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 honey glazed 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 —
Watch Me Make Honey Glazed Salmon
My Tips and Tricks for Perfect Salmon
- 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
Video
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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.
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
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.
I don’t usually comment but I have to after trying this recipe. The taste was NOT worth the frustration. A HONEY GLAZE does NOT take “about 3 minutes” to thicken or cook, it takes about 20. And the only reason I NOW know this is because I had to ask my wife (who majored in culinary) WHY it wasnt working when I followed your recipes instructions to the literal letter, trying to make her a nice dinner. Either ALL of the commenters raving about this already knew how to make a glaze and how much time it’d take, or they’re lying if they say it worked for them. Also, genuinely , why would you instruct us to put olive oil on before the glaze ??? Im relatively new to cooking by recipes and even I knew it when I saw it the glaze would slide right off and then end up burning the foil. Which it did. Because I stupidly trusted the process that everyone raved about. The stars are for the taste factor. The taste just wasnt worth the almost hour it took me to figure out how tf I messed it up, only to realize I didn’t!
This recipe had me thinking I’m mental until my wife corrected it and made it the right way.
Hi Kendall, I appreciate you taking the time to comment and review. First, please take a few minutes to watch the video associated with the recipe, we explain why we use olive oil and it gives you a good indication as to how you should be cooking your glaze. If it took longer than 3 minutes, I would say the heat wasn’t high enough on the stove and I would suggest to increase it. Hope this helps!