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.
Leslie Herron says
Love this recipe! It always turns out perfect!
Mary Jo says
Delicious and definitely will be making again. Served with rice and the sauce was perfect. Pacific salmon does not have the fishy taste and worth the extra cost.
Liz says
This was a great recipe as I don’t like the taste of salmon, the sauce really helped. I cook it because of my husband.
Toni Sires says
This recipe saved the day and I had all of the ingredients on hand. I cooked the salmon in a pan on the stove. Just perfect!
Colleen says
Absolutely delicious! Glad I found this recipe and looking forward to trying more of your recipes! Thank you for sharing ๐
Cam Choiniere says
Horrible! Salmรณn was way overcooked. Sauce was terrible. A total waste of time and money. I was so embarrassed to serve this.
The Chunky Chef says
Well I’d offer to troubleshoot things with you, as nearly 2,000 other people have loved it, but it seems like you’re not really in the mood for that. If you change your mind, let me know. Otherwise, best of luck.
Violet says
I have pan seared it and broiled it. Any thoughts on just oven roasting?
The Chunky Chef says
I’m sure it would work well, I just haven’t tested it, so I can’t speak to what the oven temperature and cooking time would be. If you do some experimenting, I’d love to know how it turns out ๐
Sands says
This recipe was phenomenal! I followed exactly with the exception that i djdnt have Saracha and was to far in to go to the grocery store so regular Red Hit Sauce it is! Soo soo good and easy! Thank you so much for sharing
Neri says
Tried and tested. Our entire family enjoyed the flavors!! Well received. Highly recommended. Oh, I should mention easy to make. Bonus.
Thank you for creative edge with salmon! =)
Tracey bowles says
Omg Iโm not a salmon fan but thisโฆ. This recipe right here is so freaking good I put it over cauliflower rice with a side asparagus๐ฉ๐ค๐ป
Rose says
This was AMAZING!
Holly says
Delicious!! My favorite new recipe for salmon. Hubby agrees!
Lili says
I added less water than the recipe called for b/c of the comments, and it is still very runny. Maybe adjusting the recipe with no water at all? Other than that, it was delicious.
Kaylee Amundson says
Can we rate this a 10? Completely amazing! Thank you for sharing this recipe!!
Ronald Rosen says
“This is the best salmon dish we ever had” and with that bring said, I agree that the sauce was too watery and I didn’t even add any water.
Tom says
Easy to follow instructions. Flavorful and yummy. Absolutely love it
Debra Wataon says
Very tasty and easy to make. My husband and I like it so much, we are eating it once a week.
Sabrina says
This recipe was absolutely amazing!!! Best tasting salmon Iโve made!
Diana Bench says
Really easy and REALLY good!!
Samra says
Literally the best tasting salmon I’ve had. And it was super easy to make! I’d give it 10 stars if I could. I’ll 100% be making this again
Vicki says
Just because I didn’t have an oven proof pan for the recipe, I seasoned the fish then fried it before I made the sauce. It turned out great. My husband said, “it’s good.” Thank you for the recipe.