Honey Garlic Salmon Recipe – Ready To Eat In Only 15 Minutes!

If you are wanting a healthy and delicious dinner recipe that will be on the table and ready to eat in under 15 minutes, this Honey Garlic Salmon recipe is just what you are looking for!

Salmon filets cooked on the stovetop in a sweet, slightly spicy sauce that is flavored with fresh garlic cloves. It is truly a recipe that looks and tastes too good to be cooked that fast.

Not to mention that this quick and easy recipe is also very healthy for you. Salmon in itself is high in protein and contains a large amount of Omega-3 fatty acids. There are well documented health benefits for both the brain and heart on eating salmon a couple of times a week.

However, this recipe also contains a good amount of garlic. Although garlic is known for its distinctive taste, it is also known to help lower cholesterol and blood pressure when consumed in larger amounts.

When the garlic is combined with the other ingredients, the sauce comes to life and provides a variety of flavors that meld very well together.

It is so good you won’t even realize that you are eating something healthy for dinner!

Honey Garlic Salmon Recipe

*A printable recipe card is located at the bottom of this article which contains the specific measurements, temperatures and cook times. However, continue reading below to learn about more helpful tips about this specific recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 salmon filets, 4-6 ozs. each
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• pinch of ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 TBSP butter
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 1/2 TBSP water
• 1 1/2 TBSP soy sauce
• 1/2 Tbsp sriracha sauce
• 1 TBSP lemon juice

More Info About Some Of The Ingredients

1. Salmon

When purchasing salmon it is strongly recommended that you purchase wild caught salmon. Not only is it more sustainable, it is also healthier for you.

You can often find the wild caught fish in the butcher case of large grocery stores. With just one look you can easily tell the difference just based on the color of the flesh.

Farm raised salmon are typically dull pink in color and tend to be cut into thicker filets. In contrast, wild caught salmon is darker, almost reddish-pink in color and the filets are most often thinner in diameter.

If you can’t find what you are looking for in the butcher case, there is still hope. Check the seafood freezer section and you may find frozen fillets in a factory sealed bag. Just verify that they are wild caught by checking the packaging before purchasing.

2. Smoked Paprika

I use smoked paprika in a lot of my recipes. Not only does the powder provide the natural sweetness of the dried red bell peppers. It also provides a smoky flavor that is great to use when cooking indoors.

I buy a 1 lb. Package of Smoked Paprika from Amazon because it is sometimes hard to find this spice at the grocery store.

3. Honey

When you go to pick up some honey, be sure to buy 100% pure, unfiltered raw honey. This isn’t the same honey that is stored in those plastic, squeezable Teddy bears.

There is a big difference in flavor and because honey is such an important ingredient in this Honey Garlic Salmon recipe, you will want to use real honey.

Although it is a little more expensive, honey never goes bad, so it is worth the investment. Whenever the honey seems to cloud up and solidify, simply reheat the bottle of honey in warm water and it will convert back to its original consistency.

4. Soy Sauce

As I recommended with most of my recipes, it is best to use reduced sodium soy sauce. The sauce itself is naturally salty, and can give a strong, unpleasant flavor if you are sensitive to salt.

Remember, you can always add more salt when you go to serve the salmon, but you can’t take it away!

5. Sriracha Sauce

One of my favorite condiments of all time is Sriracha sauce! You can find bottles of it in the Asian aisle or condiment section at the store.

However, if you don’t like any heat at all in your food, feel free to decrease the amount listed in the recipe card below. Although, I highly recommend adding a little bit to the sauce as it helps to balance out the other sweeter flavors.

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

The first step in making this Honey Garlic Salmon is to prepare the salmon filets. If you purchased frozen salmon, be sure that they are completely thawed.

Then pat the salmon dry, both on the top and bottom surfaces with paper towels. Set the filets aside and prepare the seasoning.

In a small bowl mix together the salt, ground black pepper and smoked paprika. Then season both sides of the salmon with the seasoning and lightly pat the surface so that the seasoning sticks. Set the salmon aside while you prepare the sauce.

Add butter and oil to a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, add the garlic, water, soy sauce, Sriracha, honey and lemon juice and cook for 1 minute, or until the sauce is heated through.

Add salmon, skin side down if the filets still have the skin attached. Then cook until the salmon is opaque half way up the side of the filets. This will take approximately 3-4 minutes.

Using a spatula, carefully flip them over and let them cook on the other side. Continue to cook just until the salmon is light, flaky and cooked through. Depending on the thickness of the filets this should take approximately another 3-4 minutes.

While the salmon cooks, be sure to baste the top of the filets frequently with the sauce from the pan. However, there is no need for a turkey baster. Simply use a spoon to pour it over the top while it cooks. 

When the salmon is done, place the filets on a plate and spoon the Honey Garlic sauce over top.

Serve warm with your favorite side dish!

What To Serve With Honey Garlic Salmon?

You may be wondering what to serve alongside cooked salmon. Although you could keep it simple and serve it with a bed of rice or a salad, here are some of my other favorite side dishes that pair perfectly with this recipe:

• Red Skin Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Twice Baked Potatoes
• Air Fryer Red Potatoes
• Mexican Street Corn Casserole
• Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
• Garlic Smashed Potatoes
• Fried Cauliflower Rice
• Air Fryer Green Beans
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Enjoy! Mary

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