Honey Garlic Salmon (5 Ingredients, 15 Minutes) Recipe
This Honey Garlic Salmon recipe features a simple yet flavorful sauce made with honey, soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic, perfectly complementing tender, pan-seared salmon fillets. Ready in just 15 minutes and requiring only 5 main ingredients, this dish is perfect for a quick and delicious weeknight dinner.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Sauce Ingredients
- 4 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp soy sauce (all purpose or light soy sauce)
- 1 tbsp white vinegar (or any vinegar except balsamic)
- 1 large garlic clove, minced (or 2 small)
Salmon
- 2 salmon or trout fillets, skinless (6 oz / 200g each)
- Olive oil (for frying)
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
To Garnish
- Sesame seeds
- Finely sliced chives or shallots/scallions
Instructions
- Prepare the Salmon: Take the salmon out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking to bring it to room temperature. Pat the salmon fillets dry with a paper towel and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper evenly.
- Make the Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce, white vinegar, and minced garlic until well combined.
- Heat the Pan and Cook Salmon: Drizzle olive oil in a non-stick frying pan and heat over medium-high heat (or slightly lower if your stove runs hot). Place the salmon fillets in the pan and cook the first side for 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown. Flip the fillets and cook the other side for 2 to 3 minutes until also golden.
- Add Sauce and Thicken: Pour the prepared honey garlic sauce over the salmon in the pan. Cook for 1 minute, stirring slightly, until the sauce begins to thicken. Check the doneness of the salmon by looking at the side — medium rare is preferred. If the sauce thickens too much before the salmon is cooked to your liking, add water one tablespoon at a time to loosen the sauce.
- Serve: Remove the salmon onto serving plates. Drizzle with the remaining sauce from the pan, then sprinkle with sesame seeds and finely sliced chives, shallots, or scallions, if desired.
Notes
- Letting the salmon come to room temperature before cooking ensures even cooking.
- If you prefer your salmon well-done, cook for an additional 1-2 minutes per side.
- You can substitute white vinegar with rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar, but avoid balsamic as it alters the flavor.
- Use skinless salmon or trout fillets for best results in this recipe.
- Adjust the sweetness or saltiness of the sauce by varying honey and soy sauce quantities according to taste.