This easy Honey Glazed Salmon is sticky, sweet, and savory—and it’s on the table in just 20 minutes. Come for the quick weeknight dinner, stay for the flaky fish and fabulously flavorful sauce!
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A low effort, high reward dinner.
AKA the formula for weeknight dinner success!
This baked salmon recipe is one of my favorites because it tastes especially impressive. Had I ordered it while dining out (which surely I would have given my weakness for dishes involving the word “glazed”—see also Bourbon Glazed Salmon and Balsamic Glazed Salmon), I would have been the envy order at the table.
Thanks to the sweet-meets-salty honey soy glaze, this recipe is a great starter fish recipe for picky eaters. But don’t let the word “glaze” make you think this is cloyingly sweet, though! A combination of sweet flavors, acidic ingredients, and aromatics like garlic make it perfectly balanced.
5 Star Review
“This was so good. New favorite way to bake salmon!”
— Lisa —
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
- Salmon. I typically purchase a coho, king, or sockeye variety of wild-caught salmon.
- Honey. The key to our sweet and sticky glaze. Honey caramelizes beautifully in the oven and adds addictive natural sweetness. If you enjoy it, check out this Honey Garlic Salmon next!
- Soy Sauce. The salty, umami complement to our sweet flavors (just like in this umami-rich Soy Ginger Salmon). If you’d like to make honey glazed salmon without soy sauce, you can swap tamari or coconut aminos instead.
- Rice Wine Vinegar. For a mild acidity and delightful sweetness.
- Red Pepper Flakes. I used just a pinch for a little heat. If you’d like to make this spicy honey glazed salmon, you can add more to taste.
- Lime Juice. A finishing touch of citrus is delicious with the glaze.
How to Make Honey Glazed Salmon
Cook the Glaze. Make the honey glaze for the salmon on the stove over medium-high heat.
Season. Arrange the salmon skin-side down in a baking dish. Pat the salmon dry and season it. Pour the glaze over the salmon.
Bake. Cook honey glazed salmon at 400 degrees F for 12 to 14 minutes, spooning the glaze from the dish over the top halfway through.
Finish. Spoon the glaze over the salmon fillets once more, then finish with lime juice and cilantro. ENJOY!
What to Serve with Honey Glazed Salmon
- Green Vegetables. Just about any vegetable goes great with salmon! Try Roasted Asparagus, which is a classic salmon pairing, or Roasted Green Beans.
- Cruciferous Veggies. Roasted Cauliflower and Air Fryer Broccoli pair nicely with salmon.
- Root Vegetables. For a starchy component, serve Oven Roasted Potatoes alongside salmon.
- Grains. Instant Pot Brown Rice is a tasty side dish option with soy honey glazed salmon. To keep it low-carb, use cauliflower rice.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Use an Instant-Read Thermometer. Dry salmon is over-cooked. The best way to tell salmon is done is to use an instant read thermometer. Fish is safe to eat at an internal temperature of 145 degrees F, but I like to pull my salmon out around 135 to 140 degrees F and let it rest. The carryover cooking will allow it to reach temperature.
- Know the Visual Cues for Doneness. If you don’t have a thermometer, there are some visual signs to look for. Salmon is done when it is no longer deep red in the center and flakes easily with a fork. (Baked salmon recipes are a little more sensitive to overcooking because the oven uses dry heat.)
- Try It on the Grill. To try this honey glazed salmon grilled, prepare the glaze as directed, then brush it on and follow the cooking method for this Grilled Salmon in Foil or Cedar Plank Salmon. I’d suggest basting the fish a few times as it cooks.
Honey Glazed Salmon Recipe Video
Honey Glazed Salmon
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Ingredients
- ¼ cup honey
- 3 cloves minced garlic about 1 tablespoon
- 1 ½ tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 6-ounce skin-on salmon fillets
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Squeeze fresh lime juice or lemon juice
- Chopped fresh cilantro or green onion
- Prepared brown rice or cauliflower rice optional for serving
Instructions
- Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking dish large enough to hold the salmon in an even layer (such as a 9×13-inch baking dish) with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- While the oven heats, combine the honey, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, and red pepper in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring often, until thickened but still pourable, about 3 minutes. The mixture will bubble up as it heats. Let cool 3 minutes.
- With paper towels, pat the salmon fillets dry. Arrange the fillets evenly in the pan, ensuring that they are not overcrowded.
- Brush the fillets with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Pour the glaze over the salmon. With a spoon, scoop some of the glaze that collects in the bottom of the pan over the top of the salmon.
