When you can achieve sweet, savory, sticky Honey Garlic Salmon perfection at home, why would you ever need to go out? Bonus: This easy weeknight recipe is done in just 20 minutes!
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Why You’ll Love This Honey Garlic Baked Salmon Recipe
- Restaurant Quality at Home. Crispy on top, succulent inside, and bathed in a smoky-sweet honey garlic sauce, this baked salmon recipe outshines much of the salmon you’ve ordered at restaurants. Once you taste it, I bet you’ll think twice about ordering salmon from someone else’s menu too!
- 20-Minute Dinner. Even if you’ve never cooked salmon before, I promise you can make this recipe—and my Pesto Salmon—with rip-roaring success. (For an excellent overview of baking salmon, check out my How to Cook Salmon). This dish comes together in just 20 minutes, so it is a great weeknight recipe.
- That Glaze, Though. While I rarely repeat meals—with salmon variations ranging from Teriyaki Salmon to Broiled Salmon, we have plenty to choose from—this honey garlic glaze has become a regular. The glaze is deep and sassy with smoked paprika, honey, and a heap of fresh garlic, and this recipe makes plenty of it.
5 Star Review
“Just made this salmon tonight, and it was delicious! Very tasty, quick and easy. Will definitely make it often!”
— Danielle —
How to Make Honey Garlic Salmon
The Ingredients
- Salmon. With a tender, flaky texture and delicious flavor, salmon fillets are an excellent lean protein option.
- Honey. Honey adds scrumptious natural sweetness to the glaze and helps it caramelize to perfection. (I also love it in both this Miso Glazed Salmon and this Honey Glazed Salmon with soy sauce.)
- Lemon Juice. For acidity and brightness.
- Minced Garlic + Spices. Minced cloves of garlic, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and salt add wonderful flavor to the glaze.
- Parsley or Green Onion. I love to finish off this salmon dish with a shower of freshness. Both parsley and green onion are tasty choices.
The Directions
- Prepare. Let the salmon fillets come to room temperature, and pat dry.
- Make the Glaze. Whisk the honey garlic glaze ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Sear. Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Heat an oven-proof skillet on the stovetop over medium-high heat to high heat. Start cooking the salmon skin side up.
- Flip. Once browned, flip each fillet over (so it’s now skin side down). Turn off the heat.
- Bake. Baste the salmon fillets with the honey-garlic mixture. Move the skillet to a 450 degree F oven, and bake for 4 to 5 minutes. Serve with parsley or green onion and lemon. ENJOY!
Leftover Ideas
Leftover salmon is tasty served on a salad (like this Ramen Salad) or over Vegetable Lo Mein or Cauliflower Fried Rice.
What to Serve with Honey Garlic Salmon
- Vegetable Sides. Keep it simple with easy sides like Grilled Broccoli, Sautéed Green Beans, or Roasted Eggplant.
- Salads. Pair your honey garlic salmon with Asian Cucumber Salad on the side, or serve the fillets atop Asian Cabbage Salad.
- Grains. White Rice and Brown Rice will soak up all that delectable glaze, or make a pan of Egg Fried Rice.
- Asian-Inspired Dishes. I love this salmon with Cabbage Stir Fry or Zucchini Stir Fry, too.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Salmon 101. If you are new to the salmon game, you might want to start with this million-dollar Baked Salmon and use my Salmon Temperature Guide for extra tips and tricks.
- Thaw Frozen Salmon First. While frozen salmon fillets are excellent for Air Fryer Salmon, for this salmon recipe, where you will sear and glaze the fish, you need to thaw it first so the glaze adheres and the outside can crisp.
- Get the Perfect Sear. The secrets to the perfect salmon sear are two-fold: 1. Get that skillet nice and HOT (don’t rush it and add the salmon when the skillet’s only at medium heat), and 2. Don’t disturb the fish while it cooks. See this Pan Seared Salmon for more tips, and watch the recipe video below for an easy visual.
- Put the Extra Glaze to Use. Extra glaze? Spoon it over the fish before serving or enjoy it over Instant Pot Brown Rice or cauliflower rice (my favorite).
Honey Garlic Salmon
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
The BEST honey garlic salmon recipe. Ready in 20 minutes, this easy, healthy baked glazed salmon is a favorite for busy weeknights. So good!
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Ingredients
- 4 (6-ounce) skin-on salmon fillets
- ¼ cup honey
- 3 tablespoons hot water
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 6 cloves minced garlic about 2 tablespoons
- 1 ¼ teaspoons smoked paprika
- ¾ to 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Chopped fresh parsley or green onion for serving
- Lemon wedges optional, for serving
Instructions
- Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Let the salmon rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. With paper towels, pat it dry on both sides.
- In a small mixing bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the honey, hot water, lemon juice, garlic, smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon salt, and cayenne pepper. Keep near the stove.
- Heat an ovenproof skillet (cast iron is ideal) just large enough to hold the salmon comfortably over medium high—you don't want the salmon to overlap, but you also don't want there to be too much extra room around the salmon or the sauce may burn.
- Sprinkle the salmon with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (wait to season the fish until just before adding it to the pan).
- Once the skillet is hot, add the olive oil. Swirl to coat the pan, then add the salmon, skin-side up/flesh side down. When lowering the fish into the pan, move it in a direction away from you so that you aren’t splattered with oil. Sprinkle the skin side of the fish with a generous pinch of additional salt.
