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Soy ginger marinade in a glass measuring cup with honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, and garlic

Soy Ginger Marinade and Glaze

A savory, lightly sweet soy ginger marinade made with honey, fresh garlic, rice vinegar, and toasted sesame oil. Reserve a clean portion before marinating, then thicken it into a glossy glaze for salmon, chicken, tofu, vegetables, and rice bowls.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 minutes
Total Time 12 minutes
Recipe Type Marinade, Pantry Essential, Sauce
Cuisine Asian-Inspired
Servings 8 servings
Calories 46 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Soy Ginger Marinade

  • ⅓ cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger finely grated
  • 3 cloves garlic finely grated
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons sriracha or chili garlic sauce use 1 teaspoon for a milder marinade
  • 2 tablespoons water

Clean Glaze Slurry

  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon cold water

Instructions
 

Make and Reserve the Marinade

  • Whisk the soy sauce, honey, unseasoned rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, sriracha, and 2 tablespoons water until the honey is fully incorporated.
    Soy ginger marinade being whisked with honey, rice vinegar, fresh ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and sriracha
  • Measure ⅓ cup into a separate clean container before adding any raw protein. This clean portion will become the glaze.
  • Add up to 1 ½ pounds salmon, chicken, tofu, shrimp, or vegetables to the remaining marinade. Cover and refrigerate. For salmon, marinate 20 to 30 minutes. Discard the used marinade after removing the protein.
    Salmon fillets marinating in soy ginger sauce inside a zip-top bag

Make the Clean Glaze

  • Whisk the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water until smooth.
  • Add the slurry to the clean reserved marinade in a small saucepan.
  • Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, whisking, until glossy and lightly thickened.
    Clean reserved soy ginger marinade simmering separately into a glaze in a saucepan
  • Remove from the heat. Brush, spoon, or toss the glaze over fully cooked protein or vegetables. Thin with water 1 teaspoon at a time if needed.
    Air fryer soy ginger salmon bites glazed and arranged over rice with cucumber, carrots, avocado, scallions, and sesame gochujang sauce

Notes

Clean reserve: Always measure the glaze portion before raw protein touches the marinade.
Salmon timing: Marinate fillets or 1 ¼ to 1 ½ inch cubes for 20 to 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
Chicken timing: Marinate boneless chicken for 2 to 6 hours in the refrigerator and cook to 165°F.
Gluten free: Use certified gluten free tamari.
Heat level: Use 1 teaspoon sriracha for mild flavor or up to 3 teaspoons for more heat.
Storage: Refrigerate unused clean marinade or cooked glaze for up to 4 days. Do not store the portion that touched raw salmon.
Yield: About 1 cup total, enough to marinate 1 ½ pounds protein and make about ⅓ cup glaze. One nutrition serving is about 2 tablespoons or 32 grams.
Nutrition: Nutrition is an estimate for the mixture itself. The amount absorbed by a protein and the amount of glaze used will change actual consumption.

Nutrition

Calories: 46kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.4gSodium: 420mgPotassium: 45mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 20IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 8mgIron: 0.4mg
Keyword garlic ginger marinade, homemade marinade, honey soy marinade, pantry-first, salmon glaze, soy ginger marinade, soy ginger marinade and glaze, soy ginger salmon marinade
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