Honey Garlic Salmon (Printable)

Salmon fillets pan-seared and glazed in honey garlic sauce, served with rice and veggies.

# Ingredient List:

→ Fish

01 - 4 salmon fillets (approximately 5.3 ounces each), skin-on or skinless
02 - Salt, to taste
03 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Sauce

04 - 3 tablespoons honey
05 - 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free option
06 - 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
08 - 1 tablespoon water

→ For Cooking

09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil or unsalted butter

→ Optional for Serving

10 - Steamed rice
11 - Steamed or sautéed seasonal vegetables
12 - Sliced green onions
13 - Sesame seeds

# Directions:

01 - Pat salmon fillets dry and season both sides evenly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk honey, soy sauce or tamari, minced garlic, fresh lemon juice, and water until combined. Set aside.
03 - Warm olive oil or unsalted butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
04 - Place salmon fillets in skillet, skin side down if applicable. Cook undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes until skin is crisp and golden.
05 - Turn fillets gently and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes until just opaque.
06 - Reduce heat to medium-low, pour prepared honey garlic sauce over and around the fillets, spooning sauce repeatedly to coat. Allow sauce to thicken and glaze the fish for 2 to 3 minutes.
07 - Remove skillet from heat once salmon is fully cooked and sauce is glossy. Serve immediately over steamed rice with vegetables, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce is ridiculously easy to whisk together, yet tastes like it came from a restaurant kitchen.
  • Salmon cooks so fast that dinner can be ready before your water even boils for rice.
  • Sweet and savory balance feels indulgent without being heavy or complicated.
02 -
  • Don't move the salmon around in the pan—it needs those first 3 to 4 minutes undisturbed to develop that crispy, golden exterior that makes the dish feel special.
  • The sauce thickens quickly once the heat is reduced, so watch it closely during those final minutes to catch it at that perfect glossy stage before it gets too thick.
03 -
  • Buy salmon from a fishmonger if you can—they can tell you which fillets are freshest and will trim them perfectly for you, which makes cooking easier and results better.
  • If you're nervous about flipping, a thin metal spatula with a slight flex is your friend; it slides under the fish so smoothly that there's almost no risk of it sticking or breaking.
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