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Easy Honey Garlic Salmon Recipe (Ready in 20 Minutes!)

Easy Honey Garlic Salmon Recipe

Tender seared salmon fillets are finished in a glossy honey garlic sauce with soy sauce and lemon. This flavorful fish dinner takes about 20 minutes from start to finish.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Salmon
  • 4 fillets Salmon fillets, about 6 ounces (170 g) each, skin-on or skinless
  • 1 tablespoon Olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon, plus more as needed Salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
Honey Garlic Sauce
  • 4 cloves Garlic, finely minced
  • 1/4 cup Honey
  • 1/4 cup Low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice
Optional Garnishes
  • as needed Sliced green onions
  • as needed Sesame seeds
  • as needed Chopped fresh parsley
  • as needed Lemon wedges

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Pat the salmon dry with paper towels, then season both sides with the salt and black pepper.
  2. Stir the honey, low-sodium soy sauce, lemon juice, and minced garlic together in a small bowl.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the salmon, skin-side down if applicable, and cook for about 4–5 minutes until browned and easy to release.
  4. Turn the salmon and cook the second side for 2–4 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets.
  5. Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour in the honey garlic sauce. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, spooning the sauce over the salmon, until the sauce slightly thickens and the fish is cooked through.
  6. Serve immediately with the pan sauce and optional green onions, sesame seeds, parsley, or lemon wedges.

Notes

Patting the salmon dry improves browning and helps prevent steaming. Add the honey sauce only after searing and reduce the heat because honey can burn quickly. The thickest part should reach 145°F (63°C), or the flesh should flake easily and look opaque in the center. For especially moist salmon, many cooks remove it around 140–145°F and allow carryover cooking to finish it.