Honey Garlic Salmon

Honey Garlic Salmon is pan seared until golden, then finished in a sticky, garlicky glaze made from just honey, soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic. It’s ready in 15 minutes, uses one skillet, and it’s the salmon recipe I make when I need dinner on the table fast without reaching for a jar of anything premade.

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Fifteen Minutes, Four Ingredients, No Excuses.

This salmon recipe is hands down the most requested salmon meal in my house (and we eat a LOT of salmon). But the rich flavor and sticky texture of the sauce are really what makes this dish such a hit. You only need 4 ingredients to make the honey garlic sauce and you probably already have them on hand.

I love this sauce because it pairs well with just about any kind of meat. Try it with my Honey Garlic Chicken Breast or Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin, and you’ll see just how versatile and delicious it is with everything!

I always serve this honey garlic glazed salmon with a side of fluffy rice specifically to soak up the sauce. Whip up some quick air fryer broccoli and crispy green beans while the salmon cooks and dinner is all set!

Key Ingredients

You can find the full recipe with exact measurements in the recipe card below.

Salmon: I use 6-ounce, skinless salmon fillets for this recipe, but skin-on works too if that’s what you can find. The important thing is getting fillets that are even in thickness, since a thin tail piece will overcook long before a thick center cut is done.

Pro Tip: pull the salmon at 145°F internal temperature. I’ve overcooked salmon by even a minute or two before and the texture goes from flaky to dry fast, so I always check it a little early. You can use frozen fillets here too, just thaw them fully in the fridge first so they sear instead of steam.

Honey: It’s what turns this from a sauce into a glaze. As it hits the hot pan, the sugars caramelize and thicken, which is what gives you that sticky coating instead of a thin, watery sauce. I’ve tested this with maple syrup when I was out of honey, and while the flavor is still good, it doesn’t reduce the same way, so you end up with a thinner glaze.

Soy Sauce: Regular soy sauce gives the sauce its salty backbone against all that sweetness. I recommend low sodium soy sauce if you’re also adding extra salt to season the salmon before searing, since the two can stack up fast. If you need this gluten free, tamari is a one-to-one swap and I can’t tell the difference in the final dish.

Garlic: I use fresh minced garlic, three cloves, and I add it straight into the sauce rather than sautéing it separately first. Fresh garlic gives you a sharper bite than the jarred kind, which mellows out nicely once it simmers in the pan with the honey. If all you have is jarred, use about the same amount and it will still work.

Vinegar (or Lemon Juice): I use plain white vinegar in the sauce for a clean, sharp contrast to the honey, but I regularly swap in fresh lemon juice instead when I want a brighter, less sharp finish. Either works, it’s really a matter of what you’re in the mood for.

How to Make Honey Garlic Salmon Recipe

Have your skillet fully preheated before the salmon goes in, this is what gives you the golden sear instead of a pale, steamed surface.

Step 1: I whisk the honey, soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic together in a small bowl first and set it aside. Doing this before the salmon goes in the pan means the sauce is ready to pour the second the fish is done searing, so nothing burns while you’re scrambling to mix it last minute.

Step 2: I pat the salmon completely dry with a paper towel before seasoning. Any surface moisture will steam the fish instead of searing it, and that’s the difference between a golden crust and a gray, flat one.

Step 3: I cook the salmon over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side, undisturbed, until it releases easily from the pan. If it’s sticking when you try to flip it, it’s not ready yet, give it another minute. Rushing this step is the most common reason people end up with torn fillets.

Step 4: I pour the sauce straight into the skillet with the salmon still in it, then spoon it over the fillets as it simmers for another minute or two. This is where the honey caramelizes, so I stay at the stove and keep it moving. Honey burns fast once the pan is hot, and a burnt glaze is bitter, not sweet. For even more depth of flavor, I top the salmon with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

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Honey Garlic Salmon Recipe (5 Ingredients, 15 Minutes!)

4.84 from 6 votes

Author: Olivia Ribas

ServingsServings: 2 people

Prep TimePrep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook TimeCook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total TimeTotal Time: 15 minutes minutes

Honey Garlic Salmon is pan seared until golden, then finished in a sticky, garlicky glaze made from just honey, soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic. It's ready in 15 minutes, uses one skillet, and it's the salmon recipe I make when I need dinner on the table fast without reaching for a jar of anything premade.

Video

Equipment

• 1 Cast iron skillet

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Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

Sauce

• ▢ 2 tbsp honey
• ▢ 3 tbsp soy sauce
• ▢ 2 tsp white vinegar or sub with lemon juice
• ▢ 3 garlic clove minced

Salmon

• ▢ 2 salmon or trout fillets skinless (6oz / 200g each)
• ▢ 2 tbsp olive oil or unsalted butter

Garnishes

• ▢ Sesame seeds
• ▢ Finely sliced green onions
• ▢ Lemon wedges

Instructions 

• In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, white vinegar (or lemon juice), and minced garlic. Set aside.
  
• Pat the salmon fillets dry with a paper towel.
• Heat the olive oil (or butter) in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the salmon fillets, cooking for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through.
  
• Pour the prepared honey garlic sauce into the skillet. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, spooning the sauce over the salmon as it thickens and caramelizes.
  
• Remove the salmon from the skillet and transfer it to a plate. Drizzle any remaining sauce over the fillets. Garnish with sesame seeds and finely sliced green onions.
  
• Serve immediately with your favorite sides, like steamed rice or veggies!
  

Notes

Nutrition per serving, assuming all the sauce is used (though some may remain in the pan).

To store: You can tightly wrap the salmon, once cooled, and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To reheat: Reheat gently in the oven at a low temperature, or in the microwave until warmed through.

To freeze: Tightly wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. The texture softens slightly once thawed, so I usually only freeze this if I’m using the leftovers in a rice bowl rather than serving it on its own.

 

Nutrition

Serving: 1/2, Calories: 452kcal, Carbohydrates: 29g, Protein: 38g, Fat: 22g, Cholesterol: 95mg, Sodium: 1051mg, Potassium: 107mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 26g, Calcium: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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