This Honey Garlic Salmon is a terrific way to serve salmon that is just sooooo crazy quick and soooo crazy delicious! Head here to see all my quick and easy salmon recipes!
Honey Garlic Salmon recipe original published March 2015. Refreshed with new photos and video in 2017.
HONEY GARLIC SALMON SAUCE
This Honey Garlic Salmon recipe is all about the sauce. Just four simple pantry essentials in the right proportions – soy sauce, honey, garlic and vinegar.
I used to just whisk up the Sauce and pour it over pan seared Salmon. Then I started adding the sauce into the skillet with the salmon, and that’s even better, so I decided it was time to refresh this recipe (which I posted originally posted in March 2015!) plus I’ve added a recipe video.
When you first mix up the sauce, you won’t think it’s anything special. In fact, it’s pretty flat tasting just as it is. There are some sauces that steal the limelight in a dish – like Sweet & Sour Sauce and the Lemon Cream Sauce in this baked fish.
And then there are other sauces that are designed to compliment the dish it’s served with, rather than taking centre stage itself.
This Honey Garlic Sauce is one of those (as is Garlic Butter with salmon!) Once it’s cooked with the salmon and it caramelises…. WOWEE!!!
HOW LONG TO COOK SALMON?
3 to 4 minutes on the first side and 2 to 3 minutes on the second side for a standard fillet that’s about 2.5cm / 1″ thick at the thickest part.
This will yield a salmon that is perfectly cooked to medium rare – so the flesh flakes when you cut into it, it’s beautifully moist and coral inside rather than a pale pink / white.
Salmon is a fatty fish so it’s more forgiving if overcooked slightly. But when perfectly cooked, it’s a thing of beauty!!
This Honey Garlic Salmon recipe is a firm favourite in my household – and it’s been a reader favourite for many years now, ever since I first published it!
It’s a terrific quick and easy way to cook salmon that makes the most of all that we love about salmon – it’s juicy flesh, the salmon flavour, and how the surface caramelises beautifully when seared with the right sauce.
For a quick and easy meal, serve it with a side of steamed vegetables, like broccolini or asparagus shown in the photos. Add some bread or mashed potato for mopping up the sauce, and you’ve got a quick dinner on the table in less than 20 minutes! – Nagi xx
More fish recipes!
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Honey Garlic Salmon recipe video!
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Honey Garlic Salmon (5 Ingredients, 15 Minutes)
Ingredients
Sauce
- 4 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp soy sauce (all purpose or light soy sauce)
- 1 tbsp white vinegar (or sub with any other vinegar except balsamic)
- 1 large garlic clove (or 2 small) , minced
Salmon
- 2 salmon or trout fillets, skinless (6oz / 200g each)
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Optional Garnishes
- Sesame seeds
- Finely sliced chives or shallots/scallions
Instructions
- Take salmon out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking. Pat salmon skin dry with a paper towel and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Whisk together the Sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
- Drizzle oil in a non stick fry pan and heat over medium high heat (or just under, if your stove runs hot). Place salmon in the pan, and cook the first side for 3 – 4 minutes until golden. Turn, then cook the other side for 2 – 3 minutes or until golden.
- Pour Sauce over salmon. Cook for 1 minute or until it starts to thicken slightly. Check the side of the salmon to tell how cooked through the middle is – I like mine medium rare inside. (Note 1). If Sauce thickens too much before your salmon is cooked to your taste, just add water 1 tbsp at a time.
- Remove onto serving plates.
- Serve salmon drizzled with Sauce, sprinkled with sesame seeds and chives/shallots, if desired.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
Currently in Fiji and receiving the usual daily reports from Dozer’s boarder – all is well and there are (apparently) no signs of separation anxiety. Hmph!!
Thank you Nagi for yet another fabulous recipe. A really simple but amazingly tasty meal.
Thank you! After many glorious failures….I finally managed to produce an amazing meal….Everybody loved it. Including the kids! I used one piece of Salmon (650 gr) and adapted a bit the sauce (less sweet)….followed your detailed instructions……and NAILED IT! Thank you. Love you blog. (Delft, The Netherlands)
Delicious, I think my new favourite recipe for salmon.
d e l i s h 👌
Love your recipes Nagi! Detail but easy to follow. Made this earlier for dinner, got compliment from husband & my 2 yo son likes this too. Thanks Nagi
I’ve cooked salmon roughly once a week for 8 years. When I cooked this tonight my husband turned to be and said it was the best salmon I’d ever cooked and was restaurant quality. Nagi…thank you again for making me a better cook. Now to just make my toddlers less fussy eaters?!
I served it with a cous cous and spinach salad with feta & pumpkin seeds. So good!
Hi Nagi,
I often use your website and just made this recipe and my other half (who is super fussy) said it was restaurant quality stuff. Thank you for making your delicious recipes available.
I have made comments about this recipe. But, just have to say again, this is a wonderful recipe!! But, I do have to say, anything Salmon, I come to your blog, always. And, you also taught me how to cook salmon properly. I was doing it all wrong, UNTIL I found RecipeTinEats. Thank you Nagi. Give Dozer a hug for me, Sincerely, Bonnie.
Quick,easy and absolutely delicious!! Thank you!
I omitted the garlic (because I was serving it atop your cauliflower mash that already has garlic), and instead added a teaspoon of freshly grated ginger. The flavour combos along with the cauliflower mash are amazing. Salty, sweet, sticky, creamy, and then the freshness and heat from the ginger 😍👍
Perfect Jan!! N x
Can you use skinned salmon with this recipe? I want to try the recipe but my husband loves to eat the skin as well. If so, are there any changes to the cooking instructions?
Hi Norma, skin on salmon is fine here too, start by cooking skin side down first and then turn. N x
I never liked cooked salmon. But this recipe is simply amazing. Made it and loved it, now I have to make for the family again and again and again. Thank you Nagi.
Made this tonight for dinner. Wow absolutely delicious. This is def going to be a regular in my house. Thanks Nagi 😊
Excellent and so easy to make with all ingredients in the pantry. My new go to😋👍
Hubby (my toughest critic) who doesn’t like salmon said numerous times “mmm that was really good”. I even accidentally over cooked it – I think that just made a more sticky (yummy!) sauce. We had it with garlic bok choy & salad…..what else would you quickly pair it with?
Thanks again Nagi !
You’ve totally converted him Stephanie!! You could pair with any side salad, any asian greens, roast broccoli, rice – the possibilities are endless! N x
Wow Nagi, this sauce is amazing! I could eat it on everything. My husband and daughter both demolished their dinner and declared it the best salmon I’ve ever made. I love that your recipes are so simple and they just make everybody so happy. Food warms the soul. Thanks again!
Thanks so much Beth, that’s so lovely!! N x
I made this last night and it was a big hit with everyone. Enjoyed it that much, I’m making it again tonight.
Thanks muchly x
Wahoo, that’s great to hear!! N x
Is it possible to use this sauce and bake the salmon in the oven? If so at what temperature and for how long?
Would the salmon need to be turned halfway through?
Hi Joan – you sure can, just use this method here: https://promotown.info/asian-glazed-salmon/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
This was amazing!!! My 10 year old son is a very picky eater and he devoured this salmon. He said and I quote “ this is an 11 out of 10, can we have this again tomorrow “ there were no leftovers between 3 of us and I made 2.5 lbs. Thank you
WAHOO!! N x
So simple, so fast. I doubled the garlic (but not other ingredients) for four pieces of salmon, delish!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it Erin! N x
amazing taste and simple to cook, must try 👍
Thanks so much Yety! N x