Honey Garlic Salmon

4.54 from 1534 votes
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Garlicky, sweet, and sticky, this honey garlic salmon recipe will be your go-to for a quick and healthy dinner. It's one of the best salmon recipes that takes only 15 minutes to make but tastes like it's straight out of a fancy restaurant!

Honey garlic salmon made with salmon, honey and garlic.
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The Best Salmon Recipe

I love salmon and one of the best salmon recipes is Honey Garlic Salmon. Imagine this: delicious salmon fillets, cooked just right and covered in a tasty glaze made of honey and garlic. Every bite is bursting with flavor. The delicious honey and garlic sauce makes this salmon recipe extremely juicy, moist and packed full of flavors. Plus, it’s so healthy!

What makes my honey garlic salmon recipe special is how easy it is, just like my baked cod recipe; it is one of the quickest salmon recipes to make at home. In just 15 minutes, from prep to plate, you can make this masterpiece in your own kitchen. This shows that you don’t need fancy stuff for great food; sometimes, the simplest ingredients are the best.

So, if you want something tasty and easy to cook, try this wild salmon recipe for dinner. It has an average rating of 4.5 with over 1500 votes, so you’re sure to enjoy a moist and flavorful salmon every time!

“I’m obsessed with this recipe. It was so quick and easy. The flavors were amazing. I made this dish for my family and they were in love with it. I’m still thinking about how good it was days after. I can’t wait to make it again.”

– Shaza

Why This Recipe Works

Salmon recipe with honey garlic glaze on a skillet.

With over 1,500 reviews and >4.5 stars in rating, my honey garlic salmon is the best salmon recipe online because it’s easy to make yet bursting with flavor. The combination of sweet and savory garlic honey glaze perfectly complements the richness of the salmon.

Plus, you can customize it to your liking whether you pan sear, grilling salmon, or baked salmon. It’s a favorite among many for its consistently delicious results.

I recently had some fussy friends around for dinner. They said that the salmon was the best they had ever tasted. This recipe takes salmon to a whole new level of taste and presentation!

– Carl Gillam

Salmon

Wild caught salmon on a cutting board.

United States is a salmon powerhouse because nearly one-third of the world’s wild salmon supply comes from here.

As a result, there are many types of salmon available in the market. To get the freshest and best salmon, here are my buying tips:

  • Wild caught salmon. If you find wild salmon in your market, buy it. Wild salmon comes from the pristine waters of Pacific Northwest and Alaska and packed full of omega 3 fatty acids.
  • Farmed salmon. If you are buying farmed salmon, choose those imported from Norway. Avoid the ones from China. Chinese farms use potentially carcinogenic (cancer-causing) chemicals to raise the fish.
  • For the freshest fish, shop on the day when your grocery stores restock their fish.
  • Wild salmon looks orange in color whereas farmed salmon is pale orange in color.
  • Avoid salmon color that is bright orange or red. It means food dye has been added to the fish.

Wild Salmon Vs. Farmed Salmon

Wild salmon versus farmed salmon picture.
Wild salmon vs farmed salmon. Credit: Paleohacks

I chose wild salmon for my honey garlic salmon because it has a richer flavor, is healthier, and supports sustainable fishing practices.

  • Wild caught salmon nutrition. Compared to its farmed counterpart, wild salmon provides a more robust base for the sweet and savory notes of the honey garlic glaze. Here are the nutrition facts of raw, wild Atlantic Salmon, provided by USDA.
  • Lower in fat and high in omega-3 fatty acids. Wild salmon is a healthy choice for you and your family.
  • Sustainable. Wild salmon is environmentally friendly. Salmon farming is notorious for its unhealthy and unnatural living conditions.

The diagram above summarizes the difference between wild salmon and farmed salmon. To learn more, read Bon Appetit article.


Ingredients

Ingredients for the best salmon recipes: Honey Garlic Salmon.

To make this Honey Garlic Salmon recipe, you will need the following ingredients:

  • Salmon fillet.
  • Minced garlic.
  • Honey.
  • Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice – add lemon wedges during the cooking process to jazz up the citrusy note.
  • Salt and pepper.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.


How To Make This Recipe

Salmon seasoned with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.

Step 1: Season the surface of the salmon with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Set aside.

