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.
Avril Fernando says
It was super. No paprika but used chillies flakes.
Brandy says
This is AMAZING!! As good as it maybe even better than my favorite restaurantโs salmon filet. Wow! Kids and hubby loved it too! Win win! ๐ฅ
Kat says
We love salmon, and this recipe is amazing! I used lime juice instead of lemon juice, but should have used a little more hot sauce. Next time! This was easy to prepare and the flavors were so good as the sauce caramelized under the broiler. Paired it with a salad, and pear & Gorgonzola ravioli (sauce on ravioli was great, too). Definitely saving this recipe for future use.
TJ says
Added some grated fresh ginger for a little extra pop. Amazing and easy. Wife isnโt a fan of salmon and ate her whole piece. I would make this for company. Thanks
Buddah says
This was easy to make and so good! I was not a big Salmon fan until now. Thank You
Lisa Philbrick Ryan says
Looks delicious and I am going to try it tonight. Question: Do I flip the fish at all? Wasn’t sure if I flip it when I move from the stove to the oven for the broil? Sounds like I can’t go wrong with this recipe. Loved all the comments.
The Chunky Chef says
I don’t flip it, but you could if you wanted (but I would only do that if you were using skinless filets)
Jan says
Easy and tasty
Nina says
Best salmon I have ever made. A MUST try!! I made it last night and woke up wanting it all over again.
I didnโt have sriracha so we used chili flakes and it added a good amount of heat and was still fantastic!
suzanne says
Thank you! I’ve started cooking salmon for a heart-healthy meal and my husband loves this recipe! I needed to cut salt, so I used the Aminos soy substitute, but it’s sweet, so I cut the honey in half. So good.
Joelle says
This is THE BEST salmon recipe ever, have tried many others. We use it regularly. Definitely need the blackening seasoning. I use a stainless steel skillet and pop it right in the oven but even if I spray the pan first with Pam, the honey sauce creates a thick burnt layer on the bottom of the pan. Any tips on how to avoid this?
The Chunky Chef says
I’m so glad you love the salmon! Ah the messy pan… it’s a cruel nature of the beast when making a glaze that gets broiled. I usually just resign myself to the fact that it’ll need some TLC after the recipe, but you could transfer the salmon to a baking dish lined several times with foil, and sprayed with pam, after step 3. This way your skillet should be a lot easier to clean, and the foil will reduce the clean up significantly after the broiling ๐
Kimberly says
This recipe came out so freaking delicious. The sauce didnโt quite look like the one in the image but instead of broiling it I baked it for like 10 mins. You guys need to try this recipe
Sung says
This recipe is perfect for salmon cook. It is so delicious.
heidi says
So good!! Thank you for being thorough – I don’t cook fish very often so the tips were much appreciated! I went the lime route because we love lime and it was amazing.
Elaine says
This recipe is AMAZING!! I cooked my salmon first than made the glaze and BAM! perfection.
Andrea says
I was excited about this recipe, but after broiling for exactly 4 minutes, the sauce was burnt and the salmon was dry. I may try again with a lower cooking temp and report back.
Mlg says
This was amazing! We fixed it for Thanksgiving! Everybody thought it was excellent!
Randy says
First off let me say I HATE FISH. With that being said I love this recipe its the only way I can eat fish. Unlike the author I do use the frozen salmon because like she said they are thinner.
Chris says
Whole family loved this recipe. I made some extra sauce which was very nice over rice.
Sharon says
This was awesome, my husband loved it, and Iโm definitely making this again!
Aris says
Modified to fit my ingredients but thoroughly loved it!