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.
Amy says
Absolutely loved this!!!
Charles says
Wife wants me to make it once a weekโฆsoooo good!! Thank you!
bean says
Very tasty, watery but not a problem for me, I’ll just use less water next time and there will be a next time! I didnโt have siracha and I donโt especially care for the taste so I just sprinkled crushed red pepper flakes in the sauce.
Marcie K. says
This was so fast and easy. I’d swear it was the fastest cook and clean I’ve ever done. Will make again.
BJ says
This was the best salmon I have ever had!!!
Awesome recipe, can hardly wait to try it on chicken!
Mary McCarthy says
Not a huge salmon eater but this is AMAZING. Itโll be my โgo toโ salmon recipe. Thanks!
Shirley Buchanan says
We have made this a couple of times. Recipe is perfect!
Julie says
I’ve made this 3 times now and it’s delicious every time! I subbed soy sauce for tamari to make it gluten free. The last time I did not add the tablespoons of water and I liked it the most; it looked more like the photo posted…. but I will say that if you omit the water you have to really watch it in the broiler since it will evaporate/burn very fast. Super yummy!
Barbara Milligan says
Perfect! The sauce was a bit on the runny side but all I did was slide the sauce to one side of the pan and put a tsp of corn starch. Stirred and it thickened it perfectly once it leveled out. Beautiful flavor and will make it again.
Lindsey says
My family all agreed this was the BEST SALMON we’ve ever had. (Big statement coming from us.)
Ermelinda Ramos says
Love it, sauce was perfect
Julie B says
This salmon recipe is off the charts delicious!!!! Weโve been making it for a few years now and will often make it for company and they love it too ๐๐๐. Thanks for such a yummy and delicious recipe ๐ค
Marnie says
Wow this blew my mind. What an incredible recipe when you have beautiful salmon and top notch honey.
Dottie says
We really enjoyed this recipe.
I improvised a little: 4 garlic cloves instead of 6, no water which seemed to let it be a thicker syrup like we like it, and used not quite 1/2 c. of honey, I was out of the siricha sauce so I put in a 1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper in the honey mixture. Pan seared the fish for about 3 min., skin side down, removed it from the pan; got the honey mixture bubbling in same skillet and allowed it simmer about 3-5 minutes. Then, put the salmon, skin side down back into skillet in the honey mixture. Basted it before broiling it. Broiled it until it began bubbling again. Basted it, then let it broil for 3 more minutes.
This is such a quick easy deliscious dish.
Sue says
If you want to change recipe why donโt you just post your own??? You must make everything better than the original recipe!!
Lisa says
Your idea sounds good too. I hate when mean people have to be so rude.
Alice says
Husband and son give this recipe 5 stars!
Harold Lee says
As a master cook on masterchef, this is absolutey one of the recipes of all time.
Leeh earold says
Masterchef??? nice
You mean one of the -best- recipes of all time
Lisa says
See girl, I told you! You NEED your own cooking show.
Elizabeth says
Gotta agree with everyone else….. This was amazing!!! Thank you!!
Teresa Rogers says
Very easy to make and by far the tastiest salmon I have ever had!
Ryan says
Too much soy which overwhelms the sauce
Cathy says
Excellent! I didnโt have any sriracha, so I subbed a little Franksโs Hot Sauceโabout a tsp. But saved and my new go-to salmon recipe