Sticky sweet and garlicky, this glazed salmon recipe comes together in just 20 minutes, and in one pan. Hands down, the most addicting salmon ever!
This ultra easy salmon recipe is a winner when it comes to weeknight dinners!ย We love easy main dishes, like my Honey Lime Shrimp, and Blackened Tilapia Bowls.ย This is one of myย Dinnerย recipes youโll definitely want in your recipe rotation!
HONEY GARLIC SALMON RECIPE
Have you ever made a recipe that truly surprised you?ย Normally I’m not a huge salmon lover, but after one bite of this ultra tender salmon, I was absolutely in love.ย I literally did a little dance in the kitchen because I finally found a way that I can enjoy salmon!
We all know how nutritious salmon is… loaded with omega 3’s, high in protein and tons of vitamins, so I’m glad I can enjoy those benefits.ย And now, so can you!
You won’t believe how such a simple recipe can pack SO much flavor.ย Each bite is full of sweet and savory flavors and delicate textures.
HOW TO MAKE GLAZED SALMON
I know some people, myself included, worry about pan-searing a salmon filet, going to flip it over, and…. well now your beautiful filet is mangled and in several pieces.
For that reason, I kept this recipe simple… so simple in fact, that there is NO pan-searing.ย No flipping required.
- Pat salmon filets dry and season with spices on all sides.
- Heat butter and oil, then add garlic, water, soy sauce, sriracha, honey and lemon juice.
- When hot, add salmon filets (skin side down if your filets have skin), and cook 3 minutes.
- While salmon cooks, use a spoon to baste the filets.
- Broil for 5-6 minutes, until salmon is sticky sweet, slightly charred, and cooked to desired doneness.
COOKING TIPS FOR SALMON RECIPES
- Buy good salmon – I prefer to buy fresh salmon from the grocery store, instead of frozen filets in bags, since those tend to be very thin.ย Cooking Light has a great article on how to pick the best salmon at the grocery store.
- Use it quickly – Salmon can go “off” or bad pretty quickly, so I prefer to buy my salmon no more than 1 day ahead of time.
- To skin or not to skin – if you decide to pan-sear your salmon, leave the skin on (and sear skin side first).ย The skin provides a layer of protection against the hot pan, and it’s a LOT easier to slide a spatula underneath crispy skin than underneath tender flesh.ย Plus, you’ll get crispy skin!ย To cook this recipe as written, it really doesn’t matter if your filets have skin or not.
- Don’t overcook – Salmon is prone to overcooking, and the line between not done enough and dry and overdone is pretty fine.ย The USDA recommends salmon be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 F degrees.ย ย However, different peopleย prefer their salmon to be more rare or more well-done, like a steak.ย To be on the safe-side, I stick to the USDA’s recommendation.
VARIATIONS OF THIS RECIPE
- Pan-Sear – if you’d prefer, season salmon as directed, then pan sear in the pan.ย Flip over and sear on the other side, then remove to a plate.ย Add sauce ingredients to pan and cook until warmed through.ย Add salmon back to pan and spoon sauce over the salmon.
- Bold Lemonย – feel free to add lemon zest to the sauce, or even add a few slices of lemon to the pan while you cook and broil the salmon for a more bold lemon flavor.
- Try Lime – switch the lemon juice for lime juice for a slightly different flavor.
- Green Onions – I love to top these salmon filets with some sliced green onions for a different flavor twist.
MAKING HONEY GARLIC SALMON AHEAD OF TIME
I think this recipe tastes best when made right before eating, but you can whisk together the sauce ahead of time if you’d like.
However, this salmon recipe also tastes amazing cold, on top of a salad.ย So if that’s your intention, then yes, make it a few hours to a day ahead of time ๐
STORAGE
Any leftover salmon should be refrigerated in an airtight container and consumed within 3 days.
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT FOR THIS RECIPE
- 12โณ wide skilletย โ I love this pan, and love that it’s oven and broiler safe (a must for one pan recipes).
BE SURE TO SCROLL DOWN TO CHECK OUT OTHER READERSโ COMMENTS FOR TIPS AND REVIEWS.
AND DONโT FORGET, IF YOUโVE MADE THIS RECIPE, LEAVE A COMMENT AND PLEASE GIVE IT A STAR RATING LETTING ME KNOW HOW YOU ENJOYED IT!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
SALMON
- 4 (6 oz each) salmon filets
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
- 1/4 tsp blackening seasoning (optional)
SAUCE
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup honey
- 3 Tbsp water
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sriracha sauce
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Pat salmon dry, then season with salt, pepper, paprika and blackening seasoning (if using). Set aside.
- IMPORTANT: Adjust oven rack to middle position, then preheat broiler. If you broil this with the rack up high the sauce will burn.
- Add butter and oil to a large, oven-safe skillet over MED-HIGH heat. Once butter is melted, add garlic, water, soy sauce, sriracha, honey and lemon juice and cook 30 seconds or so, until sauce is heated through.
