Honey Garlic Salmon (Printable version)

Crispy pan-seared salmon with a sweet and savory honey garlic glaze, ready in just 25 minutes.

# Ingredients list:

→ Fish

01 - 4 salmon fillets (about 5 oz each), skin-on or skinless
02 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Sauce

03 - 3 tablespoons honey
04 - 3 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
05 - 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
07 - 1 tablespoon water

→ For Cooking

08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil or unsalted butter

→ For Serving (optional)

09 - Steamed rice
10 - Steamed or sautéed seasonal vegetables
11 - Sliced green onions
12 - Sesame seeds

# Steps:

01 - Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce, minced garlic, lemon juice, and water until well combined. Set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil or butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
04 - Place salmon fillets in the pan, skin-side down if applicable. Cook for 3–4 minutes until the skin is golden and crispy.
05 - Carefully flip the fillets and cook for another 2–3 minutes until the flesh is lightly browned.
06 - Reduce heat to medium-low. Pour the honey garlic sauce around and over the salmon fillets.
07 - Spoon the simmering sauce over the fillets continuously for 2–3 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the salmon in a glossy glaze.
08 - Remove from heat once the salmon is cooked through and the sauce is glossy. Serve immediately with steamed rice and vegetables, garnished with sliced green onions and sesame seeds if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce creates this gorgeous restaurant quality glaze that looks impressive but requires zero culinary school training
  • Its one of those rare recipes where every single ingredient is probably already sitting in your pantry right now
02 -
  • The sauce thickens fast once it hits the hot pan, so keep spooning it over the fish to prevent burning
  • Salmon keeps cooking after you remove it from heat, so pull it when it's still slightly translucent in the center
03 -
  • Room temperature salmon cooks more evenly, so take it out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking
  • Pat the fish absolutely dry before seasoning, any moisture will prevent that crispy skin from forming
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