image credit : sallysbakingaddiction

Honey Garlic Soy Glazed Salmon

Baking is my passion, but sharing everyday dinner recipes is so much fun! Finding a meal that pleases my whole family, especially the picky young eaters, can be a challenge. That's where my honey garlic soy glazed salmon comes in. It's the go-to solution when I need dinner fast, want everyone to enjoy it, and aim for minimal ingredients and dishes. 😉

This recipe, on my website since 2015, is a hit. Leslie, a reader, says: “This post is a couple years old but the recipe holds. My family LOVED this! I loved how simple it is but packed with flavor.”

You’ll Love This Honey Garlic Soy Salmon, Too:

  • 35 minutes total: 15 minutes to marinate, 15–20 to bake
  • Only 6 easy ingredients
  • Marinade doubles as the glaze
  • Minimal effort, maximum flavor
  • Casual enough for the week, fancy enough for guests
  • Healthy, wholesome, dairy free
  • Easy recipe to halve or double

Ingredients You Need & Why

There are so few ingredients in this honey garlic soy salmon dish… and each one has a key job!

  1. Salmon: The fresher the salmon, the better. You want about 24 ounces (680g) total, and purchasing individual fillets makes prep easier. Try to find salmon fillets that are an even thickness so that they all cook in the same amount of time. There are many different types of salmon and this how to buy salmon guide is a helpful resource. (Not affiliated at all, just a really handy article about fresh/frozen/types.)
  2. Honey: Honey is one of the main ingredients and pairs so well with garlic, something you may know if you’ve had this honey garlic shrimp before. (A similar, but even quicker dish!)
  3. Soy Sauce: I typically use Kikkoman less sodium tamari soy sauce, which is labeled gluten free. Again, not sponsored… just a fan! If you’re gluten sensitive or intolerant, you can use that or swap the soy sauce with actual tamari sauce.
  4. Sesame Oil: This is a new addition over the past couple years and I use it for sticking power. After dozens of times preparing this dish, I found the salmon holds onto the marinade a little better when there’s 1 Tablespoon of oil. If you don’t have sesame oil, olive oil is a fine replacement.
  5. Garlic: You can use fresh or jarred/minced.
  6. Fresh Ginger: Ginger gives this dish a warm, fresh, slightly sweet element. It’s one of my favorite ingredients in cooking and you’ll love it in peach pie, too.
salmon on white plate with ingredients arranged around it including soy sauce, sesame oil, fresh ginger, garlic, and honey.
sallysbakingaddiction

Step Photos: How to Make Honey Garlic Soy Salmon

Place salmon in a container or zipped-top bag. I usually use these glass containers for marinating and they work just as well for storing leftovers and freezing meals/baked goods. (See 8 Freezer Meals for some inspiration!) Mix the marinade ingredients together and pour about half over the salmon:

honey soy sauce marinade in bowl and poured over salmon in glass container.

Marinate the salmon for at least 15 minutes and up to 4 hours. You can stretch this to 8 hours if needed. You’ll love that this dish can work with any schedule, in a rush or not!

Place salmon on lined baking sheet; reserve used marinade if desired to reduce with the rest of the unused marinade:

4 marinated salmon filets on parchment paper-lined small baking sheet.

The sauce will caramelize over the salmon as it bakes:

While the salmon bakes, reduce the remaining marinade on the stove to make a glaze. You want a rich, thick glaze:

Drizzle the glaze all over the warm baked salmon. You could even drizzle a spoonful onto the salmon fillets towards the end of the bake time and return them to the oven to finish baking.

And your dinner is hot & ready! Feel free to garnish the honey garlic soy salmon with green onion and/or sesame seeds. I like to steam broccoli and make a packet of brown rice as the salmon bakes.

honey garlic glazed salmon on white plate with broccoli and rice.

The edges are crisp, the honey garlic soy salmon is tender, and the flavors are unbelievable!

Ingredients


  • 4 salmon fillets, about 6 ounces (170g) each
  • 1/3 cup (80ml) reduced sodium soy sauce (or regular)
  • 1/3 cup (113g) honey
  • 1 Tablespoon (15ml) sesame oil (or olive oil)
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced (or 2 teaspoons jarred/minced)
  • 1 teaspoon peeled minced fresh ginger
  • optional for garnish: chopped green onion and/or sesame seeds

Instructions

  1. Marinate the salmon: Place salmon fillets into a large zippered food storage bag or shallow dish/container. In a medium bowl, whisk soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger together. Pour about half of the mixture (just eyeball it) over salmon. Turn salmon to coat. Seal the bag/cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes and up to 4 hours.
  2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°F (191°C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, parchment paper, or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
  3. Line the marinated salmon fillets on the baking sheet, skin side down. You can hold onto this used marinade—see step 5. Bake salmon for 15–20 minutes or until done, which is 10 minutes per inch thickness measured from the thickest part of the fillet. (Salmon is considered done when an instant read thermometer reads the center of the thickest part as at least 145°F (63°C).) Feel free to turn your oven to broil for the last minute to really crisp the edges.
  4. Meanwhile, as the salmon bakes, pour the remaining unused marinade into a small saucepan or skillet over medium-high heat. If you want, you can add the remaining (used) marinade as well. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 3–4 minutes or until slightly thickened. Keep a close eye on it because it can quickly burn. It will bubble up a lot as it reduces. Remove from heat.
  5. Drizzle thickened glaze over baked salmon and serve with optional garnish.
  6. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for a few days. Reheat to your liking.