Honey, water, lemon juice and a pinch of salt in a bowl, stirred with a spoon.

Step 2: Mix the honey, water, apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, and a pinch of salt together. Stir to combine well.

Seasoned salmon fillet on a cast-iron skillet.

Step 3: Heat up an oven-safe skillet (cast-iron skillet preferred) on high heat. Add olive oil and pan-fry the salmon, skin side down, for about 1 minute. Turn the salmon over and cook for another minute. Turn it over again so the skin side is at the bottom.

Minced garlic added into the cast-iron skillet with the seasoned salmon fillets.

Step 4: Add the garlic to the pan and sauté until slightly browned. Add the honey mixture and lemon wedges to the skillet and reduce the sauce until it’s sticky.

Salmon with lemon slices being broiled in honey mixture.

Step 5: Finish it off by broiling the salmon in the oven for 1 minute or until the surface becomes slightly charred (optional step).

Honey garlic salmon with lemon slices garnished with parsley.

Step 6: Top the salmon with parsley and serve immediately.


Secret Tips & Techniques

Follow my expert tips below, and you’ll whip up restaurant-quality salmon at home that’ll satisfy even the pickiest eaters. Not a fan of salmon skin? Just wait until you uncover the secret techniques to make it irresistibly crispy.

  • Sear for Crispy Skin: When cooking the salmon, start by pan searing it skin-side down; use a hot cast-iron skillet with a little olive oil. This will crisp up the skin and create a delicious texture contrast with the tender flesh of the salmon fish.
  • Olive oil. Olive oil is the best choice for achieving crispy salmon skin due to its relatively high smoke point and unique flavor profile.
  • Cast-iron skillet. A cast-iron skillet is great for cooking salmon because it heats evenly, retains heat well, and is versatile. It cooks salmon consistently and helps achieve a crispy exterior while keeping the inside tender. Plus, with its natural non-stick surface and patina, you will make the best salmon ever!

Pro Tip: Scraping the salmon skin against the direction of the scales can help make it crispy. This action helps to remove excess moisture and roughen the surface, which promotes better crisping during cooking. It also allows the heat to penetrate more evenly, resulting in a uniformly crispy texture that you just can’t stop eating.


Frequently Asked Questions

Cooking methods for salmon recipes.

There are many ways to make this easy salmon recipe:
You can cook the salmon in a skillet on the stove top, as shown in the recipe card.
You can bake it in the oven at 400°F for 8 minutes, uncovered.
You can also wrap the salmon with a sheet of aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.

Can I freeze cooked salmon?

I don’t recommend freezing cooked salmon because it will affect the texture of this salmon recipe. The flesh will become tough and rubbery after freezing.
You can certainly store cooked salmon in the refrigerator for a couple of days. Just wrap it tight with a sheet of plastic wrap.
To serve, just reheat the salmon in a microwave for 1 minute.

Do you eat the skin on salmon?

When it comes to cooking salmon, one of the biggest questions is whether or not to cook with skin on or skin off.
Salmon skin is edible. Personally, I don’t eat salmon skin unless the salmon is deep-fried and the salmon skin becomes crispy.
For easy cooking, there is no need to remove the skin. Cook the salmon as is, with skin on, then discard the skin if you don’t want to eat it.
Just make sure that the skin is completely cleaned with no scales.

How many calories per serving?

This salmon recipe is only 251 calories per serving.

Salmon fillet with honey garlic sauce cooked on stove.

What To Serve With This Recipe

Salmon is best served with healthy side dishes like garlic broccoli. For a healthy meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.

I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on FacebookPinterest, and Instagram for new updates.


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4.54 from 1534 votes

Honey Garlic Salmon (The Best Recipe!)

