Garlic Honey Salmon

Name: Baked Honey Garlic Salmon
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 17 min
Ingredients: 2 6 ounce salmon filets (I prefer skin on); ¼ teaspoon kosher salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; ¼ teaspoon garlic; ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika; 2 tablespoons butter (I use salted, but unsalted may be used, use oil for dairy-free); 3 cloves garlic (minced or pressed); 2 tablespoons honey (try hot honey for more zing); 2 tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium or tamari (for gluten-free)); 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar (see notes); 2 shakes red pepper flakes; Garnish with chopped green onions

This easy Honey Garlic Salmon Recipe is sticky, garlicky, and ready in under 20 minutes, no marinating required! Baked in the oven, seared in a skillet, or made in the air fryer, this sweet and savory glaze turns a couple of salmon fillets into a healthy restaurant-worthy dinner for two. Don’t worry, if you’re making salmon for the whole family, you can scale it up!

Spooning honey garlic sauce on top of a salmon fillet on a plate.

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The 20-Minute Salmon That Saved My Weeknights

I don’t know about your house, but around here, salmon is the dinner my people request on repeat. My requirements for any fish recipe are simple: it has to be easy, flavorful, and it absolutely cannot be dry. This easy salmon recipe checks every box. It should be easy enough for weeknight dinners, but delicious enough to serve to company.

This garlic honey salmon has quickly become one of my go-to dinners, and so many of you have been asking me for recipes for two. Since my husband and I are empty nesters now, I cook a lot of meals scaled back these days. I thought it was finally time to write one on purpose! But don’t worry, it’s super easy to scale up if you need to. Just use the scale button on the recipe card, it’ll do the math for you.

What I love most about this one is the honey garlic salmon sauce. It’s just a handful of pantry ingredients like butter, garlic, honey, soy sauce, a splash of rice wine vinegar, but once it simmers down and glazes over the salmon, it turns into something that tastes seriously special! This is honestly one of the reasons I love being a recipe developer: tweaking the ratios and testing it again and again until the sweet, salty, and garlicky flavors are exactly right.

You can bake this one for a mostly hands-off dinner, but I’ve also included directions for the skillet and the air fryer below, because I know not everyone wants to turn the oven on in July!

Why You Will Love Garlic Honey Salmon

Ready in 20 minutes. No marinating; the glaze cooks right alongside the fish.
Scaled for two, but flexes big. Hit the slider on the recipe card to adjust everything for a crowd.
One recipe, three ways to cook it. Bake it, pan-sear it, or air fry it, same sticky glaze every time.
The glaze pulls double duty. Make extra and spoon it over rice bowls or roasted veggies all week.
Heat is up to you. Skip the red pepper flakes, or add sriracha if your table likes it spicy.
Why Salmon? Salmon is one of the best protein sources you can put on the table, and it’s loaded with omega-3s, the healthy fats that are as good for your heart as they are for your brain. It’s naturally low in calories and saturated fat, has zero carbs, and still brings along a solid dose of vitamin B, potassium, and antioxidants.

Overhead shot of honey garlic salmon with braised red cabbage on a plate.

Ingredients for Honey Garlic Glazed Salmon

Salmon ingredients:

Salmon fillets: I prefer skin-on, since the skin helps hold the fillet together, and provides a moisture barrier as it cooks and gets nicely crisp underneath. Two 6-ounce filets is the perfect amount for two people. Of course fresh salmon is best when you can get it, but quality frozen works too.
Kosher salt & black pepper: Simple seasoning that lets the honey garlic glaze do the heavy lifting.
Garlic: A little garlic powder or minced garlic rubbed right onto the salmon before baking builds flavor in every bite, not just in the glaze.
Smoked paprika: Just an eighth of a teaspoon, but it adds a subtle smoky depth and gorgeous color to the outside of the fish.

Honey garlic sauce ingredients:

Butter: I use salted butter, but unsalted butter works fine too. Just taste and adjust your seasoning.
Garlic: Minced or pressed, and don’t skimp! Three cloves give the sauce its backbone.
Honey: It caramelizes beautifully in the oven. Try a hot honey if you want built-in heat.
Soy sauce: I use low-sodium soy sauce so the glaze doesn’t turn out too salty. Swap in tamari or coconut aminos for a gluten-free version.
Rice wine vinegar: Adds a little brightness to cut through the sweetness. No rice vinegar on hand? Apple cider vinegar works too (just steer clear of balsamic here). You can also use fresh lemon juice or a little lime.
Red pepper flakes: A couple of shakes for gentle heat; leave them out entirely if you’re cooking for spice-sensitive eaters.
Green onions: For garnish. They add a fresh, sharp bite that balances the sticky glaze. If you have sesame seeds, sprinkle some of those on top, too!

Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.

Ingredients needed to make honey garlic salmon.

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Watch Kathleen make this tasty salmon

How to Make Garlic Honey Salmon

Step 1 | Prep & Season the Salmon

Pull the salmon out of the fridge about 20 minutes before you start cooking and allow to come to room temperature. This helps it cook more evenly.

