Hot Honey Salmon

This hot honey salmon recipe delivers tender salmon fillets with a sticky, flavorful glaze.

a closeup shot of hot honey salmon on a tostada

Hot Honey Salmon is the kind of recipe that makes dinner feel far more impressive than the effort involved. The salmon bakes in a glossy sauce made with honey, lime, soy sauce, butter and adobo, creating the perfect balance of sweet heat and richness. It’s fast, reliable, and flexible enough to serve on its own, or layered onto crunchy tostadas, creamy beans and zesty slaw.

This is the type of dinner that solves the “what should I make?” problem very quickly.

reasons you’ll love this hot honey salmon

The sauce is ridiculous – sweet, spicy, buttery, it hits all the notes and you will want to serve it on anything.
Balanced and filling – protein, and healthy fats all in one.
Versatile – great on its own, with more traditional side dishes or on crispy tostadas like I photographed.

an overhead shot of glazed hot honey salmon

Hot Honey Salmon Ingredients

Salmon: if possible use center cut fillets, this ensures they are the same size and will cook evenly.
Spices: paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, salt and pepper.
Honey: star of the show, you can use maple syrup if you prefer.
Adobo: adds smoky depth and heat. Start small if you are sensitive to spice.
Lime and soy sauce: used to add depth and keeps the sauce from being too heavy.
Red Pepper Flakes: easy way to adjust heat depending on preference.

How to Make Hot Honey Salmon

Pat the salmon dry, season and drizzle with olive oil.
Bake salmon for 400 degrees F for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a small sauce pan. When the butter is completely melted and sizzling stir in the honey, lime juice, soy sauce, adobo sauce and red pepper flakes. Simmer 1-2 minutes until slightly thickened.
Brush the salmon very generously with the hot honey glaze and bake 3-5 more minutes until flaky and cooked through. Brush with additional glaze before serving if desired.

Tips for the Best Flaky Salmon

Seasoning: Pat the salmon dry before seasoning it.
Size: Use fillets similar in thickness before cooking.
Salmon Cooking Temp: Don’t overcook, as salmon will continue to cook in the hot pan after removing. I rely on a meat thermometer. I shoot to remove it from the oven at 120 degrees F.

Making Salmon Tostadas

If you want to serve this hot honey salmon like I did it couldn’t be easier.

Tostada: use store bought tostadas, or simply fry corn tortillas at home until crisp. Lightly salt.
Refried Beans: spread a layer of warm refried beans on the tostada.
Salmon: add the glazed salmon on top of the beans. Drizzle with extra
Slaw: I topped mine with a quick cilantro lime slaw and have included the recipe in the notes section of the recipe card below.
Garnish– top with a bit of feta, or cotija, green onions, cilantro or fresh lime juice.

Pairs well with

Cilantro Lime Rice
Instant Pot Black Beans
Fiesta Potatoes
Cilantro Lime Dressing
Dairy Free Queso

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This hot honey salmon delivers the perfect mix of sweet, smoky and spicy flavor! Served alongside crispy tostadas, crunchy slaw and beans this glazed salmon is a huge hit!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Servings people

Calories 300kcal

Author Annie Holmes

Ingredients

Salmon

4 salmon filets
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon EACH salt, pepper, garlic powder and chili powder

Sauce

2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup honey
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons adobo sauce
½ teaspoons red pepper flakes optional – depending on how much spice you want

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Pat the salmon fillets dry. Sprinkle the salmon with the spices and drizzle with the olive oil.
Bake the salmon for 15 minutes while you prepare the hot honey sauce.
In a small sauce pan melt the butter over medium low heat*. Once the butter has melted completely add the hot honey, lime juice, soy sauce, adobo sauce and red pepper flakes if using. Stir the mixture continuously for 1-2 minutes until it has reduced slightly and thickened. Set aside.
After the salmon has baked for 15 minutes brush the hot honey on the salmon very liberally. Place the salmon back in the oven and cook an additional 3-5 minutes until the salmon is cooked through and flakes easily.
Before serving brush the salmon with the remaining hot honey glaze if desired.

Notes

**You want to make sure the saucepan is on medium LOW, butter and honey can burn quickly so you just want the pan to be warm enough to allow the ingredients to meld together. If your stovetop tends to run on the hot side of things keep the temperature on low vs. medium low.

Cilantro Lime Slaw

1 ½ cups cabbage slaw mix
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
½ teaspoon – 1 teaspoon lime juice
salt and pepper to taste
drizzle of good olive oil

Directions: combine all of the ingredients until coated well. Taste and adjust ingredients based on your preference. If you want a finer texture like what you see pictured simply pulse in the food processor.

Nutrition