Honey Garlic Sauce Salmon
Apr 23, 2019, Updated Jan 29, 2026
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This Honey Garlic Sauce Salmon recipe makes crispy and tender salmon that’s seriously 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.
Honey Garlic Salmon Recipe
Judging by how much we all love my garlic butter baked salmon, it’s safe to say salmon plus garlic is a winning combo around here. I mean, it just works. Every time.
But there’s something extra-good about sweet and salty food that gets all caramelized and browned in the pan. You know the type. Think crock pot honey garlic chicken, honey garlic baked pork chops, or honey garlic steak bites. There are more, but you get the idea. Honey garlic is my jam, and this salmon fits right in.
A simple sauce made with honey, soy sauce, garlic, and lime juice gives this salmon a ton of flavor without any extra effort. It’s quick, easy, and perfect for a busy weeknight, but still feels nice enough to serve when you want dinner to look a little more put together.
How To Make Honey Garlic Salmon
This honey garlic salmon comes together fast on the stovetop with a sticky, garlicky sauce that hits that perfect sweet-and-salty balance. No fancy steps, just really good salmon that makes a perfect dinner served with brown rice, cauliflower rice, or whatever’s easiest that night.
- Season the salmon. Season the fillets with cumin, paprika, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Cook. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and add the salmon fillets, skin-side down. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the salmon is mostly cooked through, then flip.
- Add the sauce. Add the butter, garlic, honey, soy sauce, and lime juice. Cook for 2 more minutes, spooning the sauce over the salmon, until the fish is cooked through and the sauce thickens slightly.
- Finish. Garnish the fish with sliced green onions and lime wedges, then serve.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. Cook 2 salmon fillets at a time so they’re easier to flip and get a nice sear. When it’s time to add the sauce, return all the fillets to the pan and continue cooking.
- Start skin-side down. The skin helps protect the fish from overcooking and makes flipping easier once it releases from the pan.
- Let the salmon cook before flipping. If it sticks, give it another 30 seconds before trying again. It will release on its own when it’s ready.
- Watch the sauce closely. The honey causes it to thicken quickly, so keep an eye on the pan once the sauce goes in and spoon it over the fish as it cooks.
- Don’t overcook the salmon. Salmon is cooked through when its internal temperature registers at 145˚F. It should flake easily but still be moist in the center.
Serving Suggestions
I love salmon because it’s basically a blank canvas for a good sauce, and this honey garlic situation begs to be spooned over a bowl of rice, garlic mashed potatoes, or served with a big green goddess salad when I want to keep things lighter. It’s also great as part of a simple dinner spread with oven roasted veggies and this salmon front and center, with extra sauce drizzled over everything because that’s the whole point.
How To Store Leftovers
- Keep cooked salmon refrigerated in airtight containers for 2 to 3 days. You could also freeze the fillets for 2 months. Thaw them before reheating.
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Honey Garlic Sauce Salmon
Ingredients
FOR THE SALMON
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
- 4 skin-on salmon fillets, each fillet should be around 4-ounces
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoky or sweet paprika
- ½ tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
FOR THE HONEY GARLIC SAUCE
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon minced garlic)
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce, gor a gluten-free option, use Tamari sauce
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- sliced green onions, for serving
- lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the oil and butter. Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large (10 to 12 inches) cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Make the seasoning. In a small bowl combine cumin, paprika, Italian Seasoning, salt, and pepper; mix until incorporated.
- Prep and cook the salmon. Season the salmon fillets with the seasoning and transfer them to the skillet, skin side down. (Please see my notes.) Cook the fillets for 4 to 5 minutes, or until they are three-quarters of the way cooked.
- Continue to cook. Flip the fish over and add 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet. (If working in batches, at this point you want to place all your fillets back in the skillet.) Wait until the butter melts, then add the minced garlic to the fish.
- Make the honey garlic sauce. In the meantime, whisk the honey, soy sauce, and lime juice together in a bowl until well combined. Pour the prepared honey soy sauce over the fish and continue cooking for 2 more minutes, or until the fish is cooked through and the sauce has slightly thickened. Spoon the sauce over the fillets as they cook.
- Finish and serve. Remove from heat. Garnish the salmon fillets with sliced green onions and serve with lime wedges.
Notes
- Cook in batches. For the 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.
- Storage. Keep cooked salmon refrigerated in airtight containers for 2-3 days.
Nutrition
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.
Like Hosta said it sounds like you end up with flesh down and put sauce and garlic on skin I’m confused
Wow! This salmon is to die for. The sauce is so delicious I wanted to lick the plate. I’ll make this recipe often.
Directions say to start salmon on skin side and end with flesh side down. If correct you are putting the sauce on the skin, not the flesh. This is opposite of how I saute salmon. Please confirm.
I actually made this last night exactly like it said. There is so much sauce that it coat the flesh of the salmon and leaves a nice glaze on it as well. Then, you spoon the sauce over the skin to keep it moist and I guess to get flavor on it for those that eat the skin. I am not a salmon fan but it was surprisingly really delicious.
I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelicious!!!!! Sweet, Savory and perfect for a cozy winter night. Thanks for sharing!
Sounded like a great recipe, except for the Italian seasoning. It overpowered the other flavors. I tried to eat it but ended up throwing it out. Sorry, but I didn’t like it.
Garlic Sauce Salmon is the great idea for my children. It is delicious and nutritious. They eat them all. Thank you so much for your sharing
I made this tonight. I asked how it was while I was finishing cleaning up. My teenage son, wide-eyed and shoving food in his mouth, gave a thumbs up. He gradually got out, “This is something Gordon Ramsey should serve in his restaurant!”
It’s a keeper. Thanks.
I want to eat this for dinner tonight!
I have three heavy salmon eaters in this house. Boy, would they be thrilled with this recipe!
so so so soooooo delicious. It’s really one more blasting recipe. I like all your recipes dear. Thay are so delicious and yummy. Thanks for sharing the recipe 🙂
What an easy and delicious dinner idea! This is a must try recipe!