Easy Honey Garlic Salmon Recipe
Published October 13, 2021. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This honey garlic salmon recipe comes together in minutes and is the most amazing weeknight meal that will definitely go into your regular cooking rotation.
I would eat seafood for every single meal if given the chance. If you’re a little nervous when it comes to preparing seafood, definitely check out how easy it is to make my crab cakes or pan-seared scallops.
Honey Garlic Salmon
Honey garlic salmon is a very simple dish consisting of pan-seared, grilled, baked, or boiled salmon that is served with sweet honey and garlic sauce. This is the perfect last-minute weeknight meal for you and your family that is absolutely loaded with flavor.
I’m a huge fan of using fresh seafood at every stop, and in the video for this honey garlic salmon, I show you how to store the salmon or freeze it for a later date. Any salmon bread is great to use in this recipe and you can cook it with the skin on or off. I always recommend asking the fishmonger at the counter to remove the bones before purchasing.
How to Make Honey Garlic Salmon
Follow along with these easy step-by-step instructions to make this delicious honey garlic salmon recipe:
Season the salmon well with salt and pepper.
Heat some oil in a large frying pan over high heat until it begins to lightly smoke.
Once smoking, add in the salmon, add in some butter, and turn the heat down to medium-high and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Flip the salmon over and cook for a further 3-4 minutes.
Remove the salmon from the pan and then add the garlic to the pan and cook for 1 minute over low to medium heat.
Pour in the remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until it slightly thickens. Finish with red pepper flakes and butter.
Add the salmon back to the pan, garnish and serve.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: This recipe is meant to be eaten right away; however, you can make it up to 30 minutes ahead of time, just keep it warm before serving.
How to Store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This will freeze covered for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.
How to Reheat: Add the desired number of salmon and sauce to a pan and cook in the oven at 350° for 4-5 minutes or until warmed. You can also heat in the microwave until warm.
Chef notes + tips
- You can also grill the salmon instead of cooking in a pan over medium to high heat for 3-4 minutes per side and then make the sauce separate in a pan.
- The oils I prefer to use are olive, safflower, canola, peanut, or grapeseed.
- Any bread of salmon is good to use in this recipe.
- You can use your favorite frying pan for this.
- It is absolutely ok to cook salmon to temperature. I enjoy serving and eating it at a medium to medium-well internal temperature.
More Salmon Recipes
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Video
Easy Honey Garlic Salmon Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 8- ounce skin off salmon fillets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 finely minced cloves of garlic
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- juice of ½ lemon
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Season the salmon on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Add the olive oil to a large frying pan over high heat and wait a few minutes until it begins to lightly smoke.
- Add the salmon into the pan flesh side, not skin removed side, down in the pan.
- Place1 tablespoon of butter in the pan and turn the heat down to medium-high and cook the salmon for 3-4 minutes.
- Turn the salmon over and cook for a further 3-4 minutes or until the desired internal temperature is achieved.
- Remove the salmon from the pan and set it aside.
- Discard any oil if there seems to be too much in the pan. There should be a few tablespoons in it.
- Add the garlic to the pan and cook for 1 minute over low to medium heat.
- Pour in the water, soy sauce, lemon juice, and honey and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes or until it has slightly thickened.
- Finish with pepper flakes and the remaining 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter.
- Place the salmon back in the pan and glaze with the sauce in the pan.
- Garnish with optional finely sliced fresh chives.
This does not disappoint! So light and just the right touch of sweetness!! Chef, you are awesome!! 🤌🤌
Amazing!
This is an incredible recipe! I make it using blood orange slices and juice and I also add a little of the zest. It’s such a wonderful flavor and I serve it with a lovely risotto that I’ve added orange zest and a little orange juice to. So yummy, that might be what’s for dinner tomorrow!
This sounded delicious to me so I saved the recipe. Put off making it because i was worried my 90 year old mom who “doesn’t like” seafood would not eat it. But I made it and we both loved it! Thank you that we can always have confidence in your recipes!
Delicious & simple to make! Everyone loved it.
So delicious! Very flavorful and easy to make. My husband is no fan of salmon but Loves this!
Made it
Loved it
Thank you
This was so very tasty! My Husband doesn’t particularly like his meat sweetened; but, he loved this!
Made this last night. My husband loved it, so will be making it again. Thanks Billy, your videos and cooking tips are always full of great tips and information.
I made this salmon tonight for our supper and it was delicious ! I’d definitely make it again, it was easy, the instructions were clear. Thank you so much for this recipe. Winner, winner . . . !
Thank you Chef Billy love the extras add on 😁😋🤩
Thank you ChefBilly love the extras so taste yum 😋 😁😋🤩👋
Thank you Chef Billy so quick love it also 😁😋🤩👋
Yum oh salmon recipe thank you Chef Billy 😁🤩😋👋
Thank you ChefBilly yes tastiest Salmon recipe 😁😋🤩👋
We make this about once a week! So delicious and easy!
thank you!
This was delicious with a great presentation. Made from ingredients on hand.
Made this for the second time. We absolutely love it.
excellent!
Made this last night and it was delicious. It went together quickly and I had all the ingredients on hand!
excellent!
The easiest most impressive meal you’ll ever make. Every time I make this people rave.
thank you so kindly!!
My first time making Salmon. It was a hit. Tasty and uncomplicated. Thank you. My Dad thanks you also.
my pleasure!
Oh My Goodness! This is delicious!!
thank you so kindly!!
So quick to prepare that we were surprised by the great flavor of this salmon. I cooked it on the stovetop but will be making it on the grill soon. A keeper.
Great!
It’s quick, full of flavor and super easy. I tried to use what I had in my fridge so I just tore some pieces of romaine lettuce, placed the salmon on top & drizzled with the delicious sauce!!
Thanks for trying it.
I made the Honey Garlic Salmon and loved it! It was easy and quick and low carb! Thank you Billy for sharing your knowledge!
(I wish I could share my pic but don’t know how to)!
Perfect!
Honey glazed salmon is fantastic.
Husband raved about this one
Hi Billy the Chef,
Hubby and I thoroughly enjoyed this honey garlic salmon dish. I have to be honest, I did not have any soy sauce and substituted a fish sauce that worked just fine. I will make it again. It was so “dang” good with basmati rice and fresh oven roasted asparagus. We treated ourselves to my homemade delicious zucchini bread to end this scrumptious meal. Thank you for all your wonderful cooking and baking tips. You’re the best chef!
Amazing! This is so easy and incredibly flavorful. This is now on a regular rotation at our house. Thanks chef Billy.
I don’t really care for cooked salmon, but I do eat it once in a blue moon, BUT this recipe was delicious and will make it again!
Thank you Chef Billy
I tried it. It was easy. I am not a fancy cook and often get confused by to many ingredients and things to keep going all at once. This recipe is a keeper. It tasted like something from a nice restrauant. I can’t believe I was able to make this. I loved this.
There is nothing “weeknight” about this dish. I ve paid $35 for something like this in a restaurant. It was absolutely outstanding! I served a side of basmati rice and roasted Brussels sprouts. It is definitely company worthy.
Made this for my hubby and sister. It was a big hit. Thank you for sharing! Really enjoying your site and all the additional information that is found with each recipe! I am learning so much! Thank you!
Why do you (and so many other on line chefs) remove the skin from salmon and throw it away? Why did you cook one piece of the salmon skin on, then remove it and not eat it?
Because I’m not a fan of salmon skin, at all. I LOVE the skin on bass and snapper, just have never been a fan of it on salmon. Personal preference.
Quite tasty and easy. My salmon filets were smaller so I only cooked for 2 minutes a side.