This honey-glazed salmon is incredibly tender and juicy. It’s covered in a sweet, sticky, and garlicky sauce, and only takes 20 minutes to make.
Salmon is one of my favorite weeknight proteins. It cooks quickly, feels a little elevated, and always turns out delicious with just a few simple ingredients. This honey-glazed salmon is everything I love in a quick dinner—the fish turns out tender and flaky, and the glaze is rich, garlicky, and perfectly balanced between sweet and salty.
The real magic is in the sauce. A quick mix of honey, garlic, butter, and soy sauce creates a glossy glaze that clings to the salmon as it cooks. It tastes like something you’d get at a restaurant, but it comes together in just 20 minutes at home.
Why You’ll Love This Tender Honey Glazed Salmon
If you like salmon then you have to try making this recipe. You’ll love it! Here’s why.
- Packed with flavor. The honey, garlic, and soy sauce glaze caramelizes in the pan, creating a sweet, sticky coating that pairs perfectly with the rich, flaky salmon.
- Quick and simple. This dish comes together in just 20 minutes with a handful of pantry staples. It’s the kind of recipe that feels effortless but tastes like you spent way more time on it.
- Easy to use in meals. Serve it over rice, flake it into salads, tuck it into wraps, or pair it with your favorite veggies. It’s a versatile main that works with whatever you’ve got in the kitchen.
p.s. Looking for more ways to enjoy salmon? Check out my salmon sushi bake or these air fryer salmon bites.
What You’ll Need
Here are all the ingredients that you’ll need to make this 20-minute salmon dinner. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the page to see the exact amounts for each ingredient.
- Salted butter – You can replace the butter with olive oil for a healthier dinner.
- Garlic
- Honey – Maple or agave also work, though of course, then you won't be making “honey” glazed salmon.
- Soy sauce – If you’re gluten-free, use tamari instead.
- Salmon fillets – You want to use fillets that are between 5 and 7 ounces.
- Sea salt & Black pepper – Always use freshly ground pepper.
- Garlic powder
How to Make Honey Glazed Salmon
Here’s how to make this super-easy fish recipe.
- Prep. Turn your oven on to 425F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
- Make the sauce. Add the butter, soy sauce, honey, and garlic to a saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk until the sauce is smooth, then cook for 3 minutes.
- Prep the fish. Place the salmon on the baking sheet, then season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Add the glaze. Pour the sauce over the salmon fillets.
- Bake. Put the baking sheet in the oven and bake the fish for 12 minutes.
- Finish. Remove the salmon from the oven, and spoon any extra sauce over the top of it, then serve.
Tips for Success
- Use pieces of fish that are the same size. It’s really important to make sure that all of your salmon fillets are similarly sized. If they’re not the same size, then they’ll take different times to cook. As a result, some of your pieces of fish will be undercooked, and some will be overcooked.
- Fresh garlic. The garlic in this recipe really shines, so I strongly recommend using fresh garlic. Don’t buy garlic that’s already been minced or peeled, because it doesn’t have the same flavor.
- Adjust based on the size. 12 minutes is the perfect amount of time for salmon fillets that are 5-7 ounces. But if you’re using bigger pieces of fish, you’ll need to cook the salmon a little longer. And if you’re using smaller pieces, adjust by cooking the fillets for a minute or so less. You can also adjust the cooking time based on how you like your salmon.
Serving Suggestions
My favorite way to eat honey-glazed salmon is to serve it on top of some rice, such as Cilantro Lime Rice or Instant Pot Coconut Rice. I usually add a veggie-based side dish, such as Asian Cucumber Salad, Asian Kale Quinoa Salad, or Summertime Asian Quinoa Slaw.
How to Store and Reheat Extras
- Store in the fridge: Leftover honey glazed salmon fillets can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days. You can reheat by covering in aluminum foil and baking in a 350F oven for 7-8 minutes, or by microwaving on 80% power in 20-second increments. You can also eat this salmon cold.
- Freezing: You can definitely freeze these sticky salmon filets. Just place them in an airtight container and put them in the freezer for 3 months. Defrost or thaw the salmon completely before reheating.
More Easy Salmon Dinners
If you love salmon as much as I do, then you have to try some of these recipes. They’re quick, healthy, easy to make, and so delicious.
Honey Glazed Salmon
Ingredients
- ¼ cup salted butter (or olive oil)
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup honey
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 4 salmon fillets (5-7oz each)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the butter, garlic, honey, and soy sauce to the pan and whisk until smooth. Cook for 3 minutes.
- Arrange the salmon fillets on the baking sheet and season with sea salt, ground black pepper, and garlic powder. Pour the sauce over the salmon fillets and bake for 12 minutes.
- Remove the salmon from the oven and spoon any sauce in the sheet pan over the fillets, then serve.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for 3 months.
- Reheat covered in aluminum foil in a 350F oven for 7-8 minutes, or by microwaving on 80% power in 20-second increments.
Nutrition
