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Close-up of a cooked salmon fillet with seasoning and sauce, served with white rice and broccoli on a plate, alongside a fork.
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5 from 1 vote

Hot Honey Salmon

🍯🍣 Pan-seared salmon that strikes the perfect balance between spicy and sweet with a lightly caramelized exterior and a tender, moist interior. The buttery hot honey glaze has notes of garlic, lime, and soy sauce to give BIG flavor to this EASY, one-skillet salmon recipe that's ready in 15 minutes!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Course: 30-Minute Meals, Dinner, Fish
Cuisine: Dinner, Fish
Diet: Gluten Free
Keyword: hot honey salmon, salmon with hot honey
Servings: 4
Calories: 448cal

Equipment

Ingredients

Glaze/Sauce

  • 3 tablespoons salted butter melted (unsalted butter may be substituted and add 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste)
  • ⅓ cup hot honey (or make your own; see blog post for how to make it)
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice or to taste (from about 1 large or 2 small limes)
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce (reduced sodium soy sauce may be substituted)
  • 2 cloves garlic finely minced

Salmon

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 salmon filets (I use fresh, skin-on, center-cut salmon filets that are about 5 ounces each; you can use a larger piece of salmon or 2 medium pieces which is more cost effective than center-cut filets; I use fresh salmon but you can use frozen salmon that you fully thaw before beginning
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
  • ½ to 1 teaspoon smoked paprika or to taste (regular paprika may be substiuted)
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder or to taste
  • Optional garnishes: Lime wedges, extra red pepper flakes, fresh herbs such as parley, cilantro, or basil as desired

Instructions

  • Glaze/Sauce: To a medium, microwave-safe bowl, add the butter and heat on high for about 30 seconds to melt it.
    Then add the hot honey, lime juice, soy sauce, garlic, and whisk to combine. Set aside until Step 4.
    Overhead view of a glass Pyrex measuring cup filled with a foamy, brown liquid mixture on a light surface.
  • Salmon: To a large skillet, add the oil, salmon filets with the skin-side down (if there's skin), and evenly season them with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, chili powder, and garlic powder. Tip - I just eyeball the seasonings to make it easier.
    Four seasoned salmon fillets cooking in a black cast iron skillet on a light-colored countertop.
  • Cook over medium-high heat for about 3-4 minutes, or until the underside of the salmon is browned and you can see it's cooked about halfway up.
    Four seasoned salmon fillets are searing in a black cast iron skillet on a light-colored surface.
  • Flip the salmon over, evenly pour the glaze/sauce over the salmon pieces, and baste the salmon with the sauce the entire time the second side cooks, about 3 minutes, or as desired. Remove it from the skillet and set it aside on a serving platter when it's done.
    Four seared salmon fillets cooking in a cast iron skillet with a brown sauce on a light-colored surface.
  • Tip - To baste, you'll want to use a small spoon to spoon the sauce over the top of all the salmon pieces. This hot liquid will help the salmon cook and keep it hydrated and moist.
    A spoon drizzles a brown sauce over a seasoned, cooked piece of salmon with visible spices, next to a lemon wedge.
  • Cooking Tips - The second side of salmon usually cooks quicker than the first side so keep that in mind. If in doubt, undercook rather than overcook it since it'll continue to cook even after you remove it from the skillet. The flesh changes from translucent to opaque (light pink) and flakes easily with a fork, while still appearing moist in the center, and the interior temp is between 125-135F. The salmon shown in the photos is closer to 125F.
    Four glazed salmon fillets with three lemon wedges in a cast iron skillet, surrounded by limes, rice, and a woven placemat.
  • Optionally garnish as desired with lime wedges, red pepper flakes, fresh herbs, etc.
    A cooked, seasoned salmon fillet is lifted from a pan with a wooden spatula, with other salmon pieces and lemon wedges visible in the background.
  • Serve with coconut rice, Spanish rice, mashed potatoes, roasted veggies, or as desired. Tip - Make sure to enjoy and use up every drop of the glaze/sauce that's in the skillet because it's so good and flavorful!
    A spoon drizzles sauce over a seasoned salmon fillet on a plate with rice, roasted broccoli, and lime wedges.

Notes

Storage: Salmon is best warm and fresh but extra will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. I recommend eating at room temp rather than reheating but you may do so very gently (about 15 seconds) in the microwave. I personally haven't frozen this and advise that this is a meal to be enjoyed when you make it rather than freezing it.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 448cal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 1233mg | Potassium: 913mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 658IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 2mg
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