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This 20-minute honey glazed salmon recipe makes delicious, tender and flaky salmon coated in a sticky, sweet and savory garlic sauce. Pair it with fluffy white rice and your favorite vegetables for a quick and easy weeknight dinner.

Honey glazed salmon is a flavorful upgrade of this easy five-ingredient honey garlic salmon recipe that has been incredibly popular on the blog over the years. In this recipe, a simple dry rub is first massaged into the salmon filets before they are seared in butter until golden brown.

The five-ingredient honey garlic sauce is made from a honey base for sweetness and cut with the savoriness of soy sauce and the acidity of lemon juice. The sauce is reduced until it’s thick and sticky, basted onto the salmon then broiled until caramelized.

Salmon smothered in a honey garlic sauce is deliciously addictive and has become one of my favorite ways to make salmon, along with this easy air fryer salmon, creamy garlic butter salmon and this restaurant-worthy air fryer honey mustard salmon.

Ingredients in Honey Glazed Salmon

HONEY GLAZED SALMON RECIPE TIPS

• Skillet – Use a wide 12″ skillet so there is enough room to sear the salmon properly for a more even browning.
• Butter – This recipe uses salted butter. If you use unsalted butter, you may need to add a little salt and adjust the seasoning to taste. I like using Land O Lakes half butter sticks which measure out the tablespoons for you. Simply slice out each tablespoon from the stick and skip washing a measuring spoon!
• Searing – Sear the salmon until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. The salmon will continue cooking some more after it is basted with the sauce and put under a quick broil to caramelize it.

• Garlic – Using fresh garlic is always best but you can substitute this with garlic powder in a pinch. I would add the garlic powder in with the rub or in the sauce – or both!
• Smoked paprika – You can use mild, sweet, or smoked paprika. I prefer using smoked paprika for its bold flavor.
• Honey – This is the star of the show so we will be using a lot of it. We’re cutting the sweetness of honey with savory soy sauce and the acidity of lemon juice to balance it out.

• Soy sauce – Less or low sodium soy sauce is all you need since we are seasoning the salmon with a rub that already includes salt.
• Lemon juice – This adds brightness and zest to the sauce to make a combination flavor of sweet, savory and tangy. You can substitute lemon juice with lime juice for a slightly different flavor.
• Lemon slices – Use lemon slices or wedges when serving for more flavor – the tanginess cuts and balances the sweetness of the sauce. You can also add the lemon slices when broiling to get them a little charred.

• Red pepper flakes – I used red pepper flakes in this recipe but you can substitute with cayenne, sriracha sauce, or anything that will give it a little heat. You can also skip this entirely if you don’t like spicy food.
• Water – Add a little water to the sauce to thin it out so it’s easier to mix.
• Thickening with cornstarch slurry – This is a quick way to thicken the sauce. If you don’t have cornstarch at home, simmer the sauce until reduced and slightly thickened before adding the salmon back into the pan.
• Leftovers and reheating – Leftovers will keep up to 3-4 days. Reheat the leftovers in the microwave or a skillet. The sauce may be too thick after sitting in the fridge, so add a couple of tablespoons of water to loosen up the sauce again.

What to Serve with Honey Glazed Salmon

Serve this delicious seafood entree with white rice, and mashed potatoes. If you’re trying to eat healthy, try brown rice, quinoa, or mashed cauliflower. Don’t forget to add in some greens for a balanced meal, like broccoli, green beans, or asparagus.

And that’s about it. Let me know how you liked it, or what substitutions you made in the comments below.

MORE SALMON RECIPES TO TRY

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Honey Glazed Salmon

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  Author: The Cooking Jar
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  Total Time: 20 minutes
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  Yield: 4 1x

Description

This 20-minute honey glazed salmon recipe makes delicious, tender and flaky salmon coated in a sticky, sweet and savory garlic sauce.

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Ingredients

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• 4 salmon fillets (5–8 oz. each)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
• Lemon wedges or slices, to garnish

RUB

• 1/2 teaspoon paprika (mild, sweet or smoked)
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

HONEY GARLIC SAUCE

• 1/2 cup honey
• 3 tablespoons less sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon water

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Instructions

1. Combine the paprika, onion powder, salt and pepper to make the dry rub and pat it generously on both sides of the salmon fillets.
2. Combine the sauce ingredients and whisk until smooth.
3. In an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil and melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Sear the salmon on both sides until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of your salmon. Remove salmon from the pan.
4. Turn the heat down to medium, add garlic and saute for 30 seconds until fragrant.
5. Pour in the sauce and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the cornstarch slurry and simmer until the sauce has thickened a little (it will thicken some more when broiling). Add the salmon back to the pan and baste the salmon with the sauce until fully coated.
6. Broil in the center rack for 3-5 minutes, or until the tops of the salmon are slightly charred and the sauce has caramelized.
7. Dish and serve hot served with lemon slices or wedges.
8. Enjoy!

Notes

• Add more flavor – Add a bit of warmth to the sauce with some fresh minced or ground ginger. Make the sauce a little smoky with a drizzle of sesame oil.

• Charred lemon – Add the lemon slices or wedges to the pan before broiling for some charred lemon to serve with – these are delicious!

• Garnish – Garnish with some green onions or parsley for a pop of color. Sprinkle with some toasted sesame seeds for some texture.

• Scroll up to RECIPE TIPS for more useful tips, suggestions and ingredient substitutions.

• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins