Yakitori-Style Salmon With Scallions and Zucchini Recipe – Japanese Special
The Yakitori Style Salmon recipe elevates Japanese grilling traditions to a vibrant weeknight meal by threading succulent salmon pieces, scallions, and zucchini onto skewers and glazing them with a savory-sweet sauce made from soy sauce, sugar, garlic, ginger, and rice vinegar. Seared over high heat, these skewers caramelize beautifully and deliver bold grilled flavor, golden crust, and juicy, aromatic bites. Serve with lemon wedges and extra glaze for dipping to turn your dinner into a flavorful, confident homestyle twist on yakitori.
- Prep Time25 min
- Cook Time30 min
- Total Time55 min
Yakitori-Style Salmon With Scallions and Zucchini Ingredients :
- ¼cup canola oil, plus more for greasing
- 1tablespoon minced garlic (from about 3 cloves)
- 1tablespoon minced ginger (from a 1-inch piece)
- ⅔cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ⅓cup turbinado sugar
- 2tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
- 2tablespoons cornstarch
- 1pound small zucchini (about 3), trimmed and sliced ⅛-inch-thick
- 8scallions, trimmed, halved lengthwise, if large, and cut into 2-inch pieces
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 2pounds boneless, skinless salmon fillets, cut into 1-inch pieces
- Lemon wedges, for serving
How To Make Yakitori-Style Salmon With Scallions and Zucchini :
In a small saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-low heat. Add garlic and ginger, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in 2/3 cup water, soy sauce, sugar, and vinegar, and bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar, for 1 to 2 minutes. In a separate bowl, mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water, then whisk into the sauce. Continue to simmer until thickened, approximately 2 minutes. Set aside 1 cup of the sauce for basting and transfer the remaining sauce to a small serving bowl.
Preheat a grill or a lightly greased cast-iron griddle or grill pan over medium heat. Season zucchini and scallions with salt and pepper, then toss with 2 tablespoons of oil. Thread onto skewers that have been soaked in water (if using wooden skewers) or use metal skewers. Season salmon with salt and pepper, toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, and thread onto skewers.
Grill the skewers, basting with sauce and turning every few minutes, until the salmon and vegetables are caramelized and cooked through. This typically takes about 10 to 12 minutes for the salmon and 12 to 15 minutes for the vegetables. Serve with lemon wedges and the reserved sauce for dipping.
Recipe Notes:
Mix soy sauce, sugar, garlic, ginger, and rice vinegar, then thicken with a cornstarch slurry for a luscious glaze.
Reserve part of the sauce for basting during grilling and set aside extra for dipping.
Thread tightly packed salmon, scallions, and zucchini onto skewers for even cook and easy flipping.
Grill or broil, turning and basting every few minutes, until vegetables start to caramelize (about 12–15 minutes) and salmon is just cooked through (about 10–12 minutes).
Let skewers rest briefly—this helps the flavors develop and prevents dryness.
Serve with lemon wedges to brighten the dish and complement the glaze.
Leftovers work beautifully tossed into salads the next day or reheated gently for another simple meal.
