Light yet flavorful and delicious, this Salmon in Foil recipe is a perfect dish for a busy weeknight meal. It takes no more than 20 minutes from start to finish. This dish is also featured on Netflix® “Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories”.
Salmon in Foil, or SHA-ke no Hoiru Yaki (鮭のフォイル焼き), is a fast, simple and delicious dish. When I was growing up, my mom would serve a variety of ‘salmon in foil’ for dinner when she was short on time. All you have to do is toss a few ingredients into a foil, wrap it up like a parcel and let it steamed over in a frying pan. In no time at all, you have a healthy meal that your family will love.
Salmon and Mushrooms – Netflix “Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories” Season 2
You can find this Salmon in Foil dish featured on the popular Netflix® show – Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories (Season 2, Episode 6). In the show, this dish is called “Salmon and Mushrooms” as they include both salmon and mushrooms.
Salmon in Foil is rather a home-cooked dish in Japan. You rarely find it on the menu at restaurants or Shokudo (食堂) diners. So let’s make it at home!
Why You Should Try This Salmon in Foil Recipe
1. Moist and tender salmon
No one likes dry salmon. Cooking the salmon in foil is all about retaining the moisture and tenderness inside. This method, when cooked over low heat, also ensures proper steaming process. It locks in all the delicious juice, resulting in a lush and delicate salmon!
2. Versatile recipe
The recipe never gets old in my family because you can switch up the veggies and the seasonings. Salmon pairs well with a range of vegetables, so you can always include seasonal greens to make things interesting.
I included some of my suggestions below. However, I personally love this salmon, mushrooms and veggie combination. They work very well together with the simple seasonings.
3. Quick cook and easy cleanup
As opposed to the oven method, there is no pre-heating required. You can literary cook the salmon in 12 minutes. It’s that FAST! If you can wrap up all the ingredients in foil in 8 minutes, this is a 20-minute meal!!
Since everything is tucked inside the foil, it makes the easiest cleanup. There is also no oil or sauce, so you don’t even have to clean the stove or the frying pan.
Watch How To Make Salmon in Foil
Salmon in Foil wins every aspect for a busy weeknight meal: easy and simple to make, takes no more than 20 mins, light yet flavorful and DELICIOUS!
Variations for Salmon in Foil
If you enjoyed this recipe and wanted to try out other variations, here are more suggestions for your next dish.
Ingredients
- Enoki mushrooms
- King oyster mushrooms
- Green leafy vegetables (cut vegetables into julienned strips so they will cook fast)
Seasonings
- Butter + Lemon
- Butter + Garlic
- Butter + Shio Koji
- Butter + Soy Sauce
- Butter + Miso
- Butter + Ponzu
- Mayo + Miso
- Mayo + Soy sauce
- Miso + Mirin
- If using salty seasonings, add in sugar, mirin, etc.
My favorite way to enjoy this dish is to drizzle on Homemade Ponzu.
Do We Add Water in the Frying Pan?
I thought some of you may wonder about this – don’t we need to add water to steam the fish? The answer is no; the salmon will be steamed inside the foil, so water is not necessary.
But how about the frying pan? Will it be damaged by the heat? My pan has never damaged by this cooking method. If you are worried, you can add water but you need to cook an extra 2 minutes or longer. The water in the pan distributes gentle heat so it requires more time for the onion to cook through.
Itadakimasu!
With layers of textures and flavors, this salmon in foil is predictably foolproof, every single time. Serve with steamed rice and miso soup, and a side of salad if you have extra time. With this recipe in your back pocket, you will have more reasons to cook up healthy meals for yourself and your loved ones.
Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want to look for substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.
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Salmon in Foil is a perfect dish for a busy weeknight meal! Light yet flavorful and DELICIOUS, this recipe is quick and simple to make, taking no more than 20 minutes from start to finish.
- 2 fillets salmon (roughly 8.5 oz / 240 g)
- kosher/sea salt (I use Diamond Crystal; Use half for table salt)
- freshly ground black pepper
- ½ onion
- 2 inch carrot (5 cm)
- ½ shimeji mushrooms (1.8 oz / 50 g)
- 2 shiitake mushrooms
- 2 strands chives
- 1 ½ Tbsp unsalted butter (divided)
- 1 Tbsp sake (divided)
- 2 Tbsp ponzu or soy sauce (for drizzling) (See Notes for homemade recipe)
- Gather all the ingredients.
