Steamed Salmon (蒸三文魚)

This Chinese-style steamed salmon is easy, fast and full of flavor — the perfect light and healthy dinner!

flodesk gif
Prep Time
15 min
Total Time
30 min
Yields
4 servings
YouTube Tutorial

A Recipe by Daddy Lau

My dad's been cooking Chinese food for over 50 years - as a kid fending for himself in Guangzhou, as the head chef of his own restaurant, and as a loving father in our home.

Hopefully, by learning this recipe, you'll get to experience some of the delicious joy we felt growing up eating his food!

- Randy

Steamed fish is a classic Cantonese dish that's a staple at both holiday banquets and everyday dinners. This recipe is a variation on the traditional recipe that uses easy-to-find salmon and transforms it into a light, yet comforting meal using a handful of Asian pantry ingredients.

My dad's steamed salmon is very simple to prepare and one of the best versions I've ever had. Steaming preserves salmon's delicate texture without the need to overwhelm it with rich marinades. The fish is cooked until it's nice and tender, then topped with a fragrant ginger-scallion oil and flavorful sauce.

An expert chef's tip for perfect steamed salmon

There are two important things to keep in mind when making this steamed salmon recipe. First, make sure the salmon is dry before steaming or else it'll be too watery. Second, don't overcook the fish! The longer you steam it, the tougher and drier the fish will be.

What to serve with steamed salmon

Steamed salmon is great with a bowl of rice. To complete the meal, add a vegetables, such as our Stir-Fried Bok Choy, Choy Sum with Garlic or Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce.

Check out a quick story summary of our recipe!

Ingredients

Weight: US
oz
g
Volume: US
cup
mL
Servings
4

Main Ingredients

  • 1 lb salmon
  • 1 oz ginger
  • 2 oz scallion

Sauce Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp cooking wine
  • 0.25 tsp white pepper
  • 0.50 tsp sugar

Garnish Ingredients

  • 3 oz oil
  • 1 oz cilantro

On salmon

This Asian steamed salmon is a simple dish that relies on high-quality fish. My dad prefers to use wild salmon, which is leaner due to their natural diets. Check out Seafood Watch to learn more about sustainable options.

To find a good piece of salmon, first look at the color. It should have a vibrant reddish color. When you press down on the fish, the flesh should spring back up. If the salmon is poor quality, the indent will stay. Avoid getting packages that are watery — that means the fish has been sitting out for a while

Equipment note

A steamer rack is essential since there needs to be something to elevate and separate your bowl from the wok or pan.

Here's a suitable one that costs about $5.

These links are affiliate links, which means that if you use our links to purchase these ingredients, Amazon pays my family a small amount for the sale - at no extra cost to you. If you use these links, we really appreciate the support!

Step 1: Prep salmon

To prep the salmon (1 lb), first descale the skin. You can also steam it with the scales and skin on.

(Chef's Tip: My dad's quick method for descaling fish is very simple. Place the fillet into a plastic bag, then scrape the scales off using a spoon, pushing them towards the bottom of the bag.)

Once the scales are off, remove the fish from the bag and rinse it in clean water to remove any debris. Pat it dry with paper towels.

Cut the salmon into four equal pieces. Tear a stalk of scallion into smaller pieces and scatter them on the steaming plate. Place the salmon fillets on top of the scallions. This will add more aroma to the fish.

Step 2: Prep aromatics

Cut a few thin slices from the cleaned piece of ginger (1 oz) and lay them on top of the salmon.

Next, slice the white ends off the scallions (2 oz) and cut into smaller pieces. Hold the scallion whites vertically and slice into thin strips. Repeat with the remaining whites and green parts as well.

Slice the remaining ginger into thin slices, then into strips. Set aside.

Step 3: Prep sauce

In a small bowl, combine the light soy sauce (1 tbsp), dark soy sauce (1 tsp), oyster sauce (1 tbsp), cooking wine (1 tbsp), white pepper (0.25 tsp) and sugar (0.50 tsp) and mix thoroughly. Taste and adjust as needed.

Sprinkle some white pepper directly on the salmon.

Step 4: Steam salmon

Place a steaming rack in your wok and fill with water until it meets the rack. Bring the water to a boil over high heat.

(Chef's Tip: To speed up the process, my dad boils the water separately rather than waiting for cold or room temperature to heat up in the wok.)

Once the water boils, place the plate of salmon on top of the rack, put on the wok lid and steam for 8 to 10 minutes on high heat.

Remove the lid and check for doneness. My dad uses the chopstick test — if it’s too soft, it’s undercooked — but you can use an instant read thermometer for more accuracy. Once salmon reaches at least 145°F, it's ready.

