Korean · main

Gochujang-Glazed Salmon

Gochujang-Glazed Salmon reads umami 8.4, richness 7.0 and sweetness 5.2 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Korean main, about 17 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 9.6 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 5.2 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 3.0 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.3 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 8.3 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.7 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 8.4 · Richness 7.0 · Sweetness 5.2 · Salinity 5.2 · Nutty 4.3 · Floral 4.0 · Allium 3.5 · Marine & Briny 3.4 · Funk & Ferment 3.3 · Heat 3.1 · Sourness 3.0 · Warm Spice 2.2 · Herbaceous 1.7 · Smoke 1.0 · Bitterness 0.9 · Earthy 0.9

What's in it (13)

• salmon fillets — 680 g
• salt — 4 g
• black pepper — 1 g
• oil — 14 g
• gochujang — 44 g
• honey — 30 g
• soybean soy sauce — 30 g
• rice wine vinegar — 11 g
• dark sesame oil — 5 g
• garlic — 9 g
• ginger — 5 g
• scallions — 200 g
• ground toasted sesame seeds — 15 g

Time & effort: about 17 min (15 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 123.7 kcal, 12.8 g protein, 5.4 g fat, 5.5 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (7 steps)

1. Pat the salmon fillets dry and season all over with the salt and pepper; let sit at room temperature while you make the glaze.
2. In a small saucepan, whisk together the gochujang, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring often, until glossy and slightly thickened, 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside about half the glaze in a small bowl for serving.
3. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Lay the salmon skin-side down and sear undisturbed until the skin is deeply golden and crisp, 4-5 minutes.
4. Flip the fillets and sear the flesh side until lightly browned, about 1-2 minutes, then remove the skillet from the heat.
5. Brush the top of each fillet generously with the remaining glaze in the pan.
6. Position an oven rack 6 inches from the broiler element and heat the broiler to high. Broil the salmon until the glaze is bubbling and lightly charred at the edges and the fish reaches 125°F in the thickest part for a moist, just-set center, 3-4 minutes.
7. Let the salmon rest 2 minutes, then scatter with the scallions and sesame seeds and serve with the reserved glaze on the side.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Honey Garlic Glazed Salmon — American
• Sesame Ginger Glazed Cod — Fusion
• Sesame Ginger Salmon — Japanese
• Sheet-Pan Miso-Glazed Salmon with Bok Choy — Japanese
• Sesame-Crusted Seared Tuna — Fusion

Keep reading: what umami, richness, sweetness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

See how this dish fits your palate — take the short taste test →

Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.