Garlicky, sweet, and sticky, this honey garlic salmon recipe will be your go-to for a quick and healthy dinner. It's one of the best salmon recipes that takes only 15 minutes to make but tastes like it's straight out of a fancy restaurant!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 3 people
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Ingredients  

  • 12 oz. salmon, cut into 2-3 fillet strips
  • salt
  • black pepper
  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon warm water
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar , or lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 lemon, sliced into wedges
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Instructions 

  • Season the surface of the salmon with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper, and then set aside.
  • Combine the honey, water, apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice), and a pinch of salt in a bowl, and stir well to mix.
  • Heat an oven-safe skillet (preferably cast iron) over high heat. Add olive oil and pan-fry the salmon, skin side down, for about 1 minute. Flip the salmon and cook for another minute. Then, turn it over again so that the skin side is facing down.
  • Add the garlic to the pan and sauté until it is slightly browned. Then, add the honey mixture and lemon wedges to the skillet, and reduce the sauce until it becomes sticky.
  • Finish by broiling the salmon in the oven for 1 minute, or until the surface becomes slightly charred (optional step).
  • Top the salmon with parsley and serve immediately.

Video

Notes

  • Sear for Crispy Skin: When cooking the salmon, start by pan searing it skin-side down; use a hot cast-iron skillet with a little olive oil. This will crisp up the skin and create a delicious texture contrast with the tender flesh of the salmon fish.
  • Olive oil. Olive oil is the best choice for achieving crispy salmon skin due to its relatively high smoke point and unique flavor profile.
  • Cast-iron skillet. A cast-iron skillet is great for cooking salmon because it heats evenly, retains heat well, and is versatile. It cooks salmon consistently and helps achieve a crispy exterior while keeping the inside tender. Plus, with its natural non-stick surface and patina, you will make the best salmon ever!

Nutrition

Serving: 1g, Calories: 251kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 23g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 62mg, Sodium: 52mg, Potassium: 589mg, Fiber: 0.2g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 172IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 23mg, Iron: 1mg

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

Please rate and comment below!

About Rasa Malaysia

Bee is a recipe developer and best-selling cookbook author, sharing easy, quick, and delicious Asian and American recipes since 2006. With a strong following of almost 2 million fans online, her expertise has been featured in major publications, TV and radio programs, and live cooking demos throughout the United States and Asia.

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Recipe Rating





473 Comments

  1. Kathy says:

    5 stars
    Thank you so much for this recipe! As a pescatarian, I eat a lot of salmon, but I don’t eat soy sauce, so I was happy to find your recipe as an alternative to so many others. It turned out perfectly and is delicious!

    1. Bee Yinn Low says:

      Hi Kathy, this is an excellent salmon recipe, I am so glad you love my recipe. Thanks for the 5 stars rating.

  2. Mary says:

    Would I be able to use skinless Salmon for this recipe?

    1. Bee Yinn Low says:

      Yes!

  3. Mine says:

    Wow

    1. Bee Yinn Low says:

      Thanks!

  4. Angie Simpson says:

    5 stars
    My family loved the salmon. I loved how easy it was to make. Will be making it again!

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Thank you for your comment, Angie. Happy cooking!

  5. S vee says:

    Can I use another type of fish? I don’t like Salmon

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Hi, yes, you can absolutely use a different type of fish. Do choose a firm-fleshed fish that’s available in your region.

  6. Carl Gillam says:

    5 stars
    I recently had some fussy friends around for dinner. They said that the salmon was the best they had ever tasted. This recipe takes salmon to a whole new level of taste and presentation,

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Thank you for your wonderful feedback, Carl. I am so glad that you friends loved the salmon.

  7. Carla @ Foodie Digital says:

    5 stars
    Was looking for a salmon recipe that didn’t require soy sauce and this one was so tasty and easy too. After removing the salmon I browned some steamed veggies in the same pan and dinner was served! *chef’s kiss*

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Thank you for your comment, Carla! So glad you enjoyed this recipe.

  8. Louisa says:

    5 stars
    I never thought wild caught salmon could be so moist and full of flavour. Love the sauce, will double up the ingredients the next time.

  9. Adrienne Taylor says:

    5 stars
    Absolutely the best. We love your recipes! Thank you so much.

  10. Alice says:

    5 stars
    Wow!! Super easy and super delish! Made double sauce Looked like a fine dining dish from fancy restaurant Cooked perfectly! Keeper!!! We eat a lot of salmon but most people cook it too long and it gets dry. This is the way salmon should be! Thanks for sharing

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Awesome!??

      1. Terri Bowen says:

        5 stars
        Delicious! Easy! We will be having this often!

        1. Rasa Malaysia says:

          Thank you for your comment. So glad the recipe works well for you.