich
• copycat in-N-out burger (whole30, paleo)
• Korean beef lettuce wraps
• easy zucchini shrimp scampi

have Korean BBQ salmon ingredients delivered to your door

Gochujang (Chile Paste) Mother-In-Law’s Kimchi Fermented

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Avocado oil

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Coconut aminos

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Honey

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Ginger, ground, organic

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Sesame Oil, toasted

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