- Add salmon, skin side down (if using salmon with skin), and cook 3 minutes. While salmon cooks, baste frequently with sauce from the pan by spooning it over the top of the salmon.
- Broil salmon for 5-6 minutes, basting with sauce once during the broil, until salmon is caramelized and cooked to desired doneness.
- Garnish with minced parsley if desired.
Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!
Chef Tips
- If you'd prefer, season salmon as directed, then pan sear in the pan.ย Flip over and sear on the other side, then remove to a plate.ย Add sauce ingredients to pan and cook until warmed through.ย Add salmon back to pan and spoon sauce over the salmon.
- A couple of readers have reported having a watery sauce, which I've never personally encountered during all the testing for this recipe. If you feel the sauce is a bit watery, you could reduce the amount of water used, or simmer the sauce a bit before adding the salmon.
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Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Shemeka Boyd says
OMG!!!! My new best friend this a must try very simple to make I thought I would mess it up and get confused with it but NOPE!!! Iโm shocked my kids love it my husband love it I hope to find more of your recipes to tryย
Cynthia Williams says
I did the Honey Glazed Salmon and it was FANTASTIC, thanks for sharing, even my husband liked it.
Anna Haney says
This is delicious! I doubled the sauce. It is the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. Family loved it. Thank you!!
Caitlin says
Wow this looks amazing Iโm going to make this tonight! My only question is (as Iโm newer to cooking), can you use a cast iron skillet for this dish? Itโs the only pan I have that can go from stove top to oven :/
Thanks for the recipe!ย
The Chunky Chef says
Yep, you can absolutely use a cast iron skillet ๐ Hope you love the salmon!
Barb says
I did it in the cast iron skillet and it worked perfectly.
Julie B. says
Best salmon I’ve ever had. ย Sweet and savoy. ย Super easy to make. ย Absolutely delish!
Dave P. says
Looks and tastes so complex, with lots of flavors – BUT this is really easy to prepare!
I preheated the oven and made some roasted potatoes with rosemary & olive oil while I got all the salmon prep work done and all my ingredients ready to go. While potatoes were still roasting, I also got all the stovetop salmon work done – then took the potatoes out and started the broiler.
The salmon took almost no time under the broiler – while I finished a simple salad and set the table. My husband was wowed – and it was SO FREAKING EASY.
This is now on our rotation for at least monthly. AMAZING recipe! Thank you.
Mary Ellen Spahr says
This was the best salmon recipe and the results were spectacular. Moist and perfectly spiced. I will make this again.ย
Ronda says
Aaaaamazing! Made it for my fiance, our friend and I. My fiance fishes and brings back enough for the entire year. Needless to say, he’s a stickler on how his fish is cooked. He and our buddy raved about this dish! I printed and saved it – will definitely be making it again. Thank you!
Kristy Inoc says
Made the sauce and didnt thicken it. Just cooked the salmon in it. It was still sooo good. Perfect.
Theresa I says
Excellent dish! Made this for the family tonight and everyone loved it! Will definitely keep this recipe.
violeta says
delicious! and straightforward ๐ I used thicker cut and it still turned out great.
Brooke Tovar says
AMAZING 10/10 ย I LOVED THIS . I wanted to take a picture but we ate it too fastย
Allen says
Good!
Ginger says
Super tasty! The entire family loved it. MMMMMMMMmmmmm this will be saved in our favorites. Thanks for the recipe. I added a small can of chunked pineapple with juice to the sauce, and served it with rice and broccoli. Absolutely perfect!
Amy says
Dang this is GOOD. Made with a baked sweet potato – unrealย
Katrina says
Looks delicious! Just wanted to make sure, I would first cook salmon in skillet then move everything to oven to broil?
Thanks!
The Chunky Chef says
Yep, you got it! ๐
Katrina says
Thanks! I dont know if I missed it but whats the broil temperature? I’m new at cooking lol
The Chunky Chef says
No worries! We’ve all been new to cooking at one point right? My broiler just has low and high, and I always use high (which I believe is 500 or 550 F degrees in my oven).
Donna says
Oh my goodness, what a delicious salmon recipe! My husband and I loved the flavors in the sauce/glaze. I really like the idea of starting the salmon out on the stovetop and finishing under the broiler. This recipe makes ample amounts of sauce, too, which I look forward to trying with shrimp, per another’s comment! Try this tasty salmon recipe; you’re going to love it! Thanks for the tasty recipe, Amanda! Yummmmm
Maureen Bruno says
OUTSTANDING! Didn’t change a thing and it was super tasty and GONE! Love the flavors. Easy.
Jackie says
Fantastic recipe, very easy and delicious to make
Marie says
Whoever you are…Thank you! If I could give this recipe 10 stars I would. I have never been a huge salmon lover but this recipe has given me a new lease on healthy eating and salmon. I cooked this salmon two nights in a row…thatโs how much I loved this recipe.ย
Leslie White says
This was excellent! Served it with a twice bakedย
potato mash, mussels and a vinegarette slaw.ย