Yakitori-Style Salmon With Scallions and Zucchini

By Kay Chun

Updated April 22, 2021

  • Yakitori-style salmon and zucchini skewers are laid on a rectangular platter with lemon wedges.
    Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich.
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Total Time
45 minutes
Rating
4(2,380)
Comments
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Yakitori is a Japanese dish in which boneless chicken pieces seasoned with salt (shio) and a soy basting sauce (tare) are threaded onto bamboo skewers and grilled over a charcoal fire. This weeknight meal borrows the flavors of traditional yakitori and applies it to salmon and vegetables. A salty-sweet sauce of soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, garlic and ginger doubles as a glaze and serving sauce. Tossed with greens, the leftover salmon and vegetables make a nice salad the next day, and the sauce keeps in the refrigerator for up to a week. Brush it onto chicken or pork chops before roasting, or use it to season your next clean-out-the-fridge fried rice.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • ¼ cup canola oil, plus more for greasing

  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic (from about 3 cloves)

  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger (from a 1-inch piece)

  • ⅔ cup low-sodium soy sauce

  • ⅓ cup turbinado sugar

  • 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch

  • 1 pound small zucchini (about 3), trimmed and sliced ⅛-inch-thick

  • 8 scallions, trimmed, halved lengthwise, if large, and cut into 2-inch pieces

  • Kosher salt and black pepper

  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless salmon fillets, cut into 1-inch pieces

  • Lemon wedges, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

30 grams carbs; 125 milligrams cholesterol; 737 calories; 17 grams monounsaturated fat; 13 grams polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 45 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 1679 milligrams sodium; 52 grams protein; 20 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a small saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-low. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Add ⅔ cup water, plus the soy sauce, sugar and vinegar, and bring to a boil over high heat.

  2. Step 2

    Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar, 1 to 2 minutes. Mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water and whisk into sauce. Simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of sauce for basting, and transfer remaining sauce to a small bowl, for serving.

  3. Step 3

    Heat a grill, or a lightly greased cast-iron griddle or grill pan over medium. Season zucchini and scallions with salt and pepper and toss with 2 tablespoons oil. Thread onto wooden skewers that have been soaked in water or metal ones. Season salmon with salt and pepper and toss with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Thread onto skewers.

  4. Step 4

    Grill, basting with sauce and turning every few minutes, until salmon and vegetables are caramelized and cooked through, about 10 to 12 minutes for salmon and 12 to 15 minutes for vegetables. Serve with lemon wedges and reserved sauce for dipping.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
2,380 user ratings
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Comments

Harvey in Oakland

I make yakitori on my Weber a lot and I use a trick from Steven Raichlens Barbeque Bible. Use two flat bricks (like pavers) on the grill with a 4 or 5 inch space between them. Lay skewers on them and they'll get direct heat but won't touch the grate and sticking problems will be greatly reduced.

Tj

Maybe I missed the obvious, but why are we heating a lightly greased cast-iron griddle pan in Step 3? Do we set this pan on the grill and cook in it, or are we cooking straight on the grill since it's skewers?

nb

I made this for dinner tonight, and I think I'm usually a good cook, but this was shockingly good - I felt like I was eating a restaurant quality meal. I did use brown sugar, and I cooked under the broiler (~12 min for the veg, ~8 for the salmon) because I didn't feel like getting the grill going and I don't have a grill pan or cast iron skillet. Made everything else as directed. The sauce in particular is amazing. Served with rice. Will definitely make again.

Joan

Made this on a Blackstone Grill and did not use skewers - cooked the fish as a whole fillet with the skin on. Zucchini and scallions grilled also without skewers. The sauce was a bit too sweet. I used about 1/4 cup light brown sugar - less than the suggested amount for turbinado. But I felt the ginger and garlic flavors didn't come through. I like the concept though and next time I may sub the sugar for mirin or pomegranate syrup.

Kevin

Yaki refers to the grilling method and tori means chicken. Since the Japanese word for salmon is sake, it seems to me a more accurate title for this dish would be Yakisake.

mbm

This excellent! I did not make the salmon or zucchini on skewers. Halved the zucchini long-ways and grilled the whole salmon on the Blackstone. Was amazing!

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