- Sprinkle kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper on both sides of the salmon fillet.
- Thinly slice the onion and cut the carrot into julienne strips.
- Cut off the bottom of the shimeji mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms. Break up shimeji mushrooms with your hands and thinly slice shiitake mushrooms.
- Cut the chives into small pieces.
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Prepare two 12” x 12” (30 x 30 cm) sheets of aluminum foil. Thinly spread the butter in the center on both sheets.
- Place half of the onion slices and put the salmon on top, skin side down.
- Put two kinds of mushrooms and then carrot julienne strips on top of the salmon.
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Add ½ Tbsp sake and ½ Tbsp butter on top.
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Bring the top and bottom aluminum foil over the salmon and fold a few times. Then bring the sides together and fold a few times to make sure the foil is tightly closed and no opening. Repeat the same process for the second salmon.
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Place the two sets of salmon in foil on a frying pan and cover with a lid (no need to add water). Cook the salmon over medium heat for 2 minutes, then medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Alternatively, you can bake at preheated 400 ºF (200 ºC) oven for 12-15 minutes.
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Carefully open the aluminum foil to enjoy the salmon, sprinkle chives and drizzle ponzu or soy sauce on top. Enjoy!
Ponzu: For the homemade recipe, please click here.
Recipe by Namiko Chen of Just One Cookbook. All images and content on this site are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without my permission. If you’d like to share this recipe on your site, please re-write the recipe and link to this post as the original source. Thank you.
Other Quick and Easy Recipes
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on December 16, 2017. The post has been edited and republished in April 2020.
This looks great..Thanks for explanation of no water in pan…I was curious about that aspect….I bet this would work with black cod as well?
Hi Lyn! You’re welcome. 🙂 Sure, try with black cod – If you use miso, make sure you placed some veggies on the bottom of the fish so miso doesn’t get burnt between fish and frying pan. 🙂
Thank you Nami for this amazing recipe and all the recipes that you share with us! I enjoyed mushrooms very much. It provides moisture and adds umami to the dish.
Hi Iris! Thank you for your kind note, and I’m so happy to hear you enjoy my recipes. Thank you! Yes, I agree. I appreciate the flavor and texture of mushrooms way more than when I was younger. 🙂
I’m so excited about this recipe! Christmas has come early.
Hi Bret! Hope you like this recipe! Merry Christmas to you! xo
Okay, you know I love trying new recipes to begin with, but… these are the ones I truly wait for. Healthy, filling, delicious, AND easy to make. One you can memorize and make it again and again for a quick and healthy dinner. Yatta!!! This is awesome! I just made it and it was delicious! I sprinkled a little Yuzu juice onto mine too and I ate it with edamame pods on the side with ponzu to dip them in, and some Japanese rice. Only thing that would’ve made it better was a little bit of shibazuke and a beer. I should’ve had that too! Lol. I am eating too much.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe!!! A great trade-off for my usual ochazuke.
Here’s a great tip for those who can’t get Japanese-style salmon filets. Get a skin-on American style salmon filet (about 8oz) and just cut it lengthwise down the middle to make two long, thin filets. I found that this was closer to a Japanese sized portion and with the amount of veggies in there, and when served with rice and a side, it was plenty of food. If you’re not planning to make any other food with it, then you could use a whole filet. Also, you could use skin-off salmon just as easily, but this recipe makes the skin so soft you won’t notice it, if you’re picky about skin.
Hi Lion! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thank you for already making this dish. I know you two enjoy fish, so I thought of you guys. And yes on Yuzu! I am with you on shibazuke – I miss eating it with steamed rice!
Thank you also for sharing your tip on cut on salmon. I’m sure other people think it VERY useful! So thank you!!
Would this style of cooking work with a smaller, whole fish too? I have some whole mackerel and was hoping to follow this recipe for cooking them.
Hi Josh! Sure, you can definitely use the whole fish too!
