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!!
I didn’t have any honey so I used a combination of maple syrup and golden syrup. It was still delicious.
Thanks Nagi
I made this recipe tonight. Both my husband and I loved it. I served it with potato wedges and corn ribs in the air fryer and also asparagus and broccolini. Yum
Nagi, thank you for the use of your recipes, I make so many of your dishes. This Recipe is sooo good, my Dad (93) has loved Salmon all his life and reckons this Salmon is the best he’s ever tasted. Gold Star recipe xxxxx
Can I finish the recipe then freeze it with the sauce? Will it turn out good?
Cooked first time 4 Mts and 3 Mts both side burnt – got beautiful coral Color and tasty flesh – why burnt
Regards
Awesome.. easy!! Thanks.
I have tried this a few times recently. Always excellent and easy!! Thank you!!
Doing this again tonight for 8 but bake in foil. 1/2 marinate in foil rest reduced and poured over when cooked. Add fresh grated ginger to marinate. So yum
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! My Son and I made it together & it came out absolutely delicious .
Terrific recipe.
Another home run Nagi!
Thanks again.
I made this today it was the worst thing I had in my life it tasted dog poop
Is it okay to use malt vinegar?
Great recipes. Thank you
Super easy, great tasting dish!
My 7 year old son helped prep the meal with me and truly enjoyed eating it afterwards. All under 20mins!
Great recipe to do with your kids!
Hey, thanks for the recipe.
I wanted to try a different salmon recipe than just frying on the pan; salt, pepper, garlic powder(I switched to mixing them in the plate, because the spices are tasted stronger that way), mayonnaise, and soy sauce.
Unfortunately, I noticed that I had barely a tbsp of honey. But I had sweet soy sauce. So I replaced soy sauce and honey with that. Vinegar is apple vinegar.
It turned out edible without complaints. The sauce is acceptable by itself, and doesn’t make me question eating it without salmon. I wonder how it would taste with honey.
This made a brilliant dinner tonight!
That sauce is so delicious and easy to make
one of the best and simple salmon recipes I’ve used. Double thumbs up from my partner as well.
Is it okay to use malt vinegar?
5 star 🌟
So fast, simple and tasty – the triple bonus. The family absolutely loved it too, so this recipe is a definite winner 🏆
Tonight was the second time I’ve made this salmon and my daughter declared she could eat it eight days a week! Thank you Nagi, I’ll definitely be making this again.
5 stars! Easy, delicious and fast. Doesn’t get any better than that. The family loved it. Will definitely make this agin and again.
Super easy, quick, tasty and store cupboard ingredients. A winner
Loved this recipe it was easy and delicious and I will definitely make it again.