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Honey Garlic Sauce Salmon

by Katerina

4.96 from 21 votes

Apr 23, 2019, Updated Jun 26, 2023

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This Honey Garlic Sauce Salmon recipe makes crispy & tender salmon that’s SO DELICIOUS! This is one of my favorite ways to pan-fry salmon fillets. One pan, 20-minutes, and a handful of ingredients stand in the way of you and this incredible salmon dinner.

Looking for more salmon recipes? Try this oven baked salmon in garlic butter sauce!

HONEY GARLIC PAN FRIED SALMON

A simple sauce prepared with honey, soy sauce, garlic and lime juice adds a ton of flavor to this simple salmon recipe. Quick, easy, and super addictive, this tasty fish is perfect for a busy weeknight, but fancy enough for an elegant dinner.  

Judging by the popularity of my Garlic Butter Baked Salmon, it is no secret that you all LOVE salmon and garlic. AMIRIGHT? I hope so because that combo is like regular food meets magazine-food meets my mouth. 

HOWEVER, there’s just something EXTRA about food that’s sweet and salty plus perfectly browned into a caramelized perfection. Examples: we have this Crock Pot Honey Garlic Chicken, Honey Garlic Baked Pork Chops, Honey Garlic Steak Bites… there’s more, but you see where I’m going with this. Honey Garlic is my JAM. 

HOW TO MAKE HONEY GARLIC SALMON

Honey Garlic Salmon is seriously easy to make, using minimal ingredients you already have in your kitchen. In addition to being awesomely sauced, this garlicky salmon and its sticky honey glaze go perfectly with brown rice or cauliflower rice.

1. We start with seasoning our fillets; I use a mix of ground cumin, paprika, garlic powder, Italian Seasoning, salt and pepper. 
2. Add the fillets to warm oil in a cast iron skillet. If you do not have a cast iron skillet, use any other heavy steel pan that you do have. 
3. Cook the fillets for around 4 to 5 minutes, or until cooked three quarters of the way. Flip over. 
4. Add butter, minced garlic, honey, soy sauce, and lime juice. Cook for 2 more minutes, or until cooked through and sauce is thickened. 
5. Garnish with lime wedges and sliced green onions; serve.

COOK’S NOTES

• To make this cooking-fish-job easier, cook 2 salmon fillets at a time. It’s much easier to flip them over when the pan isn’t crowded. 
• When it’s time to add the sauce, just return all the fillets to the pan and continue. 

On a personal fish preference note, I love salmon because it is a perfect excuse to work up an Asian-inspired sauce. I also love my saucy, sweet and savory fish served on top of a pile of rice or next to a big green salad.

Annnnd now I’m hungry. Again. 

HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER SALMON

• Keep cooked salmon refrigerated in airtight containers for up to 3 days. 

MORE SALMON RECIPES

• Pan Seared Salmon with Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce
• Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon
• Honey Mustard Salmon
• Creamy Pan Seared Salmon with Tomatoes and Spinach
• Oven Baked Salmon with Pesto

ENJOY!

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4.96 from 21 votes

Honey Garlic Sauce Salmon

by Katerina | Diethood

Crispy, tender and juicy salmon fillets pan-fried in the most delicious honey garlic sauce. 

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 serves

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

FOR THE SALMON

• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoons butter,, divided
• ▢ 4 skin-on salmon fillets,, each fillet should be around 4-ounces
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon smoky or sweet paprika
• ▢ 1/2 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
• ▢ salt and fresh ground pepper,, to taste

FOR THE HONEY GARLIC SAUCE

• ▢ 4 cloves garlic,, minced (about 1 tablespoon minced garlic)
• ▢ 1/4 cup honey
• ▢ 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce, (For a gluten-free option, use Tamari sauce)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• ▢ sliced green onions, for serving
• ▢ lime wedges, for serving

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Instructions 

• Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large (10 to 12 inches) cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
• In a small bowl combine cumin, paprika, Italian Seasoning, salt, and pepper; mix until incorporated.
• Season salmon fillets with prepared seasoning and transfer to skillet, skin side down. (PLEASE SEE MY NOTES)
• Cook the fillets for 4 to 5 minutes, or until cooked three quarters of the way through.
• In the meantime, combine honey, soy sauce, and lime juice in a bowl; whisk until well combined.
• Flip the fish over and add 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet. (If working in batches, at this point you want to place all your fillets back in the skillet.)
• Wait until butter melts and add minced garlic over the fish.
• Pour the prepared honey soy sauce over the fish and continue to cook for 2 more minutes, or until cooked through and sauce has slightly thickened. Spoon the sauce over the fillets while cooking.
• Remove from heat.
• Garnish with sliced green onions and serve with lime wedges.

Notes

COOK’S NOTES

• For best and easiest results, cook 2 salmon fillets at a time. It’s much easier to flip them over when the pan isn’t crowded. When it’s time to add the sauce, just return all the salmon fillets to the pan and continue with the recipe. 

HOW TO STORE LEFTOVERS

• Keep cooked salmon refrigerated in airtight containers for up to 3 days. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1salmon fillet + sauce | Calories: 317kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 235mg | Potassium: 578mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 220IU | Vitamin C: 3.2mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1.5mg

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

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