Crispy Honey Garlic Glazed Salmon (Printable version)

Golden crispy salmon with sweet honey garlic glaze

# What you 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

# How To:

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 comes together in seconds but tastes like you spent forever developing the perfect balance
  • You get that restaurant-quality crispy skin without any fancy techniques or equipment
02 -
  • Dry salmon is crispy salmon, so do not skip that paper towel patting step or you will not get the crust you are after
  • The glaze thickens incredibly fast once it hits the hot pan, so keep spooning and watch closely
03 -
  • If you want extra crispy skin, try the cornstarch trick, just a light dusting before searing changes everything
  • A fish spatula is one of those tools that once you own, you will wonder how you lived without it