Honey Garlic Salmon
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I love this honey garlic salmon for an easy weeknight dinner. It features tender, flaky fillets coated in a sticky garlic and honey glaze. It’s ready in 10 minutes and elegant enough for guests, too.
My honey garlic salmon is a 10-minute dinner savior
I’ve been making more of an effort to include salmon in our weekly dinner rotation, and this honey garlic version is one of our favorites.
I took inspiration from my partner’s favorite honey garlic chicken thighs but adapted the recipe for salmon. The trick is to sear the fillets first, so they develop a crisp, golden crust before finishing in the honey-garlic sauce. That way, the salmon stays buttery and flaky while soaking up that gorgeous sticky, umami-forward glaze. Here’s why it’s a dinnertime staple:
- Ready in 10 minutes. Salmon cooks quickly, making this one of my favorite weeknight dinners.
- Big flavor, minimal effort. The honey garlic sauce comes together with simple pantry ingredients but tastes as if it simmered for much longer.
- Perfect for leftovers. I almost always make a double batch so we both have lunch ready the next day. Although on many nights we both eat two fillets. Oops.
Let’s whip this up together!
Table of Contents
Key ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need, along with my kitchen notes. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Salmon filets. I prefer skin-on fillets because they help prevent the salmon from overcooking, and the skin is easy to remove once it’s been seared. As for fresh versus frozen, I recommend fresh salmon, as I find frozen fillets tend to be uneven, thin, and fragile.
- Spices. I’m using a mix of kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, and cayenne pepper.
- Olive oil. To sear the salmon. Any neutral-flavored oil will do.
For the honey garlic sauce:
- Honey. Use whatever type of honey you have on hand, but don’t splurge on the super-expensive stuff.
- Garlic cloves. Use freshly minced garlic cloves for the best flavor and texture.
- Soy sauce. For a deep umami flavor. Use low-sodium soy sauce or gluten-free tamari if needed.
- Lemon juice. Brightens up the dish.
How to make honey garlic salmon
Step 1- Season. Slice the salmon into fillets and de-bone if necessary. Dry the fillets with paper towels, and then season on both sides.
Step 2- Make the sauce. Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
Step 3- Sear. Add the salmon to a hot, well-oiled skillet and sear for several minutes on both sides.
Step 4- Assemble. Pour the sauce into the pan and cook until it bubbles and thickens.
What to serve with honey garlic salmon?
Since this dish is quite flavorful, I like to pair it with more subtle sides, like air fryer frozen broccoli and basmati rice. Or go the Asian route and serve it with Asian cucumber salad and kani salad.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Start with a hot pan. I wait until the pan is fully heated before adding the salmon. A hot pan gives the fillet a beautiful golden crust and helps prevent sticking.
- Don’t flip the salmon too soon. If the salmon doesn’t want to flip, don’t push it. Give it a few minutes, and if it releases from the pan, you can flip it.
- Add the sauce at the end. I tested searing the salmon in the sauce, and it ended up burning instead of glazing. Always sear the salmon first!
- Cooking skin-on salmon? Sear it skin-side down first. Once the skin is crisp, it will either peel away easily or, if you prefer, become deliciously crispy (my partner loves this!).
More weeknight salmon dinners
Honey Garlic Salmon
Video
Ingredients
Instructions
- Slice the salmon into 4 fillets and remove the bones with tweezers.
- Pat dry the salmon with a paper towel. Season with salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne on both sides.
- In a small bowl, combine the garlic, honey, soy sauce, and lemon juice, and set aside.
- Heat the non-stick frying pan with olive oil and cook the salmon for 3-4 minutes per side.
- Pour the sauce in the pan and cook until the sauce starts getting thicker, searing the salmon on all sides.
The recipe is excellent as I noted earlier. I tried it on the grill and it was not as successful. It cooked too fast and the sauce just rolled off (I used a cooking sheet (cuchina) It didn’t have time to thicken and carmelize as it does in the pan, Ill stick to pan method!
Hi Sheri- Yep, this isn’t the kind of salmon recipe that works on a grill well, and you hit the nail on the head- the sauce slips off. The skillet or pan continues to thicken it and clink onto the fillet.
This recipe is delicious! I cut back cayenne because I cannot do any heat but it was enuf to give a gentle kick! Even our granddaughter liked it! I am making it again tonight! I am going to try doing it on the grill. Yummy!
Oh no worries at all! The chili is completely optional so definitely leave it out if you don’t like heat. I’m glad you both enjoyed it.
This recipe is delicous and so elevated even though it’s simple to make. I think the sauce would also be good with chicken. Very, very tasty.
Thank you so much 🙂
Very tasty!
recommend!
This recipe for Honey Garlic Salmon is great! It is not too sweet and has just the right amount of garlic. We have salmon weekly, and are always looking for new ideas. We highly recommend you give it a try!
Kathy- thank you so much for your lovely review and comment- Yes! When testing this recipe, it took a few trials to balance the sauce, because there is nothing worse than a sauce that is too sweet!!