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Honey Lemon Garlic Salmon

Honey Lemon Garlic Salmon is a skillet salmon recipe with a glossy honey, lemon, garlic glaze that turns sticky and flavorful in minutes. The method keeps the fillets tender and flaky while the sauce thickens and clings to every bite.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

salmon fillets
  • 4 salmon fillets about 6 oz each
salt
  • 0.5 tsp salt
black pepper
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
olive oil
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
honey
  • 3 tbsp honey
fresh lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
garlic cloves
  • 4 clove garlic cloves minced
low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
lemon zest
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
lemon wedges
  • 1 lemon wedges cut into wedges

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season the salmon
  1. Pat the salmon fillets dry, then season both sides with salt and black pepper.
Sear
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  2. Add the salmon and cook for 4–5 minutes until golden underneath.
  3. Flip the salmon carefully and cook for another 2–3 minutes.
Make the glaze and finish
  1. Whisk the honey, fresh lemon juice, garlic, low-sodium soy sauce, and lemon zest together until smooth.
  2. Pour the honey lemon garlic mixture around the salmon, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 2–3 minutes until the glaze begins to thicken.
  3. Add the unsalted butter and stir until it melts into the glaze.
  4. Spoon the glossy glaze repeatedly over the salmon until evenly coated.
  5. Cook until the salmon reaches 145°F and flakes easily with a fork, then remove the skillet from the heat.
Serve
  1. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.
  2. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and extra honey lemon garlic glaze from the skillet.

Notes

For the best glaze cling, keep heat at medium once the mixture is added so it simmers and thickens instead of reducing too fast. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently so the salmon doesn’t dry out. Freezing is not recommended because the honey-lemon glaze can separate when thawed. If you prefer a lower-sodium option, use regular soy sauce or tamari only if you can keep sodium within your target.