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! We love easy main dishes, like my Honey Lime Shrimp, and Blackened Tilapia Bowls. This is one of my Dinner recipes you’ll definitely want in your recipe rotation!
HONEY GARLIC SALMON RECIPE
Have you ever made a recipe that truly surprised you? Normally I’m not a huge salmon lover, but after one bite of this ultra tender salmon, I was absolutely in love. 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. And now, so can you!
You won’t believe how such a simple recipe can pack SO much flavor. 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. 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. 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). 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. Plus, you’ll get crispy skin! 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. The USDA recommends salmon be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 F degrees. However, different people prefer their salmon to be more rare or more well-done, like a steak. 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. Flip over and sear on the other side, then remove to a plate. Add sauce ingredients to pan and cook until warmed through. Add salmon back to pan and spoon sauce over the salmon.
- Bold Lemon – 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. So if that’s your intention, then yes, make it a few hours to a day ahead of time 🙂
STORAGE
Any leftover salmon should be refrigerated in an airtight container and consumed within 3 days.
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT FOR THIS RECIPE
- 12″ wide skillet – 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 READERS’ COMMENTS FOR TIPS AND REVIEWS.
AND DON’T FORGET, IF YOU’VE 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. Flip over and sear on the other side, then remove to a plate. Add sauce ingredients to pan and cook until warmed through. 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.
Video
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.
Terri says
Awesome
Eva says
Loved it. Quick and easy. Kids new favorite food
lis says
Didn’t like the recipe at all. Will not make this again!
Tsra cottone says
This was DELICIOUS! SO DELICIOUS that I his the remaining servings (from my family) in Tupperware, froze them and took them to work for lunch.
Dee says
We loved this recipe. You can use this sauce on any protein and it would be great.
Kelsey says
Did not like this recipe at all. Flavor was very bland.
Patti says
Very tasty and easy! Will make again
Mark M. says
This recipe is amazing. I am not a fish lover but my wife is and my dietician said I need to eat more fish. This recipe is a winner
Darlene Dixon says
Easy to prepare. Excellent results. Delicious with a burst of flavor. My husband and I both loved it.
Bobbi says
I would omit the water next time to make it less watery and more flavorful. Very running sauce.
Joe says
Holy Soupy Dish Batgirl!
Yes, I cut the water to 1Tbsp, I simmered the sauce for a minute before adding the Salmon and I basted constantly. The only trick I didn’t toss at this was adding a cornstarch slurry because it’s supposed to be a Glaze, not a Sauce ~ right? This was more along the lines of a Poached Salmon filet.
So, for reference, I used a 1lb filet in a 10in skillet and then portioned that out into 3rds once cooked. I ended up dumping easily Half of the sauce down the drain… knew I shouldn’t have used my real honey, this is absolutely a time to use that stuff from the grocery store. *grumbles*. If it looks soupy before you add the filet, address is then.
If I were to cook this again, and the flavors were good (not great, not terrible, right down the middle), I’d start with Halving the sauce volumes. Except maybe the sriracha, I couldn’t detect any heat, at all, and it could use some.
Neisha says
Delicious!!! Even my 9 year old picky eater loved it !
Alina says
Very tasty and easy
Karen says
Love it!! So easy but has a great deep flavor
Kassy says
Best salmon I’ve had, I didnt have blackened seasoning so i added basil, oregano and paprika and it was Amazing! I seasoned the salmon on the underside and let it sit while I did the steps for the sauce and sauteed the sauce in the pan until it bubbled then added the salmon while basting it the whole time and flipping it half way through. I made it with coconut rice and it was the best dish I’ve ever had for salmon thank you I would 100% recommend this dish to any seasoned fish lover or anyone trying to get into fish for the 1st time.
Montanajin says
Soooooo good! Served it on rice with a side of asparagus. Omitted the use of Sriracha just because some of my family can’t handle the heat… But it still tasted phenomenal!
Michele says
Delicious! My whole family loved it. I did not have the blackening seasoning. I doubled the seasoning recipe and coated the sides without skin. I agree about the water: maybe a little less in the sauce to concentrate the flavors more. I’d like to try with the blackening seasoning for some extra kick.
Kassy says
Try sauteeing the sauce in the pan first for a bit until it thickens a little then add the salmon and baste the salmon the whole time to keep the sauce moving and it’ll thicken a bit more, or alternatively you can take a small amount of sauce in a bowl and whisk in some corn starch until it dissolves then mix it back in with the sauce. Hope this helps.
Janice says
It was absolutely yummy. Definitely would make this again.
Karen says
Unbelievable!
Jr says
About to make this for the 3rd time. My fav salmon recipe.