Step 5: Make ginger-scallion oil

Carefully remove the plate of steamed salmon from the wok. Scatter the thinly cut ginger and scallions on top of the fish.

Take the steamer rack out of the wok and pour out the water. Dry it thoroughly. Pour in the oil (3 oz) and heat on high until smoking and very hot. Once heated, carefully spoon the oil on top of the ginger and scallions. Garnish with the cilantro (1 oz).

Drizzle the sauce along the sides of the dish, including on top of the liquid at the bottom of the plate.

FAQ

How do you tell if steamed salmon is cooked?

  • After many years of cooking, my dad can tell if the salmon is cooked using his chopstick test. If the chopstick slides in and out of the fish easily, it's done. If it's too soft, the fish still needs some time. For those of us who aren't at that pro level, it's best to use an instant read thermometer. Salmon is ready once the internal temperature in the thickest section hits 145°F.

What is the white stuff on steamed salmon?

  • The white stuff is called albumin and while it may look weird, it's totally OK to eat. Albumin is protein that solidifies as salmon cooks and it usually comes out if the fish is cooked too quickly or overdone.

How do you not overcook salmon?

  • The key to not overcooking salmon is to remove it from the heat as soon as the internal temperature reaches 145°F. You can even pull it out a few degrees shy of this since residual heat will continue to cook the fish.

Summary

Print Recipe
Made With Lau
madewithlau.com/recipes/steamed-salmon
Steamed Salmon (蒸三文魚)
This Chinese-style steamed salmon is easy, fast and full of flavor — the perfect light and healthy dinner!
  • Prep Time: 15 min
  • Total Time: 30 min
  • Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients

Main Ingredients

  • 1 lb salmon
  • 1 oz ginger
  • 2 oz scallion

Sauce Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp cooking wine
  • 0.25 tsp white pepper
  • 0.50 tsp sugar

Garnish Ingredients

  • 3 oz oil
  • 1 oz cilantro

Step 1 - Prep salmon

↑ Jump to details

Descale the salmon (1 lb). Place the fillet into a plastic bag, then scrape the scales off using a spoon, pushing them towards the bottom of the bag.

Once the scales are off, remove the fish from the bag and rinse it in clean water. Pat it dry with paper towels.

Cut the salmon into four equal pieces. Tear a stalk of scallion into smaller pieces and scatter them on the steaming plate. Place the salmon fillets on top of the scallions.

Step 2 - Prep aromatics

↑ Jump to details

Cut a cleaned piece of ginger (1 oz) into thin slices and lay them on top of the salmon.

Next, slice the white ends off the scallions (2 oz) and cut into smaller pieces, then into thin strips. Repeat with the remaining whites and green parts as well.

Slice the remaining ginger into thin slices, then into strips. Set aside.

Step 3 - Prep sauce

↑ Jump to details

In a small bowl, combine the light soy sauce (1 tbsp), dark soy sauce (1 tsp), oyster sauce (1 tbsp), cooking wine (1 tbsp), white pepper (0.25 tsp) and sugar (0.50 tsp) and mix thoroughly. Taste and adjust as needed.

Sprinkle some white pepper directly on the salmon.

Step 4 - Steam salmon

↑ Jump to details

Place a steaming rack in your wok and fill with water until it meets the rack. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Once the water boils, place the plate of salmon on top of the rack, put on the wok lid and steam for 8 to 10 minutes on high heat.

Remove the lid and check the salmon for doneness. The internal temperature should be 145°F.

Step 5 - Make ginger-scallion oil

↑ Jump to details

Carefully remove the plate of steamed salmon from the wok. Scatter the thinly cut ginger and scallions on top of the fish.

Take the steamer rack out of the wok and pour out the water. Dry it thoroughly. Pour in the oil (3 oz) and heat on high until smoking and very hot. Once heated, carefully spoon the oil on top of the ginger and scallions. Garnish with the cilantro (1 oz).

Drizzle the sauce along the sides of the dish, including on top of the liquid at the bottom of the plate.

Step 6 - Take pictures
Whip out your camera (1). Begin taking photos (1,000,000). Pick your favorites!
Step 7 - Share and tag us on Instagram @madewithlau #madewithlau!
Did you have fun making this recipe? We'd love to see & hear about it. (Especially my dad. He would be THRILLED!)

Enjoy!

We have many, many happy memories of enjoying this dish growing up.

Now, hopefully, you can create your own memories with this dish with your loved ones.

Also, I cordially invite you to eat with us and learn more about the dish, Chinese culture, and my family.

Cheers, and thanks for cooking with us!

Feel free to comment below if you have any questions about the recipe.