- Cook the salmon for 4 minutes without disturbing it, until it is browned and releases easily from the pan. With a thin spatula (a fish spatula is perfect), carefully turn over each fillet. Turn off the heat.
- Pour the honey mixture over the salmon fillets. With a spoon, baste the top of the fish with the sauce for 1 minute.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake until the salmon flakes easily with a fork, about 4 to 5 more minutes for 1-inch fillets; if your salmon is thicker or thinner, you will need to adjust the cooking time accordingly. Salmon is done when it reaches 145 degrees F on an instant read thermometer and flakes easily with a fork. Do not overcook or the salmon will be dry (once I get close to 145 degrees F, I remove the salmon to a plate then cover it and let it rest a few minutes so the carryover cooking finishes the job).
- Sprinkle the salmon with parsley or green onion and squeeze additional lemon over the top if you like. Enjoy hot with more pan sauce spooned over the top.
Video
Notes
- INGREDIENT NOTE: If your honey starts to get very dark, don’t panic! It is just the sugar caramelizing, and your fish should not taste burned. If this happens, it may be that your skillet is too large (so the honey cooks more quickly) or too hot. Take it as a learning for next time and enjoy your salmon.
- TO STORE: Refrigerate leftover salmon in an airtight storage container for up to 2 days.
- TO REHEAT: Honey garlic salmon can be very gently reheated in a skillet over medium-low heat.
Nutrition
Serving: 1(of 4)Calories: 379kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 34gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 94mgPotassium: 889mgFiber: 1gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 404IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 2mg
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Here are some of my favorite healthy salmon recipes:
Came across this recipe while looking for a different way to prepare salmon. It was truly as good as everyone says. It will now be my go-to salmon recipe. The sauce is so good! Salmon cooked perfectly. I served with sautéed corn, red pepper, shallot and green onion.
Makes me so happy to hear, thank you Sally!
I tripled this recipe for my family and cut one large salmon into smaller filets. This is one of the best meals we’ve had. This recipe is divine.
Great to hear, thank you Paula!
Excellent recipe. I just retired so I’m trying my hand at cooking so I need something simple. This recipe was very simple, but resulted in a flavorful sauce that enhanced the salmon rather than covering it up.
So happy to hear you enjoyed it, Leah!
I made this for my roommate and I earlier and it was so GOOD! So easy to make but still packs so much flavor, I was pleasantly surprised.
This has to be the best salmon recipe I have ever had. And so easy to make. My husband loved it too! ..He ate every bite. Now that’s something to brag about! 😁
Yay! So happy to hear this Sheryl!
Trying to find healthier options for dinner. My family is not a fan of any type of fish. Made this for dinner tonight, and it came out really good! I’m so glad I found this and tried it. Incredible flavors – sweet and tangy. I will definitely make this again soon. Thanks
Yay! Love to hear it, thank you Lorie!
I am obsessed with the flavors in this dish! Easy and delicious. I served it with green veggies and steam rice, so very simple and genuinely done in about 12 mins. Thank you so much!
Great to hear, thank you Julia!
I really enjoyed this recipe. Been trying to eat more salmon for health benefits and this is so flavorful! Simple ingredients you already have at home. Easy to prepare and delicious. We serve it on a bed of rice and veggies.
SO delicious!!! And like all other Erin Clarke recipes, so easy to follow! Going into our regular meal rotation for sure!
Yay! Thank you Colleen!
Delicious and easy! We had skinless salmon and it still turned out great. A perfect weeknight dinner.
Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Brooke!
I have a lot of anxiety about cooking fish, but wanted to incorporate more salmon into my diet without spending exorbitant prices at restaurants. My first attempt was a disaster, using a pre-packaged, pre-sauced piece of salmon. It was disgusting. Decided to try again with this recipe, using your hot honey. (Side note: my husband is anti-salmon and usually refuses to eat it). Anyway, I made this recipe and really appreciated all the tips and detailed instructions. Result? WOWZA, a huge success!! And my husband decided to “taste” it, actually raved about it, and went back for thirds! Thank you, Erin, for putting so much time and effort into your recipes, essentially making them fool-proof for those with anxieties or lacking experience.
This! This makes me so happy to hear! I am so glad you both enjoyed the salmon! Thank you Sandy!
Super simple and so tasty Our new favourite!
Great to hear, thank you Brenda!
This is such a great recipe! I tried it tonight and my husband was so impressed. I cooked some jasmine rice and roasted broccoli and brussel sprouts. Such a tasty meal! This recipe is going into my rotation for sure!
So happy to hear, Jenniffer! Thank you!
Hi Erin, the first time I made this,I thought I was supposed to sear the skin side, then flip and sear the top side, which I did before baking. BTW, delicious! Now I’m reading that I sear top side, then turn heat off and pour sauce on. I did that, put it in the oven and the skin was mushy and not crispy, slightly raw. Plz advise . Seems like I read two versions. I want to really get this down! Thanks
Hi Molly, in Step 6 you’ll see it says, add the salmon, skin-side up/flesh side down. Step 7 you’ll flip it over meaning skin will be side down and then you’ll place it in the oven. We aren’t really going for a crispy skin in this recipe. You want crispy on the top. Also what was the internal temperature of the salmon at the point where you say it was slightly raw? This will help determine if you need to cook the salmon a littler longer. Hope this helps!