Baked Salmon Honey Garlic (Printable)
Tender baked salmon coated with a sweet honey garlic glaze, perfect for a quick and healthy meal.
# What You Need:
→ Fish
01 - 4 salmon fillets, 6 oz each, skin-on or skinless
→ Glaze
02 - 3 tablespoons honey
03 - 3 tablespoons soy sauce, gluten-free if needed
04 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
05 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
→ Seasoning
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Garnish (optional)
10 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
11 - Lemon wedges, for serving
# How To Cook:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F and prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or greasing lightly.
02 - Combine honey, soy sauce, lemon juice, minced garlic, olive oil, and Dijon mustard in a small bowl, whisking until smooth.
03 - Place salmon fillets on the baking sheet. Pat dry with paper towels and season both sides evenly with salt and pepper.
04 - Brush or spoon half of the honey garlic glaze over the salmon fillets, reserving the remainder for later use.
05 - Bake the salmon for 12 to 15 minutes, until it flakes easily with a fork and reaches desired doneness.
06 - While salmon bakes, simmer the reserved glaze in a small saucepan over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently until slightly thickened.
07 - Remove salmon from oven, brush with the thickened glaze, then garnish with chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It comes together in under half an hour, which means you're eating by the time you've finished pouring a drink.
- The glaze gets tangy and thick and caramelizes just right without any fussing or complicated techniques.
- Salmon stays buttery and flakes perfectly, and the garlic hits you first, then the honey smooths in right behind it.
02 -
- Pat your salmon completely dry before seasoning, or the glaze slides right off and leaves you with bare fish.
- Don't skip simmering the leftover glaze on the stovetop—it concentrates the flavors and changes the texture from thin to silky, which is what takes this from good to impressive.
03 -
- If you want a caramelized, almost burnt finish, slide the whole thing under the broiler for the last minute or two after the glaze goes on—it gets crispy on top while staying tender inside.
- Maple syrup swaps directly in for honey if that's what you have, and it adds a deeper, more mellow sweetness that some people actually prefer.