Crispy Honey Garlic Glazed Salmon (Printable Version)

Golden pan-seared salmon with sticky honey garlic glaze, ready in 25 minutes

# What You'll Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 4 salmon fillets (about 6 oz each), skin-on or skinless, patted dry
02 - ½ teaspoon salt
03 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Sauce

04 - ⅓ cup honey
05 - 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
06 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
08 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

→ For Cooking

09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (optional, for extra crispiness)

→ Garnish

11 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
12 - Lemon wedges, for serving

# Step-by-Step:

01 - Season salmon fillets on both sides with salt and pepper.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce, garlic, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes (if using). Set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
04 - When oil is hot, add salmon fillets skin-side up (or presentation-side down). Sear without moving for 4–5 minutes until crisp and golden.
05 - Flip salmon and add butter to the pan. Cook another 3–4 minutes until salmon is almost cooked through.
06 - Pour honey garlic sauce over the salmon. Let it bubble and thicken, spooning sauce over the fillets, for 2–3 minutes until salmon is glazed and cooked to your liking.
07 - Remove from heat. Plate the salmon and drizzle with extra sauce from the pan. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The glaze achieves that perfect restaurant quality sticky finish that coats every bite
  • Everything comes together in one pan so cleanup is practically nonexistent
  • The sauce balances sweet honey with just enough garlic and heat to keep it interesting
02 -
  • Patting the salmon absolutely dry before cooking is the secret to getting that skin crispy instead of soggy
  • Letting the sear happen without moving the fish creates the beautiful crust that makes restaurant salmon so special
  • The sauce will continue thickening off the heat so remove it from the pan while it still looks slightly thinner than you want
03 -
  • If your salmon has skin, score it lightly before cooking to help it lay flat and crisp evenly
  • Room temperature salmon cooks more evenly than cold straight from the refrigerator

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