Hi Nami,
It was so nostalgic seeing this recipe on here because my host mother used to make it for me all the time when I lived in Japan. One quick question I had in regards to that, when my host mother used to make it for me she always used the oven instead of the pan method in your recipe.
I’m not exactly sure how she did it but it always turned out great. Do you know much about this?
Hi Justin! Happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe your host mother made. Sure, you can make it in the oven too! It will take a little longer than frying pan (frying pan heats up fast and cook faster). 🙂
hello! can i use white fish instead of salmon for this?
Can you substitute other vegetables for the mushrooms? I love mushrooms but my husband can’t eat them. Are there any veggies you recommend? Thanks!
Hi Nattie! Sure, you can do that. Make sure to use veggies that will cook in 10 minutes or use blanched veggies if necessary, or cut thinly if that helps to cook evenly and faster. Any veggies will work – it doesn’t have to be specific. 🙂
Moist and delicious salmon. It is a big hit. The ingredients can easily be customized to accommodate allergies and picky eaters.
Hi Kiyo! Thank you so much for trying this recipe! So happy to hear you enjoyed it! 🙂
Hi Nami,
I always like your recipes and kind sharing ! thanks!
One question: does putting water into the pan have the same effect as steaming this salmon in foil ? Or if I steam the fish in foil, would it have the same outcome?
Thank you!
Hi June! Thank you for following my blog! 🙂
No, salmon doesn’t get benefit of steaming (moisture) as the fish is wrapped in foil, while steam is going outside of the foil. I do “steam” the fish inside the foil with sake + butter you add (moisture).
I LOVE this recipe! It is amazingly healthy and no clean up, YES! Thank You
Hi Cathy! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for your kind feedback. 🙂
Hi Nami san, do you have tips on how to clean store bought salmon fillets? And how to debone them too?
Hi Carmen! You can sprinkle some salt and wait for 10-15 minutes, and quickly rinse it, and then use it. Japanese usually don’t debone for this kind of cut as we eat and debone while we eat with chopsticks or fork/knife…. But if you have a fish tweezer (https://amzn.to/2CYyPyg) you can do so before cooking. It’s a lot easier to debone after cooking (but need some technique if you’re not used to it). Hope this helps??
Thank you for the recip, I love your recipes!! I would like to make the Salmon in Foil for my book club of 8. Would it work if input the foil packets in the oven instead because there’ll be so many? If yes, at what temperatures and for how long?
Hi Daisy! I’m so happy to hear you enjoy my recipes! I am so sorry for my late response. Yeah you can use the oven instead. 400F for 15-25 minutes (depending on thickness – my cut is pretty thin).
Hi Nami,
Thank you for sharing your recipe! I’m very excited to try it.
I was wondering if this recipe is meal-prep/freezer friendly? Could I prepare this in bulk and just pull out the package and cook it throughout the week?
Thank you!
Hi Grace! I hope you enjoy this recipe! Good question about the meal prep… In general, I think the fish release some moisture while keeping in the fridge. So if you prepare ahead, the packet will probably contain excess moisture, which could dilute the taste… However, you can prepare the ingredients separately, and wrap up in the foil right before cooking it. I know it’s extra time needed, but I would probably do that instead. 🙂
Hi Nami! I’ll definitely try to do that and prepare this meal next week. Thank you for your response 🙂
Hope you enjoy, Grace!
This is tasty and easy! I try many things! Such as asparagus. Now that it is mushroom season, I add many mushrooms. Thank you for this recipe!
Hi Anna! Yes, it’s really easy to put other ingredients in the foil and cook together with fish. I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for your feedback. xo
Nami, do you remember, several months ago I asked you if you have any dish recipe using Kome Koji like with Shio Koji? I wanted to make Shio Koji with that, but was puzzled because the Kome Koji I bought was brown just like miso, not white. So it just lingered in my fridge.
Then I thought of using Kome Koji and butter for seasoning in this recipe, because I read one of your seasoning suggestion was butter + Shio Koji. Guess what? A cheesy flavor was created by the Kome Koji. Wow! I couldn’t believe it. Previously I had used this Kome Koji for seasoning steak and didn’t turn into anything special. Maybe this time it’s because of the combination with butter, or the different way of cooking. I don’t know. I’m dancing now. At last! I have found something great to make with this Kome Koji.
