This Vietnamese inspired salmon can be made in the Instant pot or the oven. Served with a Vietnamese-inspired sauce.

Instant Pot Vietnamese Salmon

I’m always looking for new ways to enjoy salmon! This Vietnamese-inspired salmon is a new favourite, that can be made in either the Instant Pot or the oven.

While the Instant Pot doesn’t offer any time saving here, when you factor in the time to bring it up to pressure, the results of the short pressure cooking on the texture of the salmon was outstanding! Perfect, flaky, moist salmon, without any of that white stuff that baking salmon often produces that is so unappetizing. But don’t worry if you don’t have an Instant Pot. The oven version is lovely as well.

Cook’s Notes

If you’re not familiar with Vietnamese flavours, it may take a bite or two to reconcile what you think it’s going to taste like with what it actually tastes like :) Your head may be expecting the sweetness of teriyaki (soy with sugar), but what you’ll taste is something distinctly earthy and complex, from the use of fish sauce with sugar. It’s different, but equally delicious! That said, I suspect this dish isn’t high on the kid-friendly scale. I know my kids would probably not have approved in their early years :)

This salmon is perfect served with rice, which will soak up the lovely sauce beautifully. Something green, like just wilted baby bok choy or spinach is also nice on the side.

Classically, you would pair this dish with cilantro. I am not a fan of cilantro and usually substitute with flat-leafed parsley. But since I happened to have some pea sprouts in my fridge that needed using, so they went on top instead. They turned out to be a lovely fresh note with the earthy sauce. I’d do that again :)

Looking for Instant Pot Salmon Recipes? You might also like my Instant Pot Teriyaki Salmon!

Vietnamese Inspired Instant Pot Salmon

Get the Recipe: Instant Pot or Oven Vietnamese Salmon

Perfectly cooked salmon, paired with a Vietnamese sauce. Delicious served with rice and some wilted greens, such a baby bok choy or spinach.
5 stars from 11 ratings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 3 Tablespoon Asian fish sauce
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoon soy sauce, low sodium recommended
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, or ginger paste
  • Finely grated zest of 1 lime
  • Juice of 1/2 lime
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 fresh skinless salmon fillets, preferably centre cut (or frozen, fully thawed)

For garnish:

  • Sliced green onion, white and green parts, cut diagonally
  • Fresh cilantro leaves
  • Fresh lime wedges, for drizzling

Instructions
 

  • *See Recipe Card Notes below for the Oven-Method.
    Set the Instant Pot to SAUTE (normal heat). Add the oil, brown sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, ginger, lime zest, lime juice and black pepper to the Instant Pot. Bring to a simmer, then turn off the cooker.
  • Place the fish into the cooker, with the flat side that had the skin up. Spoon some of the sauce over the fish. Cover the cooker and cook on LOW PRESSURE for 1 minute. Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then release the remaining pressure manually.
  • Switch the cooker back to SAUTE (normal heat) and cook your salmon and sauce for another 30 seconds - 1 minute or so, or until salmon is cooked to your liking.
  • Carefully lift the salmon from the cooker and place onto a rimmed serving platter, flipping them over so that the side that was down is now up. Continue cooking the sauce in your cooker until reduced and syrupy, about 3 minutes more.
  • Spoon reduced sauce over salmon and garnish with sliced green onion and cilantro leaves. Serve with fresh lime wedges for drizzling.

Notes

OVEN METHOD:
Preheat oven to 350F.
Combine oil, brown sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, ginger, lime zest, lime juice and pepper in an oven-proof baking dish just large enough to hold your salmon fillets flat.
Place salmon fillets into dish with sauce, with the flat side that had the skin facing up.
Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until salmon is cooked to your taste. Remove dish from oven, then remove salmon to a serving platter, flipping the salmon so the bottom side is now up.
Place dish with sauce back into the oven under the broiler (about 6 inches from heat) to reduce and thicken the sauce slightly, about another 1-2 minutes or so. Spoon reduced sauce over salmon.
Garnish with green onion and cilantro leaves and serve with lime wedges for drizzling.
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Course: Main Course
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 351kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 35g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 93mg, Sodium: 1517mg, Potassium: 910mg, Sugar: 18g, Vitamin A: 70IU, Calcium: 41mg, Iron: 1.8mg
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