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.
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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.
Kathy says
Love the recipe.
Make it almost every Friday
Sandra Douglas says
Prepared this last night for dinner. It was delicious. I did not have the blackened pepper, I will add it the next time. This was so easy to prepare. Loved it.
Shelly says
If you havenโt made this, what are you waiting for?!!!! DELICIOUS!! I wish I could upload my photo. Beautiful!
Karry says
Made this and it was the most PERFECT salmon I ever cooked! I left out the siracha (not a fan) and used fresh limes (that’s what I had on hand). Top notch method and came back today to try it again!
Beatrix says
Always a winner !!!!!!!!
Soooo yummy
Molly Greenawalt says
I donโt usually leave recipe reviews, but this one was seriously delicious, and if youโre looking for ease and an amazing taste, Iโd be remiss not to tell you to try it.
Dave says
Does this recipe work with frozen filets
The Chunky Chef says
Yes, just make sure they’re thawed and patted dry ๐
JT says
Iโm not a fan of salmon, but Iโm trying to find recipes that make it more palatable for me. To my surprise this was very good, and Iโll make it again. Thanks for the great recipe.
Sharon Kasper says
Amazing!
Nick says
I have made this recipe for family, guests, and even for the chef at my favorite restaurant. Itโs loved by all. I put in a little extra sriracha to give the recipe a little more depth.
Robyn Alongi says
Off the hook amazing
Cindy says
So- so good! Over the top! Better than most restaurants!
Lauren says
Made this tonight and it came out delicious. Apparently there is a sriracha shortage, so I wasnโt able to find any for this recipe. A search online suggested garlic chili sauce as a substitution and I found this stuff called Chef Troyโs Crunchy Garlic Chili sauceโand omg itโs delish, FYI. I have no idea what sriracha tastes like, I never tasted it, but the recipe came out amazing with the garlic chili sauce! Also mixed the garlic sauce in with some sautรฉed green beans. Served the fish and the sautรฉed green beans with rice and smothered it all in the sauce the recipe made. A-mazing! My husband asked for it to go into the regular rotation.
Holly Hooper Hamilton says
Absolutely insane YUM! It was divine! Served with bacon green beans !
Julie says
This is such an awesome recipe! Have made this twice now and it just might be my favorite salmon recipe currently. I serve it with rice and asian style roasted brussels sprouts. Thanks so much!
Rhonda Oszczakiewicz says
Wonderful and easy to make!!! I did not have sirichai either and it was still great!! I did not find sauce watery
Green says
Hi, I canโt see the recipe on mobile. The formatting is off and there are ads covering recipe. :/
The Chunky Chef says
Oh no ๐ Sometimes the code running behind the site gets a little frazzled during high web traffic times, usually a refresh or two will solve it.
Carol from Canada says
Tasty. Easy to make. Quick. Lots of flavour. A wee bit of zip from the sriracha. I didn’t broil this time, just cooked in the pan. Served with white rice (but farro or quinoa would really be nice with it) and a broccoli / dried cranberry / nut / cheddar salad with an olive oil (not mayo) / mustard / honey dressing which were some of the same ingredients as the sauce.
Zijad Malic says
Just made this recipe and itโs is PHENOMENAL!! Everything from the flavor to how the salmon was cooked was absolutely perfect. I paired it with a veggie fried rice 10/10 recommend!!
Luz says
Out of this world!!
We love it!
Eddie says
Excellent. Very tasty.