Hi Shuni! Yes, I remember! Wow thank you so much for sharing your kome koji journey with us! I love reading your experiments and findings and thanks for sharing them! It’s fascinating to hear about the cheesy flavor. Maybe fermentation too?
Thanks a lot for the recipe! I cooked that two days ago and the result was tasty!
I was thinking to cook noodles (after boiling) with the vegetables instead of salmon next time. Is that a good idea?
Hi Damian! Thank you for trying this recipe! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Do you mean cooking noodles with vegetables? Sure!
Thanks for sharing the reciepe, really easy and simple.
Just wondering if we can use parachment paper instead of foil?
Hi EmEm! Thank you for reading this post! Yes, you can use parchment paper instead of aluminum foil. 🙂
Thanks! Will try it!
What do I do with the other half of the onion slices?
Hi Kay! Use the other half for the second salmon. 🙂
Ohhh I see! Thank you.
No problem! Enjoy! 🙂
I’d love to try this dish, but my son can’t eat fish. Can I make a chicken breast version of the packet, and cook them side by side? Do I need to cook the chicken longer? How much longer. Thanks.
Is it possible to take the salmon after all the ingredients were added and it was wrapped in foil and place it in the fridge for a few hours? My wife and I work opposite schedules so wanted to prepare it so all she has to do when she gets home is place the foil in the frying pan and cook it.
Hi Jason! That’s very sweet of you. Sure, that will work just fine! 🙂
Here in North America, we have a choice of either Atlantic or Sockeye Salmon. Atlantic salmon tends to be a bit more rich in oil. For this recipe, which works better? I’m just worried that using sockeye salmon may end up a bit dry or overcook? Thoughts?
Hi Ashley! I use Atlantic salmon. 🙂
I made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious. It was so easy, quick and delicious, and as a bonus, it was easy to clean up after. I couldn’t get chives so I used spring onions instead.
Hi Melissa! Thank you so much for trying this recipe! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it. 🙂
Do you serve the foil packet on the plate as shown in the photos? I am preparing this recipe for guests next week.
Hi Kim! Yes, the guest can open up the foil (be careful with the steam) and juice is still inside the foil. 🙂
I made this salmon in foil, so easy and delish. I followed the timing except I heated up the pan first. I usually worry about over cooking the salmon but with this recipe, it was perfect. I drizzle ponzu sauce mixed with sesame oil, and served with Korean style black rice. There were enough veggies in the package that I didn’t have to make a side dish. I will be making the all purpose miso sauce and want to try that over different types of fish.
Hi Jackie! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. I recently made this for my mother in law who is visiting from Taiwan and she really liked it too! When you use miso, be careful as miso burns easily. Hope you enjoy different versions of this dish! 🙂
What a beautiful and fast way to cook salmon! It has become a go-to recipe for my weeknight dinner. Thank you Nami!
Hi Alicia! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for your kind feedback. 🙂
Hi, I was wondering if I can make it in the oven. Because we are many in our family and using pan will take long time. And can i skip shimeji mushrooms because I can not find it here.
Thank you in advance.
Hi Sofia! You can skip shimeji mushrooms. 🙂 As for the oven, bake at 400F for 12-15 minutes and see if the salmon is cooked through. 🙂
I just made this for tonight’s dinner. So easy and delicious. I use butter and soy sauce. I’m going to try using other sauce next time. Thank you for the recipe!
Hi Stephanie! Yay! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for your kind feedback. xo
Nami, this is a fantastic recipe. It is foolproof and so versatile. I just wanted to ask if I could use any other fish in place of salmon. Are there any other kinds of fish you recommend, or I shouldn’t use with this recipe? Thanks so much.
Hi Ali! So happy to hear you like this recipe! Yes, you can use other fish like cod, chilian seabass or any oily fish would make a really great soup. 🙂
Soup that leaves in the foil, I meant. 🙂
Thanks for the wonderful recipes! Just wondering, but would I be able to use chicken in place of the fish? Good fish is hard to find in my area.
