Craving some salmon but not sure how to make it great? This easy honey garlic salmon is here to bring you a ton of flavor in just about 10 minutes—and you don’t even have to fire up the grill!
Easy honey garlic salmon
You might have heard that the key to salmon—to any fish—basically boils down to this: don’t overcook it. Okay, seems easy enough, but now that I know what I shouldn’t do to it, what should I do to really make this salmon stand out?
Call me biased, but I think you should make this easy honey garlic salmon recipe. Why? It’s simple to make, uses simple ingredients, and doesn’t involve any fancy technique you need to spend weeks practicing to perfect.
That, and it ends up tasting really, really good, and you only need about 10 minutes!
10 minute dinner recipe
I’ve read recipes that claim to be ready in “about 10 minutes” and, well, they didn’t deliver. This one really does—you’re just making a delicious salmon by seasoning it simply, cooking in a skillet, and adding an easy-to-make sauce to the mix.
The only part of this meal that might end up taking more than 10 minutes is your side (I recommend rice or veggies). That said, you can have those made up or use a quicker version (microwave steamed veggies, for example) and really get this thing streamlined.
How long did it take you to make this delicious meal? Let me know about your record below.
Honey garlic salmon ingredients
Every time I taste a delicious sauce or glaze, I assume that there must be one thousand ingredients in it to achieve such a great flavor. Not so with this sauce! Aside from salmon (cut into 4 small fillets in this recipe), here’s what you need to pull this off:
- honey
- soy sauce
- garlic
- lemon juice
- water
- olive oil
- sesame seeds
- salt, pepper, & cayenne
- optional: green onion
Not bad, right? (I see you nodding.)
As long as you have a trusty skillet (I use a Lodge cast iron), you’re reading to get this show on the road.
So… what are you waiting on?
How to make easy honey garlic salmon
Here’s the whole shebang, from beginning to end:
- Sprinkle salmon filets with salt & pepper (add cayenne for extra heat).
- Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat.
- In a small bowl, whisk together honey, lemon juice, garlic, and soy sauce.
- Add salmon to the skillet. Cook the fillets for about 3-4 mins, skin side up, until internal temp is 145 degrees.
- Flip the salmon and add sauce to the pan. Use a spoon to scoop the juices on top of the salmon.
- Add lemon slices and sesame seeds enjoy!
- Serve with rice or veggies.
That’s it. That’s the recipe for easy honey garlic salmon.
It really is that easy, that honey-garlic, etc.
Is honey garlic salmon healthy?
Obviously, there’s a certain amount of honey present to sweeten the deal, and a ton of that stuff is going to give you a bellyache. But salmon is a really excellent source of protein, and, assuming you’re not serving this on a bed of deep fried Twinkies*, you can really make this a nutritious meal.
*I can’t officially recommend deep fried Twinkies as a base for this recipe.
What if I don’t like salmon?
Well, I’m impressed you made it this far! I would still triple dog dare you to try this easy honey garlic salmon, but if it really seems like a no-go, you might try my easy honey garlic chicken.
What should I make for dinner?
If you try this recipe and like it, please rate it below and share with your friends! For other easy meal ideas, consider one (or all!) of these Jordo’s World staples:
Easy Honey Garlic Salmon
Equipment
- cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 4 salmon filets 6 oz
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon garlic
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- pinch salt, pepper, & cayenne
- optional: green onion
Instructions
- Sprinkle salmon filets with salt & pepper (add cayenne for extra heat).
- Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat.
- In a small bowl, whisk together honey, lemon juice, garlic, and soy sauce.
- Add salmon to the skillet. Cook the fillets for about 3-4 mins, skin side up, until internal temp is 145 degrees.
- Flip the salmon and add sauce to the pan. Use a spoon to scoop the juices on top of the salmon.
- Add lemon slices and sesame seeds enjoy!
- Serve with rice or veggies.
Jess says
Seriously SO GOOD. I HATE cooking fish because it’s so hard to do right, but this was both easy and delicious! My husband has asked me to put this in our regular rotation, which is a big deal coming from a pizza and fries kind of guy. Thanks Jordo!!!
Brittany says
If I could give this more than 5 stars I would!!! Honestly 10/10! The sauce is incredible, it’s so fast and easy to throw together and you honestly can’t mess it up! Don’t walk, run to make this!! It’s totally going in the regular rotation!
Brooke Davis says
When my kids finish their dinner with zero complaints, you know you have a winner! They’re not fans of fish but the sauce is so good that they had nothing negative to say! Super easy and so much flavor!
Stephanie W says
Easy and quick recipe. Family approved.
Stephanie W says
Easy and Quick. Family approved will make again.
Sorry about the double post, I meant for it to be 5 stars
Lauren says
In all honesty, I really don't like salmon. In an effort to add more fish into the diet decided to try this out.... I now actually add this salmon recipe to our menu rotation every couple weeks! It is so good! And it's so stinking easy to make! It's a great work night recipe when you don't want to spend all your time after work in the kitchen. Another home run by Jordan!
Kim says
Super tasty and easy. Kids all approved.
Jan Garner says
I followed this recipie except used the air fryer- so tasty! Only wish salmon was more avalible where I live!
Stephanie says
You cannot go wrong with honey garlic and salmon together. This is a simple sure way to make salmon that the whole family will love! And it’s super simple and quick to the get on the table.
Michelle Cole says
Delicious and filling!! Also dietitian approved for the omega 3’s 👍🏼🤩
Ali says
Easily one of the best ways to cook salmon. So quick and everything you need is always in the fridge. So so yummy!
Kory says
This is one of my GO TOs! It’s an easy, delicious and healthy recipe. Most importantly, the flavor is amazing. I keep coming back to this one again and again.
Jen says
Honey garlic is my FAVORITE way to make salmon and this recipe is perfect! I usually end up baking my salmon instead of cooking it in the skillet and it turns out perfect every time!
Lori says
This was amazing! I’m not a fan of making salmon at home for some reason but this sauce was so good, I’m def making this more often. Quick and tasty. Try it, it won’t disappoint.
Annie says
So delicious and easy! I never had the confidence to make salmon before this recipe and now I’m hooked. This is definitely going to be a regular in our household!