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!!
Made this tonight and I absolutely loved it. I did add a few hot pepper flakes and the sauce was so good, I locked the plate. Thank u so much for a new favorite salmon recipe!
I’m so glad you loved it!
OMG!!! Best salmon recipe ever… Thank you for sharing 🙂
Woot! Thanks Athena!
Total yum! I just made this for dinner after scouring the internet all day for salmon recipes. The only modification I made was adding a little sriacha to the mixture for some heat. 5 stars!
Do you think it would turn out well with maple syrup instead of honey? I want to grill it in a panini press. Sound crazy?
Not crazy! I’d love to know if it works Akilah – just wondering how you’d add the sauce though!
Can you use white wine vinegar instead?
Sure could!
I made this today and my 9 year old daughter asked for seconds. She never asks for seconds! Quick, easy and delicious!
Aww that’s so great to hear Crystal! Thanks for sharing your feedback – N x
These recipes are fantastic ,just made the pumpkin one and it is delicious
All preped & ready to cook, standby for review
Hope you love it Julie!
Thankyou Nagi, it was nice, only needed more flavour, maybe some sambal?
I just made this tonight. Fantastic!!!
Thank you Nagi. Once agin another hit. Made it tonight and we loved it.
You are brilliant!
Delicious recipe! I made this last night for my family and it was a hit. I used fresh wild caught salmon, yum! I will definitely make this again.
Glad you enjoyed this Gini! Thank you for letting me know! N x
Hello Nagi, This Honey Garlic Salmon is such a winner! Tasty, healthy, quick and easy to prepare. I made it tonight with steamed bok choy and brown rice and quinoa which I bought precooked at the supermarket. I am sending this recipe to my son whose cooking skills are “a work in progress”. He will be pleased to be able to make it exactly like your photos!
I just make this. Hubby and I loved it!
Will definitely be making it again and again.
Thanks Nagi
Simply delicious. I cooked it longer in the sauce and added extra Ginger and chilli and sesame oil
Terrific to hear Mayra! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed it – N x
Can you freeze the sauce or how long would this keep in the fridge ?
Hi Karen! I’m sure the sauce will keep great for 3 days in the fridge – and actually, I would freeze it too! N xx
This recipe turned out awesome! Easy to make and time convenient as well. Gave some to my little brother and he liked it very much. Thank you Nagi for this great recipe! 🙂
Love hearing that Elise! So pleased you enjoyed this so much! N xx
Hey Nagi,
Thanks for sharing this time-saving recipe. The dish looks too good.
You’re so welcome Yogi! Hope you try it! N x
My intent was to make the Lemon Honey Glazed Salmon and made this recipe by accident. However, it was no accident when my husband said how delicious it was – he was right. This recipe was so quick and easy. I’m not a fish or seafood lover, but hubby is trying to get me to like salmon. Recipes like this is helping his cause! So surprised at great it tasted.
That’s so great to hear Tracy! Thank you for letting me know you enjoyed it! N x
5 Stars! So quick to prepare & make! Just lovely, Thankyou for helping me to feed & make Happy my somewhat fussy eaters!
Many Thanks
Cathy
LOVE hearing that Cathy!!! So glad you enjoyed it! N x
This recipe was super easy and super delicious! Thank you for sharing. My family absolutely loved it! I used Agave in place of the Honey and Apple Cider vinegar in Place of the white and it turned out amazing. I will try the amino liquids in place of soy sauce soon!! You have inspired it all. Thanks again!
So glad you enjoyed this Mrs M! N x ❤️
Hi Naji
Never been brave enough to make a marinade, you made the recipe look so simple I thought I’d give it a try.
It was absolutely delicious!!!!!! Me and my husband always go out for fine dining and thought your marinade tasted like something you would find at an expensive restaurant,
So unbelievably simple and quick and so tasty.
I will be making this plenty more times. Thanks you so much!!
Looking forward to trying some more of your recipes.
Alexandra
Love hearing that! So glad you enjoyed this Alexandra! N xx