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!!
Happy vacation Nagi! Glad Dozer is surviving too. Great recipe – I could eat salmon everyday. Take care!
Thing is, EVERY day is a holiday in Dozer’s life….
Bula, Nagi! (are you tired of hearing that yet?)
I’m not a big fish fan, but this is going into my Make Soon folder, like so many other of your recipes. So simple and that sauce! You never disappoint. One question… would you recommend toasting the sesame seeds while the salmon cooks?
As for Dozer, don’t you hate it when you drop the kids off at day care and they don’t even wave goodbye? Or when you’re gone for days and they don’t even notice? Meanwhile, you’re having separation anxiety…
Glad to hear you’re having a blast in Fiji!
One of my friends has lost all steam on the bula front. She lasted a couple of hours on the first day, and now she can barely muster a response – ba ha ha!!! I personally don’t toast the seeds for this one because it’s a super quick one and the sesame seeds are a minor garnish, not key to flavour. But you can definitely toast them if you want! PS little tip – there are brown sesame seeds sold in Asian stores that taste more like they are toasted compared to the plain white ones sold at supermarkets. 🙂 And re: Dozer – I KNOW! Ungrateful brats! 😜
Nagi, Hearing you talk about your Fiji trip reminds me of mine back in the early 80’s. BULE BULA BULA……I absolutely loved Fiji because everyone was so friendly. I am happy to hear that things have not changed, I might decide to go to Fiji again. Best two countries I have been to is Fiji and New Zealand because of their friendly disposition. This recipe for the salmon sounds delish, next trip to the grocery store I will get the salmon, I have everything else.
Just hearing the word “bula” made me long to be back in FIJI!!!!
Bulla Nagi, Another simple quick, but beautiful dish although I haven’t made it as yet because we’re flying out today across to Europe. Soon after we return though I’ll be making this one. Hope you’re enjoying your time in Fiji as we’ve been there MANY times and have been taken in by a beautiful family as much as we’ve brought some of them from time to time here to our home for a holiday. Will catch up again when we return home.
Venaka, Josephine.
HAVE AN AMAZING TRIP Josephine!!!! Europe – so much more exciting that Fiji! 😜
Wow! Wish I was there!
Recipe looks delicious, must try this!
I told a friend of mine who owns a restaurant to look at your photography, because it’s the best!
: )
Awww that’s so flattering Sheri! N xx
Bula Nagi,
Fiji, would love to visit, but it’s like going to the moon from here.
The salmon looks devine. You know here in Sweden we cherish our Salmon as well and this looks to be a winner to me.
Enjoy Fiji and thanks for the post.
You have SO MANY other places like Fiji that are far closer to you!!!
Long time follower but I’ve only just realized that when you adjust the serving size the amount of ingredients changes! This is super convenient for me as I’m cooking for one person but occasionally batch cook. Therefore the servings I require can vary from 1 to 8. This will be very handy!
Haven’t tried this recipe yet but may do so in the coming weeks.
It’s pretty cool, isn’t it!? The reason I haven’t advertised it yet is because I have to go through my recipes and flag the ones you can’t scale up 🙂
sometimes I think I would go hungry If I hadn’t of found your website. So simple and so easy after a day of work. Was delightfully tasty (although I am not at all surprised-seeing as its coming from you!)
Woo hoo! I’m so glad you enjoyed this Annie-Rose, thanks so much for letting me know! N x
Your recipe is not only simple, but it’s super delicious! It’s perfect for starter cooks like me. I followed your timing to a T, and everything came out perfectly! Such a huge accomplishment for me when my little man sucks up all the sauce on his salmon! Thank you so much for sharing!!
I’m so glad! Thank you for trying my recipe and for coming back to let me know you enjoyed it! N x
Cooked this tonight. We are not big fish eaters (don’t like fishy fish) so finding your recipe yesterday after I bought some skin on salmon was perfect timing. Hubby pinched most of the leftover sauce after he tasted it (most of my share too) and kept saying how delicious the fish was as he cleaned his plate. Never think what you put together is too simple to write. This was awesome. Love your work.
Thank you for your lovely message Maggie! 🙂 I’m so glad you enjoyed this!!
I love how simple this looks! I’ll have to try it next time I make salmon- I think the simpler the better with salmon!
I agree! It’s so flavourful anyway, doesn’t need much!
Very delicious and super easy to make!!!
So glad you loved this Rachel! Thanks very much for coming back to let me know 🙂
New follower! I was lucky enough to stumble upon you via Pinterest. I’m looking forward to trying so many of your recipes ….. I have been pinning, pinning, pinning! I especially like your Collections section and Arabian Feast entry. Keep up the great work!
Hi Jen! Welcome! So glad you found my site. 🙂 Thank you for reading – and happy to hear there are plenty of things here that have caught your eye!! N x
GAH, THIS LOOKS SOOOOO GOOD! Sorry for the all caps but I had trouble containing my excitement!
He he you made me giggle!! I’m exactly the same, I write in caps when I’m excited!! 🙂
That first photo should be in a magazine somewhere. What a lovely dish!
Aww, thanks Maureen! BTW this is a good one for Jayce if you use a white fish because it’s so low fat. 🙂
I love it when I look at your recipes and they only have a handful of ingredients and sound amazing! As we say, you don’t need 1000s of ingredients to make something lipsmaking
“We”, as in Italians?! 🙂 YES it is so true. It is quite the mantra for Japanese cooking too, though it’s very different to Italian in that there are things like Kaiseki and Bento boxes which have lots of varieties so while each item might be easy to make, there’s a lot of things to be made!! This is a pretty classic flavour combo though. I’m trying it for drumsticks tomorrow! 🙂
how very delish! I adore salmon and this sauce looks great.
Thanks so much! I love salmon too. Definitely my favourite fish! 🙂
Nagi, I just bought a beautiful salmon yesterday. I’m glad I didn’t cook it today, I would have missed the great sauce to try. I now know what I’m gonna serve for dinner tomorrow. Can’t wait!
I hope you do!! I really think you will enjoy this – and it’s just so crazy easy!! 🙂
Salmon is my favorite fish, and so I’m always on the lookout for a great recipe. This one certainly fits the bill! Quick, easy, delicious – what could be better? Great flavors in the sauce (I have all of that in my pantry) all I need is the salmon! I know what I’m having for dinner next week 🙂
Thanks so much Kathleen! Hope you do try it! 🙂
Easy + Delicious = serve it to me! Nothing wrong with that. These days I prefer it when crunched for time, especially if it’s this. 🙂
Thanks Kevin!! Same here – on a day to day basis, I stick with the simple stuff. I have a handful of recipes like this up my sleeve! 🙂
Never be embarrassed when your meal looks THAT GOOD! Straight out of a magazine! Delicious!
Awww, thanks so much Jessica! Magazine? You’re making me blush! (With absolute pride!!) 🙂