Sticky Orange Gochujang Salmon (Printable)

Tender salmon with sweet-spicy orange gochujang sauce served over rice with crisp cucumber and creamy avocado.

# What You Need:

→ Salmon

01 - 2 salmon fillets, about 5.3 oz each, skin removed
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Orange Gochujang Glaze

04 - 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste)
05 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
06 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
07 - 1 tablespoon honey
08 - 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
09 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
10 - 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
11 - 1 clove garlic, minced

→ Bowl Components

12 - 2 cups cooked short-grain rice, warm
13 - 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
14 - 1 avocado, sliced
15 - 1 sheet roasted nori, cut into strips
16 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
17 - 2 tablespoons sliced scallions

# Directions:

01 - Heat oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - Season both sides of salmon fillets with salt and black pepper. Place on prepared tray.
03 - Combine gochujang, orange juice, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic in a bowl. Whisk until smooth.
04 - Brush half of the glaze onto salmon fillets. Bake 12 to 14 minutes, until salmon is cooked and flakes easily.
05 - While salmon bakes, prepare rice and slice cucumber, avocado, and nori.
06 - Brush remaining glaze on salmon and broil 1 to 2 minutes for a sticky texture.
07 - Distribute warm rice into two bowls. Top each with a salmon fillet, sliced cucumber, avocado, nori strips, sesame seeds, and scallions.
08 - Serve immediately while warm.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The salmon emerges from the oven impossibly tender with a glaze that clings like it was meant to be there.
  • You can prep this in less time than it takes to watch one cooking video, making weeknight dinner feel less like a chore.
  • It tastes restaurant-quality but requires zero fancy techniques or hard-to-find ingredients.
02 -
  • Do not skip squeezing fresh orange juice—bottled versions lack the brightness that makes this glaze sing, and the difference is immediately noticeable.
  • Pat the salmon completely dry before seasoning; even a little moisture prevents proper seasoning and can cause sticking.
  • The final broil step is optional but genuinely worth the extra 90 seconds—it creates a sticky, caramelized finish that elevates the whole experience.
03 -
  • Fresh orange juice is non-negotiable; it's what separates this from a generic glazed salmon situation into something people will ask you to make again.
  • Cooking the salmon at a lower temperature for a longer time yields more tender results than blasting it at high heat, so patience pays off.
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