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.
Erika Orrantia says
Best salmon glaze EVER !!! Not too many ingredients, simple, and fast.
Joanne says
I made this salmon tonight for supper, It was easy and delicious. I put the fillet over rice and then pour the sauce over it. I will make again. Thanks for this recipe. ❤️🌵
Erin says
I love the honey glazed salmon!
Basya says
Second time making this delicious recipe. My chef son-in-law who is great with fish gave it two thumbs up. I’m just happy everyone enjoyed it. Great recipe.
Serene says
I love trying out new salmon recipes and this one is by far my favourite! The glaze masked out the salmon fishy taste perfectly. Thank you!!
E Wyp says
My husband had never loved salmon before this recipe!
Rachel says
Excellent recipe! It was more of a sauce than a glaze, but that just gave use a sauce to put on our rice. I’ve made garlic-honey glazed chicken for years, but this was the first time I made a garlic-honey salmon. The only tweak is that I did not have any siracha, so I used a scant tablespoon of Frank’s Red Hot sauce. Thank you!
Cheryl says
Literally one of the most delicious things I’ve ever made. Way better than any restaurant and waaaaaay cheaper!😃
Dorothy says
This tasted so good!!! Will definitely add to my regular cooking menu.
Joz says
This is by far my favorite glaze. I’m not a huge salmon fan and this sauce mask that fishy taste. So much the picky eaters at our house cleared thier plate! We cooked it Monday and decided to do it again on Thursday. Thank you for sharing!!!
Sam says
The best salmon ever! Super simple recipe but full on flavor and very moist!
Sher says
Best salmon I’ve ever had!!! Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Hannah says
Best recipe for salmon I’ve found. Absolutely delicious, I keep coming back to it
Ekaterina says
This recipe is absolutely amazing! I’ve been making different variations of honey-glazed salmon for years, but they all missed the mark. This recipe delivers delicious salmon that even salmon skeptics enjoyed in under 20 minutes! And the leftovers are just as good (which never happens with fish)! Thank you for sharing this recipe, definitely a keeper!
CH says
Sorry hated this recipe. Flavors are not right, no oil or water should be added, sauce is way too thin and oily. I’m a personal chef and the family found this. I’ll not use it again.
The Chunky Chef says
No need to be sorry, everyone has their own tastes and preferences. Sounds like you should whip up one of your own salmon recipes from now on 🙂
Teresa Petty says
I cooked this tonight and reduced water by a tbs. It has great taste but it could be cooked without the water and be thicker probably. Next time I won’t include water. Thanks for a quick, easy, and simple recipe. I can’t wait to cook the Tuscany scream salmon.
Dominique says
Did not do much tweaking to the recipe and it turned out amazing! Adding into our family dinner menu rotation for sure. I’m drooling just thinking about it 😊
Miriam Follman says
Best recipe I’ve tried. I garnished it with fresh cilantro and scallions and used spicy honey. Was a hit.
Nisa says
I don’t usually leave comments, but this recipe has made our lives better, and they were pretty great in the first place. Thanks for that!
Melissa says
Restaurant quality results! My biggest gripe is bland, overcooked salmon. I wilted the first bite I took of this – perfectly cooked and packed with flavor. My whole family loved this recipe – it’s going into the rotation. I usually always have the ingredients on hand, and this is a perfect dish for company. I served with garlic butter noodles and sautéed bok choy. I think steamed rice would be perfect to absorb the addictive sauce. I did need to broil for an additional minute, twice. A thermometer made sure I did not overcook it.I need to check out your other recipes because so far the ones I’ve tried have been major winners, thank you!!