Hi Naomi! Chicken can get tricky because you don’t want to eat raw chicken. If you would like to use chicken, then this is what I recommend. 1) Cut the chicken and do not use the whole chicken piece. 2) Make sure each chicken piece is small enough to cook faster. 3) I recommend the cutting technique “Sogigiri” which you cut the piece slanted to make flatter and thinner piece (https://www.justonecookbook.com/sogigiri). You don’t want to have a thick piece that will take a longer time to cook.
Before you eat, make sure chicken is cooked through. 🙂
Thank you!
Nami, thank you for sharing this healthy recipe. Soo enjoyed it!
I cooked using black cod and it was delicious, delicate texture.
I’m a fan!
Hi Cecile! I’m so happy to hear you liked the recipe! Thanks so much for your trying this recipe and for your kind feedback. xo
My husband and I loved it!x
Hi Michelle! Thank you so much for your kind feedback. I’m so happy to hear you two enjoyed this recipe! 🙂
Hello Nami, I’m new here…I’ve been watching your videos for a while now, thanks to this super easy recipe! I love Salmon so much! But I have a question, what kind of frying pan are you using? Your frying pan looks like also good for baking? Couldn’t really see the actual in the video. Thank you!
Hi Sharon! Welcome to JOC website (thanks for watching my videos on YouTube!)!
This one is a non-stick pan from All-Clad. I have all my pans on this shop page (lately I’ve been using carbon steel pans).
https://www.amazon.com/shop/justonecookbook
I love how simple this is! Definitely a great candidate for a busy weeknight dinner, and although I personally don’t like fish too much, salmon is the one exception I make. It’s relatively cheap and if cooked right, just melts in your mouth.
Hi Kevin! I hope you enjoy this recipe! It’s really easy to make and flavor profile can be changed according to your preference. 🙂
This looks great.I always cook salmon on the BBQ in aluminium foil, usually with lemon and asparagus or tenderstem. But this looks like a great alternative, will try this week.
Hi Ed! Thank you for your kind feedback. I hope you enjoy cooking this at home! It’s very simple and versatile when it comes to seasoning! Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Recipe looks amazing! Im planning on making a lot more though (3 sides of filet with each being about 2 pounds, so 6 altogether) for a larger group. Any experience with the cooking time for this large amount of fish? Im worried it will come out too dry.
Thank you so much in advance!
Hi Arpita! As long as you keep the fish in the foil, it will not become dry until serving. Hope you enjoy! 🙂
I just found your site and I loved it! I want to try it all <3
Hi Simoni! Welcome, and thank you for finding my site! I hope you enjoy my recipes!
Another outstanding recipe. I used Steelhead Trout instead of Salmon. That’s what I had. Also used regular old button mushrooms and shallots. I don’t think it made huge difference to the flavor, which was supplied by the sake, butter and drizzle of soy sauce. The entire family enjoyed this meal, even my seafood adverse husband.
Thank you.
Hi Kathrin! I’m so happy to hear that your family enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for your kind feedback, Kathrin! 🙂
Hi! If I don’t have any sake and can’t get to the store right now, can I omit it or replace it with something else like water? I’d love to make this but I realize the importance of the sake to create the steam.
Hi Angela! Yeah water or any dry wine would do. Sake or wine will help with removing the fish smell. But other than that, it’s there for steaming. 🙂
If I were to use miso + butter, would I put the miso in the foil at the same time as the left over butter, or top after cooking? I know you mentioned miso can burn easy in other posts, but trying to figure out how to distribute the miso among the salmon/veggies
Hi Jake! I think you can mix the miso and the butter and spread the paste/sauce and then spread it around the salmon. Since it’s not direct heat, it should not burn but more like steam cook with miso sauce. 🙂
I will try this, thank you.
My daughter loves enoki mushrooms and I made this today using enoki and salmon fillet from Costco (skinless) cut crosswise. Other than the mushroom substitution, I followed the instructions as is even the times. I cannot believe how juicy and tasty this turned out to be with just salt and pepper and even without additional water, just the cooking sake! It was one of those quick, easy and healthy meals that everyone enjoys.
Will definitely make again!
I subbed some ingredients – red onions, thinly sliced Napa cabbage, sliced garlic, soy sauce and mirin for drizzling- no chives or shiitake. But wow, I was blown away by the flavour in the small packet! What an amazing recipe. I will keep making this for weeknights!