Pat the salmon dry with paper towels (this helps it sear and glaze better, rather than steam), then season with the salt, pepper, garlic, and smoked paprika. Preheat the oven to 400°F (205 °C).

Sprinkling salt and pepper on salmon fillets. — Season the salmon with salt and pepper, garlic, and smoked paprika.

Step 2 | Make the Sauce

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, add the garlic, and sauté for about a minute until fragrant. Stir in the honey, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 60-90 seconds, until reduced slightly and thicker, glossier, then remove from the heat.

Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the glaze in a small bowl. This is your finishing drizzle for after baking, so you get a fresh layer of shiny glaze on top.

Pro Tip: If you’d like, you can use the unreserved sauce as a marinade. Marinate and refrigerate for up to 2 hours. Much longer can start to break down the fish.

Garlic added to butter in a skillet. — Melt butter.

Step 3 | Assemble & Bake

Place the salmon skin-side down on a rimmed baking sheet, either oiled directly or lined with foil or parchment (also brushed lightly with oil). Pour the remaining sauce over the top, brushing it up the sides of the salmon too.

Bake salmon for 7 minutes. Baste with the sauce that’s pooled on the pan, then bake another 3-5 minutes. Baking time can vary dramatically according to the fish filet size.

Pro Tip: Keeping the skin on salmon while baking provides a natural moisture barrier and imparts flavor and more of those good Omega-3s.

Pouring the honey garlic sauce from the skillet onto raw salmon fillets. — Pour sauce over salmon.

Brushing the honey garlic sauce on the salmon fillets. — Pour sauce over salmon.

Step 4 | Finish and Broil

Brush with your reserved finishing glaze. For a little char, broil for 1 minute, watching closely. Salmon is done when it flakes easily and reads 120°F on an instant-read thermometer for medium-rare or 130°F for medium at the thickest part of the fish.

Sprinkle with chopped green onions, lemon slices, a little chopped parsley or your favorite fresh herbs and drizzle with any remaining glaze.

Brushing remaining sauce onto the salmon. — Brush reserved sauce onto the salmon. Broil if desired.

Green onions on top of honey garlic salmon on a sheet pan. — Brush reserved sauce onto the salmon. Broil if desired.

How Long to Bake Salmon at 400°F

At 400°F, salmon bakes fast, usually 10-20 minutes depending on thickness. Here’s what to look for.

A standard 6-ounce filet, about 1 inch thick, takes 10-15 minutes to reach medium doneness. Thinner filets, closer to ¾ inch, may only need 8-9 minutes. Thicker cuts, over 1¼ inches, can run closer to 18-20 minutes.

Don’t just go by cook times, though; go by temperature. Insert a thermometer into the thickest part of the salmon. 120°F is medium-rare, 130°F is medium, and 145°F is well done, though salmon dries out fast past medium, so I rarely take mine that far. Every piece of salmon is a little different, keeping that in mind.

The fish will keep cooking a few degrees after it comes out of the oven, so pull it just before it hits your target.

If you like a glaze with a little char on it, finish under the broiler for the last 1-2 minutes, watching closely, broilers work fast, and salmon can go from perfectly glazed to burnt in seconds.

How to Pan Fry It

Season the salmon as directed above. Heat a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat with a little olive oil or cooking oil, nonstick works best for salmon. Place the salmon skin side down in the hot pan and cook the first side for 3-4 minutes, then flip and cook the other side until golden, another 2-3 minutes or so.
While the salmon cooks, make the sauce: in a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, add the garlic and sauté 1 minute, then stir in the honey, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 60 seconds and remove from heat.
Pour the sauce over the salmon in the skillet and continue cooking for 1 minute, until the sauce starts to thicken. Salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork. If the fish finishes before the sauce is thickened, remove to a plate and continue simmering the sauce for a few more minutes.
Sprinkle with chopped green onions and serve with any extra sauce spooned over the top.

How to Air Fry It

Season the salmon filets as directed above. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 4 minutes.
Spray the salmon filets with a little oil, or brush lightly with oil. Spray the air fryer basket with oil and place the salmon skin side down in the basket in a single layer. Air fry for 7-9 minutes, brushing the glaze on during the last minute.
Every air fryer heats a little differently, so check on the early side. Salmon should flake easily with a fork, cook an additional 1-2 minutes if needed. For moist, buttery salmon, pull it at 120-125°F; for fully cooked salmon, go to 140°F, though it may be a bit drier.
Meanwhile, make the sauce on the stovetop: melt the butter over medium heat, add the garlic and sauté 1 minute, then stir in the honey, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and red pepper flakes. Simmer for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until reduced slightly and thickened; it will need to be simmered longer since it’ll go onto the fish at the very end. During the last minute of cooking the salmon, spoon a couple of tablespoons of glaze into a small bowl for basting and set the rest aside for serving.
Remove the basket from the air fryer and brush the salmon with the reserved glaze. Return to the air fryer for 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped green onions and serve with any remaining glaze drizzled over the top.

