Honey-Garlic Glazed Salmon

I could tell you everything I love about this honey-garlic salmon, but the fact that this recipe was one of our top recipes of 2022 and an enduring, tried-and-true favorite of Delish readers speaks for itself. This savory-sweet salmon is quick and easy enough for weeknights (ready in under 30 minutes), but is also fancy enough for special occasions. If you’re a seafood novice, don’t sweat it: Searing fish might seem intimidating, but with my top tips, you’ll be a pro in no time. Here’s everything you need to know to ace this salmon dinner:

How To Make Honey-Garlic Glazed Salmon

INGREDIENTS

• Honey-Garlic Glaze: Honey, low-sodium soy sauce, fresh lemon juice, and red pepper flakes combine to create this simple, flavorful glaze. I recommend using low-sodium soy sauce to avoid an overly salty glaze, but you can get creative here. Switch out the lemon juice for lime, amp up the heat with some sriracha, skip the red pepper flakes completely if you’re not a fan, or add in some grated ginger to make things interesting.
• Salmon Fillets: The average pack of portioned supermarket salmon typically doesn't have any remaining pin bones to worry about, but it's definitely best practice to double check. To check for bones, gently run your fingers along the surface of the fish until you feel a slight prick. Using a pair of kitchen or fish tweezers, firmly grip the bone and pull in the direction that it's naturally pointing.
• Garlic & Lemon: Lemon slices and freshly grated garlic are the finishing touches to this dish. If you’re a crazy garlic fan, feel free to add more to taste.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

First, prepare your sauce by whisking all of the ingredients in a small bowl until well combined. We make our signature honey-garlic sauce with only a few staple ingredients: honey, low-sodium soy sauce, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes for a hint of heat. This simple sauce is not only ridiculously delicious, but also completely versatile, so give it a taste and adjust as needed.

Heat oil in a skillet until hot but not smoking. It's important that you get your pan hot (and I mean hot), and the bottom of your pan thoroughly coated in oil. Once the fish hits the oil, you should hear a sizzle. If you don't, your pan isn't hot enough. Tip: With a hot pan comes hot oil—gently place your fillets away from you to prevent oil splatter. Add the salmon skin side up, then season with salt and pepper (you can also choose to do this before your salmon hits the pan). Cook until deeply golden, then flip over and add the remaining oil.

Add garlic to the pan, then after a minute, add your honey mixture and the sliced lemons. Cook until the sauce has by reduced by about one-third.

Once the salmon is done and the sauce is thickened, spoon your glaze over the salmon until it coats every fillet very well. Add any reserved sliced lemons as a garnish, then serve!

Full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• How to cook the best salmon. Let the fillets cook, undisturbed, for a few minutes. That (along with the high heat) is how you get that delicious crust. After about 3 minutes, use a spatula to gently lift a corner of one fillet. If it releases easily, it's ready to go. If not, give it a little more time. Flip, cook a few more minutes to get the skin crisp and the fish cooked through, and you're good to go!

What To Serve With Honey-Garlic Glazed Salmon

This recipe is perfect with a variety of sides, including roasted asparagus, bok choy, or any of our favorite side dishes for salmon, but I especially love it with coconut rice to soak up all of the delicious honey-garlic sauce.

Storage

If you have any leftovers, refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 3 days.