- Bake the salmon for 6 minutes, then with a spoon, baste with the glaze that’s collected in the pan once more. Return to the oven and continue baking until the salmon is just cooked through at the center, another 6 to 8 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℉ 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℉, I remove the salmon then cover it and let it rest a few minutes so the carryover cooking finishes the job).
- Spoon the glaze over the salmon once more, then squeeze the lime over the top and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve hot over rice as desired, with the remaining glaze drizzled over the top.
Video
Notes
- TO STORE: Refrigerate leftover salmon in an airtight storage container for up to 2 days.
- TO REHEAT: Very gently rewarm salmon in a skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze leftovers in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 2 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. You can use the thawed salmon in any recipe that you would use canned salmon.
Nutrition
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Delish!! Made this tonight for my family and they want me to make this on the regular. It was so easy but it tasted like it took a lot of effort to make it. I served it with roasted veggies. What a perfect meal.
So glad you enjoyed it, Lucy!
Just make this and the whole family LOVED it. I did it in a cast iron pan and made wild black rice and asparagus, a beautiful plate restaurant 5 star look.
Great to hear, thank you Olga!
I’ve made this recipe a few times and WOW!!! It is the best salmon recipe for salmon that I’ve ever tried. Everyone I’ve made it for always says it tastes amazing. It’s my favorite way to cook salmon!!
Makes me so happy to hear, thank you Veronica!
YUM! Loved this recipe! It’s a keeper. I served it with brown rice and crunchy green beans. I added paprika for an extra kick.
So glad you enjoyed it, Jeni!
This recipe is 5 stars. We cook salmon every week and this is a new family favorite! Served with mashed potatoes and honey glazed carrots. It’s a beautiful thing!
Yay! Thank you Peyton!
I am not a huge fan of fish but when I tried this I was blown away by how good it tasted and I ended up eating quite a bit of it. This was so delicious! I made steamed broccoli and a side salad to go with it.
So happy to hear you enjoyed it, Edith!
OMG!!! This is the best salmon recipe I’ve ever made!!! I live on an island in Washington and everyone we know gives us several salmon during salmon season and I try a different recipe every time. I’m going to use this recipe from now on, it is the BEST!!!
I love this recipe and it’s so easy! I’m not much of a cook but I found this so simple with such great flavor. I’d even feel confident to serve this to guests. We love to serve this alongside some roasted asparagus or brussels sprouts.
I just made this earlier and it was so GOOD! I ran out of honey. I substituted part of it for maple syrup and that was the best accident I’ve ever done! 100% recommend adding a bit of the honey for maple syrup, it adds an amazing faint maple flavor.
I absolutely love this recipe! I doubled everything and it came out great. I added the sauce to my veggies too and it tasted awesome. Definitely making this again!
So glad you enjoyed it, Arelene!
I’m not really a salmon person but my husband bought some the other day and decided to try your recipe and I’m so happy I tried it. Even my kids love it as well. I love the fact it was also so easy to prepare and cook. Saving this recipe. Will definitely be making this again soon. Thank you!
I make this recipe all the time! So easy and tasty. I love it with rice and assorted veggies.
Yay! Thank you Natalie!
The Salmon glaze was amazing. One of the best I’ve tried. My icky eater hubby loved it and told me to put it into the rotation. I also spooned extra glaze over white rice. I would recommend making at least a double batch! Served with Brussel Sprouts as well and this glaze would be good over them as a side when cooking other meals. Thank you.
So glad you enjoyed it, Renee!
Have made this recipe at least 5 times this month and it is full proof and so delicious. Ty well done!
Thank you Steph!
This recipe is delicious. My husband and I both lived it! I will make it again!
Thank you Debbie!
Outstanding flavors, will definitely make this again. It will be part of my weekly salmon recipes for certain.
Thank you Dayle!
Delicious sauce! Even the kids will love salmon prepared this way!
Yay! So glad to hear, Danielle! Thank you!
Just tried it and I regret nothing! Thank you so much for an amazing recipe, the perfect blend of salty and sweet! I love that the ingredients are all pantry staples, so it’s easy to throw together on short notice. Definitely adding this to my regular dinner rotation!
This will be the only sauce I’ll use on salmon. My husband loves it so much he asks me to make a double batch because he wants to make sure he has enough to pour over the rice I usually serve it with it. I swear he’d drink it! That’s how good it is. Anyway, thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Love hearing this, thank you!