Wooden spatula lifting up a piece of honey garlic salmon from a sheet pan.

Honey Salmon Recipe Tips

Buy the thickest filets you can find. The best salmon is usually thicker (around 1 inch), since it’s far more forgiving than thin filets, which can go from perfectly cooked to overdone in seconds over high heat.
Go by temperature, not just time. An instant-read thermometer takes all the guesswork out of cooking salmon. Pull it a few degrees before your target, since it keeps cooking as it rests.
Don’t skip patting the fish dry. A wet salmon fillet will steam instead of caramelizing, and you’ll lose that beautiful glaze texture on the outside.
Reserve some glaze before it touches raw fish. Setting aside a bit of the sauce before it goes anywhere near the salmon means you get a clean, food-safe finishing drizzle at the end.
Watch the broiler closely if you use it. Broilers work fast, and a honey-based glaze can go from perfectly caramelized to burnt in under a minute.

Make it ahead: The honey garlic sauce can be made up to a week in advance and stored in the fridge, so if you want dinner to come together even faster, get the sauce done ahead of time and all that’s left is baking the salmon. You can easily double or triple this sauce, too!

Variations & Substitutions

Try different fish; just adjust the timing based on thickness. Halibut, sea bass, tilapia, haddock, and cod all work well with this sauce.
Want more heat? Add up to ¼ teaspoon extra red pepper flakes to the sauce, or stir in a tablespoon of sriracha.
Prefer it milder? Skip the red pepper flakes altogether; the honey and garlic still carry plenty of flavor on their own.
Gluten-free: swap the soy sauce for tamari or liquid aminos; just double-check the label since not all brands are certified gluten-free.
Low-carb: swap in a sugar-free honey substitute, or cut the honey to 1 tablespoon and add a small squeeze of fresh lemon at the end for brightness; it won’t be quite as glossy or thick, but still delicious.
Dairy-Free: Swap out the butter in the glaze for oil instead.
No rice wine vinegar? Apple cider vinegar or any vinegar besides balsamic will work for this recipe.

Serving Suggestions for this Honey Glazed Salmon Recipe

This honey garlic salmon recipe pairs well with just about any simple side dish, which is part of why it’s such a great weeknight go-to.

Rice or grains — Fried Rice is always a good idea. White rice, brown rice, quinoa or a quick rice pilaf are also perfect for soaking up any extra glaze.
Vegetables — I love to serve this salmon with my German Rotkohl, which is braised red cabbage. Air Fried Asparagus, Southern Green beans, Glazed Tarragon Carrots, or even Hibachi Vegetables are also great options!
A crisp green salad — Asian Ramen Salad would go well here! Anything bright and acidic contrasts nicely with the sweet, sticky glaze.

Side view of honey garlic salmon on a plate with green onions on top.

Storing Honey Salmon Recipe

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To reheat, I like using the air fryer at 350°F for about 3-4 minutes, or you can gently warm it in a skillet on the stove over low heat until heated through. Leftover salmon is delicious in salmon tacos or a salmon bowl!

I don’t recommend microwaving it if you can help it, since it tends to make the glaze go rubbery instead of sticky.

Garlic Honey Salmon FAQs

How do I know when my salmon is done?

Gently press on the top of the filet with a fork. If the flesh flakes apart easily and looks opaque rather than translucent, it’s done. A thermometer is the most reliable way to check, though.

What are the best kinds of salmon for baking?

King and coho salmon are my top picks for baking. Both have a higher fat content, which keeps them moist and forgiving even if you go a minute or two past perfect. Sockeye salmon is leaner and cooks up a little firmer, so watch your temperature closely if you go that route. Farmed Atlantic salmon works well too, and it’s usually the easiest to find and the most budget-friendly. Whatever you choose, look for filets that are at least an inch thick, they hold up best in a hot oven and won’t dry out as quickly as thinner cuts.

Is wild-caught or farmed salmon better?

It depends what you’re after. Wild-caught salmon, like king, sockeye, or coho, tends to have a deeper flavor and firmer texture, and it’s leaner since the fish are swimming and eating a natural diet. Farmed salmon, usually Atlantic, is fattier and milder, which actually makes it a little more forgiving if you’re worried about overcooking. It’s also typically less expensive and easier to find year-round. Neither is wrong; I just pick based on what’s fresh at the store and what I’m in the mood for that week.

What temperature should salmon be cooked to?

The FDA recommends cooking salmon to an internal temperature of 145°F, but honestly, it comes down to personal preference too, same as ordering a steak. I like to pull mine at 120-130°F for a moist, medium result, since the fish keeps cooking a bit after it comes out of the heat. My husband wants his fully cooked through, no pink in sight (I’m working on him, slowly), so if you’re in his camp, aim for 140-145°F, just know it won’t be quite as juicy. Whatever your preference, use a meat thermometer and pull the salmon a few degrees before your target temperature.